faculty holding bone for osteoporosis research

Research

Convergent research with collaboration across government, industry, and academia

Faculty conduct research as part of the College of Engineering’s multidisciplinary research centers and institutes, such as the Institute for the Chemical Imaging of Living Systems, and the Institute for Mechanobiology, and within their laboratories. 

The department’s research areas of focus include Biomechanics and Mechanobiology; Biomedical Devices and Bioimaging; Molecular, Cell, and Tissue Engineering; and Systems, Synthetic, and Computational Bioengineering.

View faculty profiles for laboratory research as well as our recent Annual Reports.

Research at a Glance


Quick Facts

$34M

external research awards (2022-2024)

20

young investigator awards

16

professional society fellowships

47

Full-time faculty


External Research Funding Examples

  • Paul G. Allen Frontiers Group
  • National Institutes of Health
  • National Science Foundation
  • National Cancer Institute
  • National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases
  • American Heart Association
  • National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
  • The Department of Homeland Security

Latest News

lose up of Jing Ke Weng's face

Once Extinct Plant Gene Could Impact New Drug Discovery

COS/BioE Professor Jing-Ke Wen applied a new method called molecular gene resurrection to repair a defunct gene found in the coyote tobacco plant that encodes cyclic peptide nanamin. This peptide could be used in new cancer treatments, antibiotics development, and insect protection for crops. The research was published in PNAS.

Patent for Crack-Resistant Composites Utilizing Herringbone Architecture

MIE Professor Randall Erb and BioE/MIE Affiliated Faculty Alain Karma were awarded a patent for “Ceramic-reinforced polymer composites with herringbone architecture.”

A hand holding a stylist and working on a computer. There is a purple overlay.

Northeastern Researchers Partner With Santovia Path AI and Prima CARE To Improve Cancer Diagnoses

Northeastern researchers, including BioE Professor Saeed Amal, are partnering with Santovia Path AI and Prima CARE, which operates clinics and healthcare centers, to develop AI modeling tools to speed up the cancer diagnosis process.

Northeastern NAI Honors Innovators in AI and Healthcare

Northeastern’s National Academy of Inventors (NAI) chapter, honored ECE University Distinguished and William Lincoln Smith Professor Vincent Harris with the Innovation Impact Award; Justin Hayes, PhD’25, chemical engineering, with the Student Innovation Impact Award; and BioE Assistant Research Professor Saeed Amal with the Emerging Visionary Award, for their significant contributions to innovation, particularly in AI-driven healthcare.