Meaning & use
bioengineering
Last updated
Meanings
noununcountable
The use of engineering ideas and methods to solve problems in biology and medicine, such as designing medical devices or artificial tissues.
Grammar: Uncountable: say 'a career in bioengineering', not 'a bioengineering'.
Patterns
- study bioengineering
- a degree in bioengineering
- work in bioengineering
She studied bioengineering and now designs artificial heart valves.
Bioengineering has led to better materials for joint replacements.
The university opened a new bioengineering laboratory last year.
noununcountabletechnical
The alteration of living things or their parts through engineering techniques, especially for practical or medical use.
Grammar: Also uncountable; often used when discussing genetic or tissue modification.
Patterns
- bioengineering of something
- advances in bioengineering
The bioengineering of crops has raised both hopes and concerns.
Advances in bioengineering allow scientists to grow skin for burn patients.
Common combinations
- study bioengineering
- He plans to study bioengineering at university.
- a degree in bioengineering
- She has a degree in bioengineering from a technical institute.
- bioengineering research
- The grant supports bioengineering research on artificial organs.
- advances in bioengineering
- Recent advances in bioengineering have improved prosthetics.
Synonyms and how they differ
- biomedical engineering
- Very close in meaning, but biomedical engineering often focuses more on medicine and healthcare devices.
- biotechnology
- Biotechnology uses living cells or substances to make products; bioengineering more often stresses designing devices and systems.
- genetic engineering
- Genetic engineering is only one part of bioengineering, dealing specifically with changing genes.
Word family
- bioengineer noun
- A person who works in bioengineering.
- bioengineered adjective
- Made or changed using bioengineering methods.
Commonly confused: bioengineering or biotechnology?
bioengineering vs biotechnology
Biotechnology is about using living things to make products like medicines; bioengineering is broader and includes designing medical devices and systems.
Practice
The new artificial knee was developed through ______.
Choose one answer.
After 'through' we need a noun for the field: 'bioengineering'. 'Bioengineer' is a person, 'bioengineered' is an adjective or past verb, and 'bioengineers' is a plural noun for people, none of which fits the meaning here.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “bioengineering”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.