Universitat Internacional de Catalunya
Regenerative Medicine and Tissue Engineering
Other languages of instruction: Catalan, Spanish
Teaching staff
Introduction
Tissue Engineering (TE) is a discipline within Regenerative Medicine that applies the principles of engineering and life sciences to the development of biological substitutes that repair, maintain, or improve tissue function.
Pre-course requirements
The subject is taught in English, so it is necessary to have a sufficient knowledge of this language to be able to follow the explanations and assimilate the teaching material provided.
The subject requires some knowledge that it would be convenient to have, such as: Cell Biology, Molecular Biology, certain physical processes, chemical reactions.
Objectives
• Learn the basics of TE
• Understand the different signaling processes and cell-material interactions
• Learn the different methods of making scaffolding for TE
• Understand and apply the principles of TE in the development of new devices for different target tissues.
Competences/Learning outcomes of the degree programme
- CB01 - Students must demonstrate that they have and understand knowledge in an area of study that is based on general secondary education, and it tends to be found at a level that, although it is based on advanced textbooks, also includes some aspects that involve knowledge from the cutting-edge of their field of study.
- CB03 - Students must have the ability to bring together and interpret significant data (normally within their area of study) to issue judgements that include a reflection on significant issues of a social, scientific and ethical nature.
- CB04 - That students can transmit information, ideas, problems and solutions to specialist and non-specialist audiences.
- CE16 - To identify and know how to apply the instrumental and experimental techniques from disciplines in the field of Biomedical Sciences, as well as the technology related to the biomedical, healthcare and industrial fields.
- CG03 - To use and critically value biomedical techniques.
- CG07 - To incorporate basic concepts related to the field of biomedicine both at a theoretical and an experimental level.
- CT01 - To develop the organisational and planning skills that are suitable in each moment.
- CT02 - To develop the ability to resolve problems.
- CT03 - To develop analytical and summarising skills.
- CT04 - To interpret experimental results and identify consistent and inconsistent elements.
- CT05 - To use the internet as a means of communication and a source of information.
- CT06 - To know how to communicate, give presentations and write up scientific reports.
- CT07 - To be capable of working in a team.
- CT08 - To reason and evaluate situations and results from a critical and constructive point of view.
- CT09 - To have the ability to develop interpersonal skills.
- CT10 - To be capable of autonomous learning.
- CT11 - To apply theoretical knowledge to practice.
- CT12 - To apply scientific method.
- CT13 - To be aware of the general and specific aspects related to the field of nutrition and ageing.
- CT14 - To respect the fundamental rights of equality between men and women, and the promotion of human rights and the values that are specific to a culture of peace and democratic values.
Learning outcomes of the subject
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• Know the principles of TE.
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• Know and implement the different mechanisms of cell signaling for the development of new therapies based on TE.
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• Know the different methods for the manufacture of scaffolding for TE, with special emphasis on the properties of biomaterial, both biological and physicochemical.
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• Know the limitations of TE in terms of vascularization of TE constructs and how to improve these limitations.
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• Know and understand TE globally for the development of new TE strategies for different target tissues.
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• Be able to interpret and reason the scientific bibliography.
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• Know and put into practice the way and dynamics of teamwork
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• Be able to develop in a scientific field.
Syllabus
1. Tissue Engineering: An introduction (1 session)
2. Biomaterials (3 sessions: concepts, characterization, degradation)
3. Scaffold Design and classical fabrication techniques (1 session)
4. 3D (Bio)printing in Tissue Engineering (1 session)
5. Cell-materials interactions (1 session)
6. Bioreactors in TE (1 session)
7. Vascularization, Survival, and FUNCTIONALITY of Tissue-Engineered constructs (1 session)
8. Organ on a chip (1 session)
Teaching and learning activities
In person
The subject is divided into topics, so that the subject presents the basic concepts. The subject will be divided into theoretical and practical classes.
Les classes s’impartiran en anglès, tot i que els dubtes de l’alumnat es respondran en l’idioma que es prefereixi (castellà, català o anglès). However, the exercises, presentations and exams can only be done in English. The didactic material will be presented in English mainly, with some exceptions (graphs, tables ...).
Evaluation systems and criteria
In person
Exam 1st call:
1) Assessments: 30%
2) Lab work: 30%
4) Final exam: 40%
Exam 2nd call: will follow the same criteria as the previous one, but without the option of honors registration.
Important considerations:
1. Plagiarism, copying or any other action that may be considered cheating will be zero in this section of the evaluation. Doing so in the exams will mean the immediate suspension of the subject.
2. The minimum mark of the final exam to pass the subject must be higher than 4.5
3. The minimum mark to pass the subject must be higher than 4.53.
4. Changes to the calendar, exam dates or assessment system will not be accepted. Exchange students (Erasmus and others) or repeaters will be subject to the same conditions as the rest of the students.
Bibliography and resources
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Clemens A. Van Blitterswijk and Jan De Boer, Tissue Engineering 2015, Elsevier, Amsterdam.
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Buddy D. Ratner, Allan S. Hoffman, Frederick J. Schoen, Jack E. Lemons, Biomaterials
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Science An Introduction to Materials in Medicine (2nd Edition), Elsevier, Amsterdam.
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Articles científics (per determinar)
Evaluation period
- E1 13/01/2025 A10 14:00h
- R1 28/01/2025 11:00h
- E2 25/06/2025 A08 16:00h