Biomedical Engineer
As a scientist and a person who cared about the lives of others, her research goals included inventing a way to illuminate internal organs and their connections to enable doctors to better treat diseases.
FAMILY BACKGROUND
Banu Kum (BK) was born in Istanbul, Turkey. Her grandfather was a Turkish industrialist and owner of large businesses. BK’s family encouraged her early intellectual curiosity in science and mathematics.
EDUCATION
After BK’s family emigrated to the U.S. when she was a teenager, BK learned to speak English fluently and was admitted to the University of Pennsylvania, where she earned a Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering and later, a BSEE (Bachelors of Science in Electrical Engineering) and an MSEE (Masters in Electrical Engineering) from a university in Istanbul.
DEFINING BASIC TERMS OF ‘BIO’ AND ENGINEERING
Bio – The Greek root word ‘bio’ means ‘life.’ So, biology is the study of life or living organisms.
Engineering – Derived from the Latin word ingenium, engineering is the branch of science and technology concerned with the design, building and use of engines, machines and structures. Engineering is the practice of using natural science, mathematics and the engineering design process to solve problems with technology, increase efficiency and productivity and improve systems.
Modern engineering comprises many subfields which include designing and improving infrastructure, machinery, vehicles, electronics, materials and energy systems.
Mechanical engineering – The study of physical machines that may involve force and movement. It is an engineering branch that combines engineering physics and mathematics principles with materials science to design, analyze, manufacture and maintain mechanical systems. Mechanical engineering requires an understanding of core areas including mechanics, dynamics, thermodynamics, materials science, design, structural analysis and electricity. Mechanical engineers use tools such as computer-aided design (CAD), computer-aided manufacturing (CAM), computer-aided engineering (CAE) and product lifecycle management to design and analyze manufacturing plants, industrial equipment and machinery, heating and cooling systems, transport systems, aircraft, watercraft, robotics, medical devices weapons and other equipment.
BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING
Biomedical engineering (BME) or medical engineering is the application of engineering principles and design concepts to medicine and biology for healthcare applications such as diagnostic or therapeutic purposes.
BME also consists of traditionally logical science to advance health care treatment, including diagnosis, monitoring and therapy. Specific tasks of BME may include:
- Management of current medical equipment in hospitals while adhering to relevant industry standards
- Procurement, routine testing, preventive maintenance and making equipment recommendations (also known as a Biomedical Equipment Technician (BMET) or as a clinical engineer.
Biomedical engineering has recently emerged as its own field of study, as compared to many other engineering fields. Such an evolution is common as a new field transitions from being an interdisciplinary specialization among already-established fields to being considered a field in itself.
Much of the work in biomedical engineering consists of research and development, spanning a broad array of subfields. Prominent biomedical engineering applications include the development of:
- biocompatible prostheses
- various diagnostic and therapeutical medical devices, ranging from clinical equipment to micro implants,
- imaging technologies such as MRI and EKG / ECG,
- regenerative tissue growth
- pharmaceutical drugs including biopharmaceuticals.
SUBFIELDS AND RELATED FIELDS – DEFINING IMPORTANT TERMS
Bioinformatics – an interdisciplinary field that develops methods and software tools for understanding biological data. Common uses of bioinformatics include the identification of candidate genes and nucleotides (SNPs). Often, such identification is made with the aim of better understanding the genetic basis of disease, unique adaptations, desirable properties (especially in agricultural species) or differences between populations,
Biomechanics – the study of the structure and function of the mechanical aspects of biological systems, at any level ranging from the whole body to its organs and cells, using methods of mechanics.
Biomaterials – any matter, surface or construct that interacts with living systems.
Biomedical optics – combines the principles of physics, engineering and biology to study the interaction of biological tissue and light and how this can be exploited for sensing, imaging and treatment. One such technique uses light to create high-resolution, three-dimensional images of internal structures, such as the retina in the eye or the coronary arteries in the heart. Fluorescence microscopy involves labeling specific molecules with fluorescent dyes and visualizing them using light, providing insights into biological processes and disease mechanisms. More recently, adaptive optics is helping imaging by correcting aberrations in biological tissue, enabling higher resolution imaging and improved accuracy in procedures such as laser surgery and retinal imaging.
Tissue engineering – like genetic engineering, is a major segment of biotechnology, which overlaps significantly with BME. One of the goals of tissue engineering is to create artificial organs (via biological materials) for patients who need organ transplants. Biomedical engineers research methods of creating such organs. Those researchers have grown solid jawbones and tracheas from human stem cells towards this goal. Several artificial urinary bladders have been grown in laboratories and transplanted successfully into human patients.
ENGINEERING RESEARCH PROMOTES PRACTICAL USES OF SCIENCE
One of BK’s biomedical engineering successes – developed with another scientist – was a battery-operated screening device for breast cancer.
BK’s academic focus in both research and teaching was centered on information engineering with special emphasis on complex systems and biomedical signal processing in ultrasound and optics. She led major research and development projects sponsored by the National Science Foundation (NSF), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Office of Naval Research (ONR) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
She founded several scientific laboratories through her career, including CONQUER (Cognitive Neuroengineering and Quantitative Experimental Research), CollabOrative, an interdisciplinary, multi-institutional and international brain function observatory dedicated to the study of brain activation, development and deployment of functional optical brain imaging technologies in human-system integration and performance, healthcare, mental health and learning with research and development partners in the U.S. and overseas.
BK supervised many graduate students to their degree completion and had an extensive publication record in biomedical signals and systems. In 1997, BK founded Drexel University’s School of Biomedical Engineering Science and Health Systems.
CAREER PROSPECTS FOR BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERS
As of 2023, there were an estimated 19,700 different jobs where a biomedical degree was important and required.
Biomedical engineering has the highest percentage of female engineers, compared to other common engineering professions. As of 2023, the average pay for a person in this field was about $100,000 or $48 per hour with a projected 7% increase in available jobs over the next ten years, to 2033.
CONNECTING SCIENTIFIC INNOVATORS
BK was ‘naturally collegial” (initiated working relationships with other scientists) and so adept at connecting scientific innovators and medical business owners around the world, that she formed dozens of research, clinical and academic partnerships in Turkey, China, India, Europe, Israel and elsewhere. Colleagues said she “paved the way for groundbreaking advancements in health-care technology.”
“We’re becoming a global economy and our students truly need on-the-ground experience,” said BK after creating Drexel University’s Global Innovation Partnerships.
CAREER SATISFACTION
BK was the recipient of a number of faculty excellenCE awards. “Her transformative contributions to science, innovation and education leave an enduring legacy,” said a scientist colleague.
“She was always helping someone,” said her scientist-husband. “She was always looking out for other people.” BK’s son recalled his mother as “an inspiration; one of a kind.”
Engineers from around the world called BK an ‘international scientific collaborator” who was a prolific researcher, a popular professor and an expert in biomedical information engineering.
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This career story is based on multiple sources including an obituary written by Gary Miles, published by the Philadelphia Inquirer on February 2, 2025 plus internet research including Wikipedia.
