To allow the student to concentrate in a specific area of biomedical engineering, we have partitioned the research programs of each of the faculty into generalized areas, representing pathways for the students to pursue. Importantly, the interdisciplinary nature of biomedical engineering means that these pathways are only meant to "guide" the student, and in reality, it is up to the student to determine the nature of their research. Tying together molecular biomedical engineering with instrumentation may create a new biosensor based diagnostic, or integrating biomechanics with biomaterials will ensure that structurally appropriate materials are used as tissue substitutes.

Again, the pathways are intended to help the student focus on a specific research area, but are, in no way, meant to constrain the interdisciplinary nature of the work. Indeed, the students are encouraged to "think outside the box," in terms of understanding the nature of human disease, and developing new diagnostics, therapeutics or medical devices.