Message from the Chair | Our History | Meet the Founder 

The Marquette University and Medical College of Wisconsin Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering brings together the renowned engineering education and research of Marquette University and the innovative medical research and clinical practice of the Medical College of Wisconsin. Led by Department Chair Dr. Hu Yang, this partnership provides an extraordinary foundation for those aspiring to join the next generation of biomedical engineers, scientists and physicians.

Message from the Chair

Founded in 2016, the Marquette University and Medical College of Wisconsin Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering brings together Marquette’s strengths in engineering education, research and innovation with MCW’s strengths in biomedical research, clinical practice and patient care.

Our students benefit from interdisciplinary education, meaningful learning and research experiences and access to the engineering, medical and clinical communities and resources available at both institutions. Our faculty collaborate across disciplines to advance fundamental discoveries, develop innovative technologies, and translate research into solutions that improve human health. The Joint Department has built a strong record of success in education, research, clinical collaboration and community engagement. Building upon this foundation, our next chapter will focus on strengthening our research enterprise, recruiting and supporting outstanding faculty and students, expanding partnerships with clinicians and industry, and accelerating the translation of biomedical discoveries into meaningful healthcare impact.

— Hu Yang, PhD
Chair and Kern Professor

Our History

Marquette University and the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) have a long and interconnected history, dating back to when MCW was known as the Marquette University School of Medicine. In the 1960s, while they were still a single institution, the biomedical engineering program at Marquette was launched as one of the first in the country. From its beginning, the program was distinguished by its emphasis on applying engineering principles to clinical needs and developing practical solutions that improve patient care and fostering strong partnerships with the clinical and healthcare industry communities.

Over the decades, faculty from Marquette and MCW have collaborated on important advances in areas including rehabilitation medicine, orthopaedics, trauma, biomedical imaging, medical devices, and cardiovascular and pulmonary physiology. The institutions have also developed several joint educational programs. Building upon this longstanding partnership, Marquette and MCW announced the creation of the Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering in 2016. The department was established to integrate engineering, biomedical research and clinical medicine within a shared academic and research enterprise.

The Joint Department’s success demonstrates the power of bringing together two complementary institutions around a common purpose. As we enter our second decade, we remain committed to advancing innovative research, delivering an exceptional educational experience, strengthening clinical and healthcare industry partnerships, and translating engineering innovations into technologies and therapies that improve lives.

Meet the Founder

Dr. Frank Pintar served as the founding chair for the Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering from 2016 to 2025. Learn more about the impetus for this historic collaboration below.