The Keck School of Medicine of USC and the USC Viterbi School of Engineering have announced that the Alfred E. Mann Department of Biomedical Engineering will become a joint department between the two schools, forging a formal partnership in education, research and innovation in technology and medicine. This joint department, one of the first of its kind in California, builds on decades of cross-disciplinary research and breakthroughs at USC, including the world’s first FDA-approved artificial retina, the first brain implant to restore lost memory function, and innovations in immunotherapy to treat cancer.

“By leveraging USC’s interdisciplinary strengths, this joint department will advance biomedical research and accelerate the translation of discoveries into meaningful improvements in human health,” USC President Beong-Soo Kim said.

The Alfred E. Mann Department of Biomedical Engineering, this year celebrating its 50th anniversary, was one of the first in California to offer bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees. It was named in 2022 with a $35 million gift from the Alfred E. Mann Foundation for Biomedical Engineering. With added support from USC’s president and provost, the newly integrated biomedical engineering department will create new structures and gain new resources dedicated to further accelerating biomedical innovation, enriching educational programs and advancing technology in medicine. It will combine expertise in priority areas spanning medical devices, neuroengineering, imaging science, drug discovery, artificial intelligence and informatics, cellular and molecular bioengineering, and more.

“We envision the new structure as a transdisciplinary engine for biomedical innovation that will accelerate discovery, transform health care delivery and educate the next generation of leaders in biomedical engineering and medicine,” said Carolyn C. Meltzer, dean of Keck School of Medicine and the May S. and John H. Hooval Dean’s Chair in Medicine. “By formally integrating the powerful strengths of USC’s engineering and medical schools, we will be better able to translate biomedical innovation into meaningful health advances.”

“Education, research and innovation in health technology are key pillars of the Viterbi School of Engineering,” said Yannis C. Yortsos, dean of USC Viterbi and the Zohrab Kaprielian Dean’s Chair in Engineering. “We are thrilled to create a reimagined department that will integrate engineering and medical mindsets, which in our rapidly changing technology landscape will generate novel thinking in biomedical education, innovation and research for the benefit of humanity.”

Alfred E. Mann Department of Biomedical Engineering: Engineering meets medicine

Collaborations like this are part of USC’s presidential initiatives, and the new joint department aligns with several of USC’s strategic priorities for education, innovation and research, including medical and technological innovation and collaboration across disciplines. USC experts on both sides of that partnership have been working together for decades, yielding research advances and educational programs that have spurred progress across health and medicine.

Last year, researchers from the two schools showed how ultrasound technology could address a key limitation of CAR T-cell therapy. Cancer immunotherapy, which uses engineered versions of a patient’s own immune cells, works well against blood cancers but has been less effective with solid tumors because they are harder to find and attack. The researchers used ultrasound waves to prompt tumor cells to express a specific protein and “flag” themselves for elimination by T-cells. Another Keck School of Medicine-USC Viterbi research group just received a five-year grant from the National Institutes of Health to develop innovative treatments for metastatic breast cancer.

The collaboration has also generated key breakthroughs in ophthalmology, including the landmark development of the Argus II artificial retina, the first FDA-approved “bionic eye.” Ongoing research — including a $47 million project funded by the federal government’s Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health — aims to restore sight through eye transplantation and advance treatment for macular degeneration and other approaches. This collaboration was spurred with the award in 2003 of the National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center for Biomimetic MicroElectronic Systems (BMES-ERC), which bridged engineering and medical research. The BMES-ERC, funded across the maximum possible term (2003-2013) has now evolved into the USC Dr. Allen and Charlotte Ginsburg Institute for Biomedical Therapeutics.

Keck School of Medicine-USC Viterbi teams are also working at the frontier of neuroengineering, using brain stimulation to restore memory loss caused by Alzheimer’s disease and to help rebalance the brain’s electrical signals in patients with depression and other mood disorders.

Collaboration in action at Alfred E. Mann Department of Biomedical Engineering

As research collaborations between the two schools continue to expand, faculty will now have increased freedom to draw on the institutes, centers and shared facilities that make up both Keck School of Medicine and USC Viterbi. In particular, the integrated department will benefit from the expertise being developed in USC Viterbi’s new USC School of Advanced Computing, opening up tremendous opportunities for the implementation of advanced computing and AI in biomedical engineering and medicine. Bringing engineering and medicine together within a single department also positions USC to pursue larger, more ambitious educational and research efforts, including complex translational projects and multi-institutional collaborations.

Facilities at both USC Viterbi and Keck School of Medicine will be devoted to the joint department, with the chair reporting to both deans. Yingxiao (Peter) Wang, the department’s current chair, who also holds the Dwight C. and Hildagarde E. Baum Chair in Biomedical Engineering, will help implement the transition by leading the department into its next phase.

“This integration reflects the future of biomedical engineering, where engineers, physicians and scientists work side by side to educate the new generation of biomedical engineers, conduct cutting-edge research, and translate discoveries and insights into technologies that directly benefit patients,” Wang noted.

Alzheimer’s disease is one of the most enigmatic brain afflictions and among the greatest health care challenges facing the nation. It affects more than 7 million Americans — a number projected to double by 2060.

This feature series showcases how USC researchers and clinicians are on the cusp of a revolution in Alzheimer’s prevention, making groundbreaking strides in the treatment, prevention and care of Alzheimer’s. In the near future, their discoveries promise to make the devastating disease a thing of the past.

Part 1: Can we prevent Alzheimer’s disease within a decade?

Part 2: To reduce Alzheimer’s risk, focus on overall health