Program Overview

Life Sciences Engineering Program

The Life Sciences Engineering program at EPFL is a comprehensive undergraduate program that combines engineering principles with life sciences to address complex biological and medical challenges. The program is designed to provide students with a solid foundation in engineering, biology, and chemistry, as well as the skills to apply this knowledge to real-world problems.

Program Structure

The program is divided into several blocks, each focusing on a specific area of life sciences engineering:

• Bloc 3 "Ingénierie/Engineering": This block covers the fundamental principles of engineering, including dynamical systems in biology, electrical systems and electronics, and signals and systems.
• Bloc 4 "Bio-Ingénierie / BioEngineering": This block focuses on the application of engineering principles to biological systems, including cell and developmental biology, electrical systems and electronics, and immunoengineering.
• Bloc 5 "Sciences du vivant / Fundamentals of life sciences": This block covers the fundamental principles of life sciences, including immunology, microbiology, morphology, and neuroscience.
• Block 1 "Mathematics and Physics": This block provides a solid foundation in mathematics and physics, including analysis, numerical analysis, and general physics.
• Block 2 "Life sciences and Computer-aided engineering": This block focuses on the application of computer-aided engineering to life sciences, including applied software engineering, biological chemistry, and cellular and molecular biology.
• Block 6 "Biologie quantitative et données / Quantitative biology & data": This block covers the principles of quantitative biology and data analysis, including biological data science, genetics and genomics, and mechanics of cells and tissues.
• Block 7 "Physiologie / Physiology": This block focuses on the principles of physiology, including bachelor project in life sciences, genomic solutions to sustainable development, and physiology by systems.
• Transverse block HSS: This block provides a comprehensive introduction to humanities and social sciences, including propedeutics and bachelor cycle courses.

Courses

The program includes a wide range of courses, including:

• Dynamical systems in biology
• Electrical systems and electronics I and II
• Signals and systems I and II
• Cell and developmental biology for engineers
• Immunoengineering
• Structural mechanics for SV
• Synthetic biology
• Immunology
• Microbiology
• Morphology I and II
• Neuroscience
• Oncology
• Analysis III and IV
• Biological data science I and II
• Fluid mechanics
• General physics: electromagnetism
• Numerical analysis
• Probability and statistics
• Applied software engineering for life sciences
• Biological chemistry I and II
• Cellular and molecular biology I and II
• Integrated labo in Life sciences I and II
• Genetics and genomics
• Mechanics of cells and tissues
• Randomness and information in biological data
• Bachelor project in Life sciences
• Genomic solutions to sustainable development
• Physiology by systems
• Physiology lab I and II

Language

The program is taught in both English and French, with some courses offered in one language or the other.

Credits and Coefficient

Each course has a specific number of credits and coefficient, which are used to calculate the student's overall grade.

Exam and Evaluation

The program includes a variety of evaluation methods, including written exams, oral exams, and course-based projects.

Research Areas

The program covers a wide range of research areas, including:

• Bioengineering
• Biomedical engineering
• Biological data science
• Genetics and genomics
• Immunology
• Microbiology
• Morphology
• Neuroscience
• Oncology
• Physiology
• Synthetic biology