The contribution of engineers to better health is a completely obvious consequence of the accelerating technological development. As more and more advanced technological solutions have found their way into the healthcare system, engineers have followed suit.
For technology development is the engineer’s home ground. Whether this concerns the development of artificial intelligence, advanced image analysis, sensors, hearing aids, single cell studies, bacterial understanding, new materials, gene sequencing as well as genetic modification, synthetic chemistry and analysis of big (health) data, you will encounter a group of engineers immersed in precisely one of these fields if you were to take a walk around DTU’s laboratories.
Approximately 700 researchers work with health and life science throughout DTU. When you look at DTU’s publications in engineering and technology, one third are in the field of life science. This is not a coincidence. For several years, the University has prioritized the development of research and innovation in life science. We have made an effort to open the doors to increased collaboration with both the clinical environments in hospitals and with the industry in this sector. We incorporate the next generation in our planning and offer study programmes that can ensure graduates who can build a bridge between engineering and health sciences.
The development of the new technological solutions will improve prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up— and the technologies will help ensure that everyone have access to this.
Healthcare is most often associated with doctors, hospitals, nurses, etc. But it should—in fact—also be associated with engineers.