Summary

This course covers the fundamental concepts of the design, function and application of state-of-the-art biomaterials, and an overview of how engineering approaches can be used to investigate and manipulate cell and tissue functions.

Content

Learning Prerequisites

Required courses

None.

Recommended courses

BIOEING-399 Immunoengineering

BIOENG-315 Materials science for bioengineers

Important concepts to start the course

This class requires a basic knowledge in biology, physics, chemistry, and materials science.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course, the student must be able to:

• Elaborate key effectors and their functions driving protein- and cell-materials interactions
• Formulate the basics of inflammation induced by materials in the body
• Elaborate the basics of stem cell function and tissue regeneration, and how materials can influence regeneration
• Systematize the different general applications of biomaterials
• Contextualise specific examples of biomaterials on the basis of application and understands their selection criteria
• Judge the suitability of a material for a certain application based on structure-property relationships
• Formalize the key concepts in the molecular engineering of bioactivity and bioresponsiveness

Transversal skills

• Assess one's own level of skill acquisition, and plan their on-going learning goals.
• Make an oral presentation.
• Demonstrate a capacity for creativity.
• Continue to work through difficulties or initial failure to find optimal solutions.
• Evaluate one's own performance in the team, receive and respond appropriately to feedback.
• Communicate effectively, being understood, including across different languages and cultures.
• Use a work methodology appropriate to the task.
• Set objectives and design an action plan to reach those objectives.
• Plan and carry out activities in a way which makes optimal use of available time and other resources.

Teaching methods

Lectures integrated with exercises

Group case study

Assessment methods

Group project: 40%

Final written exam: 60%

Supervision