In this article, the role of chemical engineering in human health applications is mentioned first, with a particular focus on (bio)medical engineering. Then, the historical background of this role at the beginning of chemical engineers’ activities in this field will be examined with emphasis on important issues. In the following, the future horizons of chemical engineering in several important fields of application in medicine, such as biomaterials, drug delivery systems, and tissue engineering, are explained briefly. Then, the importance of applying chemical engineering principles in the link between chemical engineering and tissue engineering/clinical medicine (translational medicine) is intensively expressed. Finally, how the lessons related to (bio)medical engineering emerged in the chemical engineering educational program and its development until today, including the master’s program of chemical-biomedical engineering in Iran, and a short conclusion will be presented at the end.

Researches in the field of biomaterials especially those with pharmaceutical applications, named pharmaceutical biomaterials, have witnessed tremendous progress in the last decade. Meanwhile, nanotechnology provides opportunities to do research systematically at nanometer scale.

Background: biomedical engineering combines engineering principles and life sciences to solve medical and biological challenges. Despite its potential, a gap exists in biomedical engineering education between the fields of health and engineering, often resulting in limited interdisciplinary understanding and collaboration. Methods: This paper explores current challenges in biomedical engineering education and reviews approaches to integrate health and engineering through a local-context framework. This framework emphasizes situating biomedical engineering education within the specific regulatory, cultural, and clinical environments of the students’ region. Results: Findings indicate that integrating local context into biomedical engineering curricula enables students to better understand the practical intersection between medicine and engineering in their communities. This integration enhances students’ ability to design healthcare solutions that are culturally relevant, sustainable, and better aligned with local regulatory and clinical standards. Conclusion: Addressing the health-engineering gap in biomedical engineering education by incorporating local context fosters the development of effective healthcare solutions, instills social responsibility, and promotes cross-disciplinary collaboration.