Professor of Cardiovascular Physics and Strategic Research Advisor in the Medical Faculty and Professor in the School of Engineering, both at Newcastle University in the UK.

Alan Murray is Professor of Cardiovascular Physics and Strategic Research Advisor in the Medical Faculty and Professor in the School of Engineering, both at Newcastle University in the UK. Before moving to Newcastle he studied and trained in Glasgow and Edinburgh. Alan is active in Translational Research bringing together Engineering and Medicine.

He has published over 300 research papers, including in Nature and Lancet, with co-author researchers in 19 countries worldwide. His primary areas of research are in the development of devices and measurement techniques of clinical value in cardiovascular medicine and surgery.

He has been Editor of Clinical Physics & Physiological Measurement, Editor in Chief of Medical & Biological Engineering & Computing, and for 29 years Editor of Computing in Cardiology, published as a free-access publication and also by the IEEE. Currently he is a Fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology, Fellow of the Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine, Chartered Engineer, Chartered Scientist, Registered Clinical Scientist, and Honorary Life Member of the International Federation of Medical and Biological Engineering.

Alan’s research into medical devices, including their engineering design and safe clinical use led to the publication of the book he co-authored on “Medical Devices: Use and Safety”, which has been separately published in India, and in 2017 published in Mandarin Chinese by China Science and Technology Press.

Speech Title: What is important in medical engineering?

Abstract: Medical engineers have good skills. They can write software, develop microprocessor solutions, build electronic and mechanical prototypes, and create final clinical devices. There is much that they do that is creative, and for which they are rightly proud.

There are, however, other questions to be asked. Where are the problems that need a solution? Researchers, especially students, are often young and healthy, and may never have experienced hospitals. This is where medical and clinical problems are experienced every day. Hospital managers are not good at talking about problems as they want to show that their hospital is best. So how do you find worthwhile research projects? Early student projects are primarily training projects, but should create opportunities for discussing wider issues, and preparing for the bigger creative research.

This lecture will review how some medical engineering devices were created – how the medical need was discovered, and how this progressed to a solution. This will include heart pacemakers, defibrillators, oximeters and dialysis equipment. This will encourage us all to ask questions and talk to clinicians more than we do. Many unsolved problems still exist.