The new bachelors and advanced degree programs will bring together both the engineering and medical sciences.

Graduates will focus on developing groundbreaking medical devices to treat life threatening illnesses, such as heart disease and cancer. But, more importantly, doctors say these devices can help prevent diseases in the first place.

Doctor Michael Cain is dean of the school of medicine. He said this is cutting edge research, with only about 40 university's offering similar programs.

Officials say the goal is to graduate about 80 biomedical professionals from UB each year. Harvey Stenger is dean of the school of engineering. He said there will definitely be jobs waiting for them.

UB is counting on that demand to help increase the university's competitiveness and attract new research dollars. A new chair will be recruited to head the department that will also have eight new staff, as well as a couple dozen existing faulty involved.

UB President John Simpson said this is the kind of investments the university should be making.

Officials say state approval of the curriculum is expected by October. The program must also receive full accreditation. That is a process that takes two years to complete, including two years of enrollment.

UB officials say they expect to begin recruiting students by next September.

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