Biomedical Engineering Summer School

August 26th to September 13th 2024 at Jade University

Organised by Jade University - Department of Engineering Sciences and International Office

Introduction

The Department of Engineering Sciences and the International Office of Jade University offer a three-week summer school in Biomedical Engineering.  The summer school covers three course lanes focusing on ”Applied Artificial Intelligence”,  “Basics of Biomedical Engineering” and ”Biomedical Signal and Image Acquisition, Processing and Analysis”.

Our ageing human society puts severe constraints on health care systems with regard to the demands of costs, quality, and personnel. There is a growing need for innovative medical technology solutions. Implementation of the latest technology will have a significant impact on future medical care, diagnosis, and the alleviation of diseases. Technical innovation can also provide solutions such as telemetry, distant-virtual consulting and checking, the automation of processes, and robot technology. Intelligent implants that use new design methods, materials, and software can keep patients mobile and fit as long as possible. Early recognition using accurate diagnostic equipment that employs imaging techniques, lab-on-chip analysis, and advanced sensors can reduce treatment costs and improve recovery rates. As one of the consequences, medical care could be provided at home, instead of in a hospital, thus for instance reducing costs.

The aim of the course is to provide an introduction to the multidisciplinary field of Biomedical Engineering by examining the basics of the development of medical devices in general. Focusing on applications for medical technologies, biosensors and their electronic systems, biosignal and image processing and the simulation of biomechanics, also in combination with artificial intelligence, these complex contents are developed in lectures, lab work and field trips. The multicultural focus of the course is intensified by the presence of an international lecturing staff drawn from several centers of excellence in the field of biomedical engineering. Another key learning outcome of this course is provided by the interaction of international students in group-based projects and organized social events.

The summer course covers the above named three course lanes. Two of them are addressed to undergraduate students, while the other requires a Bachelor’s degree and is part of Master studies of Jade University and the partner institutions. A change of the program lane is not possible during the summer school.

The course language is English. The presence of teachers as well as students from foreign countries requires the use of a shared language as the basis of everyday communication and interaction, and gives better motivation than a language course at a home university ever could. 

This annual summer course is a regular part of the Bachelor of Biomedical Engineering and Master of Electrical Engineering programs at Jade University, and is accepted by our partner universities.

2024 - Schedule

Biomedical Engineering Summer School Wilhelmshaven 2024
Date Lane A
Applied Artificial Intelligence
(Undergraduate students)
Lane B
Fundamentals of Biomedical Engineering
(Undergraduate students)
Lane C
Biomedical Signal and Image Acquisition, Processing and Analysis
(Graduate students)
26.08. Mon Welcome - Workshop "German Language and Culture" - Introduction to courses (afternoon session)
27.08.
-
30.08.
Tue

Biomedical Applications of Machine Learning
(Gábor Kertész)

Introduction to Project Management
(Daróczi)

Amperometric Biosensors and Related Electronics
(Çökeliler / Koçum)

Wed
Thur
Fri
31.08.
-
01.09.
Sat Wekend activities, day trips to Bremen, Oldenburg...
Sun
02.09.
-
05.09.
Mon

Biomedical Image Processing
(Dániel Kiss)

Basics and Biomedical Applications of Microfluidics 
(Schlüter / Pinho)

Instrumentation, Acquisition and Signal Processing for Biosignals
(Yüksekkaya)

Tue
Wed
Thur
06.09.
-
08.09.
Fri Wekend activities, mud flat hiking to the Island of Baltrum...
Sat
Sun
09.09.
-
12.09.
Mon

Automated Machine Learning and Hyperparameter Optimization
(Marcelo Vinícius Cysneiros Aragão)

3d-Modelling and Simulation of Biomechanical Structures
(Totorean / Galatanu)

Embedded Systems
(Chávez-Campos)

Tue
Wed
Thur
13.09. Fri Presentations of project results (all courses together) - Student evaluation
Presentation of the certificates

Normal timetable

Time
9:00 amStart morning session
12:00 noonLunch
1:00 pmStart afternoon session
4:00 pmEnd

2024 - Course Abstracts

In this year's summer course we offer two courses for undergraduate students (Lane A and B) and one course for graduate students (Lane C). Please find the respective course descriptions in the following tables:

Lane A: Applied Artificial Intelligence

Biomedical Applications of Machine Learning

Gábor Kertész

The goal of the lectures is to provide an introduction to image recognition with neural networks, both is theory and in practice.

The course starts with a basic introduction to the fundamentals of image recognition using neural networks. On the practical side, Tensorflow and Keras is introduced as the most common frameworks used by machine learning engineers.

During the course the students will get an understanding on how Neural Networks are trained, evaluated, and what common problems could occur. After introducing Convolutional Neural Networks, classical architectures are analysed along with modern, state-of-the-art solutions and techniques, which improve the performance of neural networks.

Course topics:

  • Regression and classification in fully connected networks
  • Handling image data
  • Convolutional Neural Networks
  • Classic architectures and techniques
  • State-of-the-art solutions and approaches to increase performance
  • Hands-on with Tensorflow and Keras

  

Biomedical Image Processing

Dániel Kiss

This is an introductory course in the fundamentals of biological and medical imaging and image processing, including pre-processing and enhancement techniques, filtering, object detection, and image segmentation.

Participants will learn the basics of digital imaging and will gain experience in Python’s image processing abilities. We are also going to meet CellProfiler, an open-source application for batch processing, measuring, and analyzing images. We will see how to use them via real-life examples of various biological experiments covering the following topics.

Course topics:

  • Fundamentals of image acquisition and image processing
  • Intensity-based methods: histogram correction and thresholding
  • Classical filters: smoothing, sharpening, edge enhancement
  • Image segmentation and object identification
  • Working with multi-channel images, measuring colocalization

   

Automated Machine Learning and Hyperparameter Optimization

Marcelo Vinícius Cysneiros Aragão

This course equips you with practical techniques to streamline your machine learning workflow. You'll gain a strong foundation in machine learning problems like classification, regression, and clustering.

The course dives into the world of automation with tools like scikit-learn, auto-sklearn, and Optuna. These tools can automate repetitive tasks in model development, potentially freeing up your time to focus on other aspects. You'll gain practical experience through hands-on exercises building and refining classification, regression, and clustering models using these tools.

By the end of the course, you'll be prepared to tackle real-world machine learning challenges. You'll develop the skills to potentially improve model development efficiency using AutoML and HPO. This could translate to time and resource savings.

   

Lane B: Fundamentals of Biomedical Engineering

Introduction to Project Management

Dr. Miklós Daróczi, Associate Professor

The main objective of the course is to deliver some theoretical and practical knowledge related mainly to the project planning, scheduling and budgeting. The module starts by defining the project and differentiating project management from general management. The project manager’s role, the project life cycle and the elements of project plan are also briefly discussed. The common formats of schedule the Gantt-charts and PERT/CPM networks, some methods of budgeting and cost estimating are also covered. Based on these techniques students will be able to participate in project planning and implementation.

Student teams will prepare a report and give a presentation on a special project. The purpose of this assignment is to deepen your knowledge on planning projects and to share that knowledge with the rest of the group. The topic of the project will be selected by the students.

   

Basics and Biomedical Applications of Microfluidics

Prof. Dr. Michael Schlüter; Dr. Diana Pinho

 

  

3D Modelling and Simulation of Biomechanical Structures

Alin Totorean, Eng, PhD, Sergiu Galatanu, Eng, PhD

The concept of personalized medicine has strongly evolved nowadays and is more and more used in clinical practice. For example, in orthopedics or cardiovascular medicine having patient specific models before interventions proves to be useful for physicians, since it allows them to plan the procedure in advance taking into consideration patient’s details. The process requires 3D models of the anatomical structures and further prototyping or performing computational simulations.

This lecture is focused on methods that allow the design of 3D models based on patient-specific medical images (Computed Tomography scans) and to perform a computational analysis using the real model and numerical tools in the area of structural analysis.

  

Lane C:     Biomedical Signal and Image Acquisition, Processing and Analysis

Amperometric Biosensors and Related Electronics

Dr. Cengiz Koçum, Prof. Dr. Dilek Çökeliler Serdaroğlu

Biosensors are used to detect biological or chemical markers (bio-chemicals, DNA, protein, cells etc.) in order for diagnosis, environmental monitoring and pharmaceutical research. This course represents the fundamental science and engineering concepts of designing biosensors through a common example. Biosensors have three main parts; biorecognition layer, transducers and electronics and they usually produce an electrical signal related to the specific analyte. In this course with lectures and practical exercises students will design and implement the main parts of an amperometric biosensor capable of glucose monitoring. Students will gain an insight of the complexities and design principles of a biosensor from scratch.

Course Outline:

  • Introduction to biosensors and nanobiosensors
  • Types of biorecognition elements
  • Surface functionalizing and modification approaches for biosensors
  • Transducer Basics: Sensors and Actuators
  • Signal acquisition and conditioning principles
  • Amperometric glucose biosensors
  • Design and production of glucose sensing layer
  • Signal conditioning for the amperometric glucose biosensor
  • Electronic circuit and PCB design.
Date Course Syllabus
1 Fundamental concepts of biosensors and related electronics
2 Design, production and pre-tests of biorecognition part of the biosensor
3 Design, implementation and tests of transducers and electronics part of the biosensor
4 Integration of biorecognition layer and electronic parts and application of the biosensor

  

Instrumentation, Acquisition and Signal Processing for Biosignals

Dr. Mehmet Yüksekkaya

Biomedical signals are used to obtain crucial information about human health for diagnosis and treatment follow up. Acquiring biosignals from human body to a computer system is called biosignal acquisition and conditioning. For signal acquisition and conditioning, appropriate electronic instrumentation should be designed. In order to extract the crucial information from the acquired data, it should be processed.

This course is designed to be a practical introduction for data acquisition and processing. Students will acquire signals using adequate instrumentation. Further they apply data analysis. After this course, students are able to design a practical data acquisition system.

Course Synopsis: 

  • Introduction to the design of analog circuits for signal conditioning for biosignal acquisition.
  • Introduction to microcontroller-based system design.
  • Practical design of a biosignal acquisition instrument.
  • Introduction to processing of signals for feature extraction. 
Date Course Syllabus
1 Introduction to biosignal acquisition.
2 Practical application of microcontroller based system design.
3 Practical design of a signal acquisition system for biosignal.
4 Signal analysis and feature extraction.

  

Embedded Systems

Dr. Gerardo Marx Chávez-Campos

Nowadays, the “Embedded Systems” and its integration with the “Internet of Things” has become crucial for developing healthcare and industrial applications. Thus, to understand the developing process of apps on the embedded system that uses as the central operative system “Linux” are fundamental. Even more, this first approach to the most used operative system on servers, supercomputers, and single devices will guide the student to understand the complete integration of hardware electronics and code for developing from simple to complex tasks.

During the course, the student will realize by doing the fundamentals of how to work on the embedded board by accessing hardware, input/output digital ports, read the digital to analog converters. Then, the student will create an application to read and log data into structured frameworks. The registered data will be processed and analyzed using Python.

Course Synopsis: 

  • Introduction to the beagle bone boards
  • The beagle software
  • Developing basic applications
  • The Linux file system
  • Interfacing electronics
  • GPIO interfacing
  • Internet of things
  • A final project
Date Course Syllabus
1 Introduction to the beagle boards and basic applications
2 Control versions and interfacing electronics
3 IoT
4 A final project

2024 - Registration, Costs and Facts

Background Information

Target group: Undergraduate students of engineering after 2 years of study (lane A and B) and graduate students of engineering (lane C)

Course credits: up to 6 ECTS credits

Location: Jade University in Wilhelmshaven, northern part of Germany

Time frame: August 28th until September 13th 2024

Organizer: Jade University, Department of Engineering Sciences and International Office

Registration

March 15th until April 30th 2024
Please use online application form

Application, Course Fee & Funding

General course fee: 700,- € (free mover)

International students (free movers):
All international students can apply for scholarships and have to submit the following documents by e-mail to Iris Wilters:
Statement of motivation, curriculum vitae, passport copy, most recent grades and a letter of recommendation from a professor.
 

Students from partner universities
Ask your local coordinator to sign up. She/he will tell you about the special costs which your group of students will have to pay.
Please send a statement of motivation, curriculum vitae, passport copy, most recent grades and a letter of recommendation from your local coordinator by e-mail to Iris Wilters.

Students from Jade University:
Students from Jade University have to be registered for autumn semester 2024/25.  
Ask the organisation team in Wilhelmshaven for further information and course fees.

Students from abroad may be eligible for a scholarship and will be informed about the possibilities after having handed in their complete application documents.

If you have any questions please contact our International OfficeIris Wilters.

Board & Lodging

We will book a shared room at the hotel "Banter Hof" including breakfast (~900 EUR).

Please note that there are no cooking facilities at the hotel. You can obtain a low-cost lunch in the university canteen. For dinner you will have to go to restaurants or buy snacks.

Insurance and Entry formalities

Please note the general conditions for participation:

  • Sufficient health insurance cover is a prerequisite for participation in our Summer School; accident and liability insurance is also strongly recommended.
  • Jade University does not provide insurance cover for students.
  • Please note the special travel regulations for entering Germany/EU and check the conditions of your health and travel insurance.

 

Participating Partners

Baskent University

Biomedical Engineering Department
Ankara, Turkey

Ankara University

Ankara, Turkey

Instituto Nacional de Telecomunicações - Inatel

Santa Rita do Sapucaí, Brazil

Óbuda University

Budapest, Hungary

Politehnica University of Timisoara

Mechanical Engineering Faculty
Timisoara, Romania

International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory, University of Minho (UM), Guimaraes

International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory, University of Minho (UM),  
Guimaraes, Portugal

Application

Thank you for your interest in our Biomedical Summer School! The application period for the summer school 2024 starts on March 15th 2024.

If you have any questions, please contact our International Office, Iris Wilters.

Application form