Life Support and Critical Care Systems

BMB 360 delves into the complex engineering and physiological principles underpinning critical care systems used in modern medicine. This upper-division undergraduate course takes a holistic, systems-level approach to analyzing devices such as mechanical ventilators, anesthesia delivery systems, cardiopulmonary bypass machines, and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) units. Students will learn about the integration of these technologies, their functional components, performance parameters, and the critical clinical contexts in which they are deployed. The curriculum emphasizes analytical problem-solving, safety considerations, and the interdisciplinary nature of critical care technology, preparing students for roles in medical device development, maintenance, and clinical support, while strictly avoiding vendor-specific references or certification claims.

Course outline

Lectures, virtual labs, and graded assignments — completed in your browser.

01Lesson 1: Introduction to Critical Care Systems and Physiological Supportlecture

02Lesson 2: Principles of Respiratory Mechanics and Mechanical Ventilation Systemslecture

03Lesson 3: Ventilator Modes, Control Systems, and Monitoringlecture

04Hands-on Lab: Mechanical Ventilation System Analysislab

05Lesson 5: Anesthesia Delivery Systems: Gas Dynamics and Pharmacological Interactionslecture

06Lesson 6: Anesthesia System Components, Safety Features, and Monitoringlecture

07Lesson 7: Principles of Cardiopulmonary Bypass and Extracorporeal Circulationlecture

08Hands-on Lab: Cardiopulmonary Bypass Circuit Simulation and Component Identificationlab

09Lesson 9: ECMO Systems: Configurations, Cannulation, and Gas Exchangelecture

10Lesson 10: Advanced Hemodynamic Support and Organ Perfusion Technologieslecture

11Hands-on Lab: ECMO Circuit Assembly and Operational Principleslab

12Lesson 12: Integrated Critical Care Environments and System Interoperabilitylecture

13Lesson 13: Safety, Alarm Management, and Human Factors in Critical Care Systemslecture

14Capstone Service Project: Critical Care System Design and Failure Analysisassignment

Syllabus

["Week 1: Lesson 1: Introduction to Critical Care Systems and Physiological Support","Week 2: Lesson 2: Principles of Respiratory Mechanics and Mechanical Ventilation Systems","Week 3: Lesson 3: Ventilator Modes, Control Systems, and Monitoring","Week 4: Hands-on Lab: Mechanical Ventilation System Analysis","Week 5: Lesson 5: Anesthesia Delivery Systems: Gas Dynamics and Pharmacological Interactions","Week 6: Lesson 6: Anesthesia System Components, Safety Features, and Monitoring","Week 7: Lesson 7: Principles of Cardiopulmonary Bypass and Extracorporeal Circulation","Week 8: Hands-on Lab: Cardiopulmonary Bypass Circuit Simulation and Component Identification","Week 9: Lesson 9: ECMO Systems: Configurations, Cannulation, and Gas Exchange","Week 10: Lesson 10: Advanced Hemodynamic Support and Organ Perfusion Technologies","Week 11: Hands-on Lab: ECMO Circuit Assembly and Operational Principles","Week 12: Lesson 12: Integrated Critical Care Environments and System Interoperability","Week 13: Lesson 13: Safety, Alarm Management, and Human Factors in Critical Care Systems","Week 14: Capstone Service Project: Critical Care System Design and Failure Analysis"]