PROSPECTS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING AS AN EDUCATIONAL AND SCIENTIFIC FIELD IN UKRAINE

Наша стаття покликана резюмувати результати розвитку біомедичної інженерії (БМІ) як освітньо-наукової галузі за останнє десятиліття та розпочати публічну дискусію щодо необхідності законодавчого закріплення в Україні двох складових цієї галузі – інженерної та медичної. У нашій попередній дискусії [1] ми обговорювали питання “еволюції” БМІ як освітнього напряму (розглядаючи передусім бакалаврський і магістерський рівні вищої освіти). Наразі настав час для детального розгляду проблем і перспектив цієї галузі у контексті підготовки докторів філософії та докторів наук. Відразу зазначимо, що, визначаючи перспективи розвитку галузі, беремо до уваги як світовий досвід (насамперед – сучасні тренди в розвинутих країнах) [2–4], так і специфіку охорони здоров’я та інжинірингової діяльності в Україні [5, 6]. У результаті останньої реформи вищої освіти в Україні 2015 року [7] з’явилася спеціальність “Біомедична інженерія”, за якою готують здобувачів трьох рівнів вищої освіти (бакалавр, магістр, доктор філософії). Світовий та український досвід показує, що із підвищенням рівня вищої освіти збільшується ступінь диверсифікованості галузі та її взаємопроникнення із іншими (спорідненими) галузями (спеціальностями). Аналіз результатів вступу здобувачів на освітні програми з БМІ рівнів магістр і доктор філософії у КПІ ім. Ігоря Сікорського засвідчує зацікавленість у здобутті відповідної освіти з боку випускників бакалаврату з галузей “Хімічна та біоінженерія”, “Автоматизація та приладобудування”, “Біологія”, “Медицина”. Тенденцією останнього десятиліття є збільшення частки міждисциплінарних дисертаційних досліджень, які мають безпосередній стосунок до БМІ та технологій. Споріднені з БМІ роботи на здобуття рівня доктора філософії виконуються в рамках таких спеціальностей, як “Біотехнології та PROSPECTS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING AS AN EDUCATIONAL AND SCIENTIFIC FIELD IN UKRAINE Alexander Galkin


Alexander Galkin *
Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute, Kyiv, Ukraine * Corresponding author: alexfbt@gmail.com Our article is designed to summarize the results of the development of biomedical engineering (BME) as an educational and scientific field over the past decade and initiate a public discussion on the need for legislative consolidation in Ukraine of two components of this field: the engineering and the medical ones. In our previous article [1], we have discussed the "evolution" of BME as an educational field (considering primarily bachelor's and master's degrees in higher education). Now is the time for a detailed considerarion of the challenges and prospects of this field in the context of the training of philosophy doctors and doctors of science. Let us note at once that when determining the prospects for the development of the field, we take into account both world experience (primarilycurrent trends in developed countries) [2][3][4] and the specifics of healthcare and engineering activities in Ukraine [5,6].
As a consequence of the latest reform of higher education in Ukraine in 2015 [7], the specialty "Biomedical Engineering" has emerged (for the three levels of higher education: a bachelor, a master, and a philosophy doctor). World and Ukrainian experience shows that the higher the level of higher education, the greater the degree of diversification of the field and its interpenetration with other (related) specialties. The results of admission of applicants to the BME master and postgraduate programs at Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute shows that those who are interested in obtaining the appropriate education are bachelor's graduates in the fields of "Chemical and Bioengineering", "Automation and Instrumentation", "Biology", "Medicine". The trend of the last decade is to increase the share of interdisciplinary dissertation research directly related to BME and technology. Related to BME scientific works on the PhD level are performed in the framework of such specialties as "Biotechnology and Bioengineering", "Medical Diagnostics and Treatment Technologies", "Physical and Occupational Therapy", etc.

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The specifics of admission and training in the relevant educational and scientific programs allow applicants with different basic training to master the knowledge of BME and conduct such research.
The specific of doctors of sciences training is different. To date, there is no relevant scientific specialty in Ukraine. Therefore, at the highest qualification level (Doctor of Science) we observe a whole range of problems that were once inherent in the bachelor and master levels [1]. Recently, the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine has brought up for public discussion a project of the new list of scientific specialties [8]. The developed project envisages the implementation of a new specialty "Biomedical Engineering and Technology" in the field of technical sciences. We believe that this step fully reflects current trends in scientific and technological development in Ukraine and the world. At the same time, scientific research conducted in the world and Ukrainian leading scientific centers and related to BME has not only a technical directionmany of them are directly related to theoretical (fundamental) medicine. Some of the leading research centers conducting this type of research are, for example, Stanford University, USA, and the Rhine-Westphalia University of Aachen, Germany.
It is necessary to keep in mind the preconditions for the origin of BME as a scientific field in the United States and Western Europe in the middle of the XX century and the "driving force" of this processphysicians, representatives of clinical medicine. In the last two decades, Ukraine has seen the aggravation of the same problems that were characteristic of developed countries half a century ago: clinicians focusing on diagnostic, prevention, and treatment technologies struggle with formalization of their research in the context of scientific attestation. Therefore, there is only one way to solve the issueto recognize BME as a part of medical science.
We believe that the new specialty "Biomedical Engineering and Technology" (technical sciences) should include the following "old" [9] specialties:  Biological and medical devices and systems (technical sciences);  Transplantology and artificial organs (technical sciences);  Biomechanics (technical sciences).
The new specialty "Biomedical Engineering and Technology" (medical sciences) should become the successor of the following "old" [9] specialties:  Transplantology and artificial organs (medical sciences);  Biomechanics (medical sciences);  Medical and biological informatics and cybernetics (medical sciences).
Within the framework of our concept of the scientific specialty "Biomedical Engineering and Technology", we invite public discussion on a formalized details of the subject area of the two components of the new scientific specialty. We propose to use the journal Innovative Biosystems and Bioengineering as a platform for exchanging views on the further development of BME as an educational and scientific field in Ukraine (please send your suggestions to the email address of the editorial office * or editor-in-chief ** ).

Specialty formula
The field of theoretical medicine focused on the interaction of medical and biological devices, tools, products, materials, and systems with living organisms, due to physical, chemical and biological effects. The main areas of research are the experimental study of the safety of new medical and biological devices, tools, products, materials, and systems, the study of biological mechanisms of their action and manifestations of undesirable side effects, as well as preclinical study of their effectiveness.

Research areas
1. Research of the mechanisms of effect of medical and biological devices, tools, products, materials, and systems on living objects in vitro and in vivo, including both physiological and pathological processes.
2. Development and improvement of methods for assessing the effect of physical factors, chemicals (toxicity, biocompatibility), artificial and modified biological objects, mediated by the use (application) of medical and biological devices, tools, products, materials, and systems. * ibb@kpi.ua ** alexfbt@gmail.com

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3. Experimental (preclinical) study of safety and efficacy of new medical and biological devices, tools, products, materials, and systems, including determination of the efficiency of treatment regimens (modes), diagnostics, and prevention of pathological conditions on model systems.
4. Development and experimental study of biotechnical and biotechnological systems aimed at the restoration and correction of physiological functions or control (monitoring) of the physiological state of an organism, including methods of metabolic, biomolecular, genetic, cellular, and tissue engineering.
5. Development and experimental study of safety and effectiveness of methods, devices, tools, products, materials, and systems designed to protect the human body from the adverse effects of physical, chemical, and biological factors. Obtaining and testing chemical and biological origin materials for the development of artificial organs and their parts.
6. Development of the methods and algorithms for evaluating medical technologies based on the use of new medical and biological devices, tools, products, materials, and systems, on the relationship between cost and efficiency, safety, quality of life of the patient in alternative treatment (prevention).
7. Study of mechanical properties and structure of biological macromolecules, cells, biological fluids, soft and hard tissues (bioreology), individual organs and systems of humans and animals in normal and pathology in order to develop methods of treatment, prevention, and diagnosis of diseases.
8. Study of the organization, functioning, development, pathological states of living systems of different levels on the basis of information and cybernetic approaches, including for solving problems of medical diagnostics, forecasting the consequences of diseases, evaluating the effectiveness of medical interventions and technologies.
vices, tools, products, materials, and systems; development and use of technical devices for partial or complete replacement of organs and their parts; study of mechanical properties of biological objects and mechanical phenomena in them at all levels of the organization and in various conditions, including pathological ones, for the purpose of diagnostics, development of substitutes of tissues and organs, development of methods of influence on processes in living objects, development of methods of the analysis and correction of natural, working, and sport movements, development of methods of human and animals protection against adverse influences of mechanical factors. Such studies use a variety of physical, chemical, biological phenomena, their interaction (effect) with (on) biological systems at different levels.

Research areas
1. Research of physical, chemical, and biological bases of construction of diagnostic, preventive, surgical devices, tools, products, materials, systems, and their components.
2. Research and development of new methods and tools for diagnosis, measurement of medical and biological parameters (indicators), as well as development of methods and tools to improve their accuracy and reliability.
3. Research and development of new methods of calculation, design, manufacture, quality management, diagnosis, mathematical and other kinds of modeling of medical and biological devices, tools, products, materials, and systems, as well as methods, tools, and technologies for their maintenance, repair and operation.
4. Development, research, and optimization of medical and biological life support systems in space flight conditions, as well as in other extreme conditions. 5. Development of methods for processing and registration of medical and biological information. Development and improvement of algorithmic and software methods and means of studying the organization, functioning, development, and pathological conditions of living systems at different levels of organization.
6. Development, research, and optimization of intelligent biotechnical systems, as well as means of biosafety provision (including control and forecasting) based on the achievements of basic medicine, physicochemical biology, bioengineering, and computer technology.