Our offers for students

Interdisciplinary degree programme Biomedical Engineering

The Department of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology at TU Darmstadt and the Department of Medicine at Goethe University Frankfurt jointly offer the interdisciplinary Medical Engineering degree program (B.Sc. (opens in new tab) and M.Sc. (opens in new tab)). As part of the RMU network (opens in new tab), modules are taught at both TU Darmstadt and Goethe University.

Theses

We offer a wide range of topics for theses. Depending on your interests, these can include:

• experimental topics in the laboratory
• topics on programming, device control and data analysis
• or a mixture of both

The topics are based on our current research topics on optical spectroscopy and microscopy, fibre sensor technology, gas sensor technology, imaging, data analysis, optical metrology, development of new optical sensor and measurement techniques and various biomedical and pharmaceutical research questions. The topics are always individually tailored, and we look forward to hearing from you (Contact ).

Module Fundamentals of Biophotonics

In the module Fundamentals of Biophotonics (lecture and exercise), we get to know established and pioneering biophotonic systems and understand the underlying concepts. We familiarise ourselves with linear and non-linear optical processes of light-matter interaction and learn the principles of spectroscopy and microscopy based on these effects. With the knowledge acquired, students are able to assess and compare common biophotonics methods and instruments used in biomedical applications. In addition, they can analyse biophotonic measurement systems and independently design new methods and instrument improvements in biomedical optics. They can recommend suitable techniques and methods for a specific application. The module serves as an in-depth course in biomedical optics and has cross-connections to the elective areas.

The contents include:

• Review of the fundamentals of optics, laser technology, light-matter interaction and spectroscopic systems – this will cover selected medical technology applications;
• Spectroscopy and imaging with linear optical processes: IR absorption, Raman spectroscopy, e.g. with application in respiratory gas diagnostics, drug quality control and biomarker detection;
• Laser microscopy, e.g. wide-field microscopy, Raman microscopy and chemical imaging, fluorescence microscopy and its applications;
• Spectroscopy and imaging with non-linear processes: Fundamentals of nonlinear optics, multiphoton fluorescence, e.g. with application in in vivo brain imaging, coherent nonlinear optical processes such as SHG and CARS;
• Multimodal imaging, with possible application in intra-operative tumor imaging

Project Seminar Biophotonics

This project seminar deals with various methods of optical spectroscopy and microscopy with applications in biomedical engineering. Students gain an in-depth insight into practical work with lasers, optics, spectrometers, microscopes, etc. Both supervised project seminars and participation in current research projects are possible, depending on the number of participants. The experimental results are analysed using advanced techniques and methods of data processing and statistics and documented in reports in accordance with scientific standards.

After successfully completing this module, students are familiar with practical applications of biophotonic technologies and have learnt to implement advanced techniques and methods of data analysis. Depending on the task, students learn how to independently set up optical setups, analyse medically relevant samples, program software to control devices and/or evaluate and present measurement results. With the knowledge they acquire, students are able to critically analyse existing setups or instruments and develop their own approaches. Students also gain experience in preparing written reports in accordance with scientific standards. They also practice presenting the results of their work to a specialist audience.

Module Fundamentals of Biomedical Optics

In this integrated course, we refresh and deepen the basics of optics and optical systems. We deal with the fundamental concepts of the interaction of light with matter in order to familiarise ourselves with the functional principle of lasers and the fundamentals of atomic and molecular spectroscopy.

Building on these basics, students are able to understand common methods and instruments in the field of biomedical optics. The lecture serves as an introductory course for the following Fundamentals of Biophotonics module.

The contents include: review of electromagnetic waves, electromagnetic optics and polarisation optics, ray optics, optical systems, wave optics, interference, diffraction, Fourier optics, optical waveguides and fibre optics, photon optics, photons and atoms, introduction to light-matter interaction, atomic and molecular structure, absorption, scattering and fluorescence, resonator optics, lasers, photodetectors and basics of laser spectroscopy.

Project Seminar Biomedical Optics

This project seminar deals with the fundamentals of optics and various methods of optical spectroscopy and microscopy with applications in biomedicine. Students will gain basic insights into practical work with lasers, optics, spectrometers, etc. The experimental results are analysed using techniques and methods of data processing and statistics and documented in reports in accordance with scientific standards.

After successfully completing this module, students are familiar with practical applications of biomedical optics. They will have learnt to solve problems in a team, to plan and practically realize experiments and to implement techniques and methods of data evaluation. Depending on the task, the basics of working in laser laboratories are taught so that students learn how to set up optical setups, analyse biomedical samples, to program software for device control and they learn to evaluate and present measurement results. Students gain experience in the preparation of written reports according to scientific standards.

Proseminar Biomedical Optics

In the proseminar Biomedical Optics (Bachelor), students learn to read, analyse, research and summarise scientific texts. Depending on the task, this may be a literature study or a small project.

By submitting a written paper, students also gain initial experience in writing academic texts. At the end, the work is defended in a short presentation. The proseminar can also be used to lay the foundations for a Bachelor thesis. The start of the work and the time frame are determined individually.