BIOMEDICAL

Biomedical sciences are a set of sciences applying portions of natural science or formal science, or both,
to develop knowledge, interventions, or technology that are of use in healthcare or public health.[1]
Such disciplines as medical microbiology, clinical virology, clinical epidemiology, genetic epidemiology,
and biomedical engineering are medical sciences. In explaining physiological mechanisms operating in
pathological processes, however, pathophysiology can be regarded as basic science.

Biomedical Sciences, as defined by the UK Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education Benchmark
Statement in 2015, includes those science disciplines whose primary focus is the biology of human
health and disease and ranges from the generic study of biomedical sciences and human biology to
more specialised subject areas such as pharmacology, human physiology and human nutrition. It is
underpinned by relevant basic sciences including anatomy and physiology, cell biology, biochemistry,
microbiology, genetics and molecular biology, immunology, mathematics and statistics, and
bioinformatics.[2] As such the biomedical sciences have a much wider range of academic and research
activities and economic significance than that defined by hospital laboratory sciences. Biomedical
Sciences are the major focus of bioscience research and funding in the 21st century.[2]

Biomedical Science in the 20th century

At this point in history the field of medicine was the most prevalent sub field of biomedical science, as
several breakthroughs on how to treat diseases and help the immune system were made. As well as the
birth of body augmentations.

1910s

In 1912, the Institute of Biomedical Science was founded in the United Kingdom. The institute is still
standing today and still regularly publishes works in the major breakthroughs in disease treatments and
other breakthroughs in the field 117 years later. The IBMS today represents approximately 20,000
members employed mainly in National Health Service and private laboratories.[citation needed]

1920s

In 1928, British Scientist Alexander Fleming created the first antibiotic penicillin. This was a huge
breakthrough in biomedical science because it allowed for the treatment of bacterial infections.

In 1926, the first artificial pacemaker was made by Australian physician Dr. Mark C. Lidwell. This portable
machine was plugged into a lighting point. One pole was applied to a skin pad soaked with strong salt
solution, while the other consisted of a needle insulated up to the point and was plunged into the
appropriate cardiac chamber and the machine started. A switch was incorporated to change the
polarity. The pacemaker rate ranged from about 80 to 120 pulses per minute and the voltage also
variable from 1.5 to 120 volts.[6]

1930s

The 1930s was a huge era for biomedical research, as this was the era where antibiotics became more
widespread and vaccines started to be developed. In 1935, the idea of a polio vaccine was introduced by
Dr. Maurice Brodie. Brodie prepared a killed poliomyelitis vaccine, which he then tested on
chimpanzees, himself, and several children. Brodie's vaccine trials went poorly since the polio-virus
became active in many of the human test subjects. Many subjects had fatal side effects, paralyzing, and
causing death.[7]

1940s

During and after World War II, the field of biomedical science saw a new age of technology and
treatment methods. For instance in 1941 the first hormonal treatment for prostate cancer was
implemented by Urologist and cancer researcher Charles B. Huggins. Huggins discovered that if you
remove the testicles from a man with prostate cancer, the cancer had nowhere to spread, and nothing
to feed on thus putting the subject into remission.[8] This advancement lead to the development of
hormonal blocking drugs, which is less invasive and still used today. At the tail end of this decade, the
first bone marrow transplant was done on a mouse in 1949. The surgery was conducted by Dr. Leon O.
Jacobson, he discovered that he could transplant bone marrow and spleen tissues in a mouse that had
both no bone marrow and a destroyed spleen.[9] The procedure is still used in modern medicine today
and is responsible for saving countless lives.

1950s

In the 1950s, we saw innovation in technology across all fields, but most importantly there were many
breakthroughs which led to modern medicine. On 6 March 1953, Dr. Jonas Salk announced the
completion of the first successful killed-virus Polio vaccine. The vaccine was tested on about 1.6 million
Canadian, American, and Finnish children in 1954. The vaccine was announced as safe on 12 April 1955.
[10]