Biomedical engineering: a field on the move

Summary form only given. Interest in biomedical engineering has grown explosively during the past several years. The primary causes are major advances in technology and biological understanding that have caught the imagination of students and young researchers. The Whitaker Foundation has contributed to the growth by encouraging talented individuals to enter the field, and by helping universities to offer high-quality educational programs in biomedical engineering. Although the Foundation will close in 2006, new funding opportunities, universal recognition of the benefits of interdisciplinary research and product development, and a pool of talented individuals continue to promise a bright future for the profession.