BME Reflects the Range of Tucson's Biotech Industry

When Mario Romero-Ortega assumed the role of Biomedical Engineering Department Head, he quickly took on three projects: establishing a new brain imaging center, the development of wearable sensors, and heading the new cancer engineering program. The variety of his responsibility reflects the wide reach of biomedical engineering in general.

“Biomedical engineering is unique because we integrate multiple disciplines,” said Romero-Ortega in an interview with Inside Tucson Business. “Right now, in the type of work we’re doing, it requires an integration of everyone from the get-go. So that’s something that all the departments are aware of, and we’re very happy to integrate all students in making them interdisciplinary teams to be able to create those very complex solutions.”

In this role, Romero-Ortega sees the impact that the BME department has on Tucson's biomedical industry, and understood how the local industry can support the department's initiatives as well. 

“When we join forces, when we collaborate, when we are open to listening to new approaches and understanding the other, that’s when exciting things happen,” Romero-Ortega said. “That has been what’s very unique about the biomedical engineering community here, and incredibly motivating.”