This advanced course on biomaterials provides contemporary biomaterials science and engineering principles with the relevant biomedical device examples. Biomaterials in the form of an implant, part of the implant, or as coating to improve or control implant/ device performance will be covered. The course seeks to review a variety of biomaterial devices including musculoskeletal implants, tissue repair and regeneration strategies, and drug delivery systems. The course will include a balance of fundamentals and applications, as well as coverage of progress and challenges in the field. The course is designed to ready senior undergraduate and junior graduate students for their real-life experience in the world of biomaterials.

This is an undergraduate laboratory course designed to provide hands on training in tissue engineering methods and techniques. Students will learn the necessary skills required for maintaining and culturing cells in tissue engineered matrices. The students will also learn basic tissue engineering lab techniques and develop assays and staining methods related to the development and evaluation of in vitro tissue engineering products. Students in this course will gain the skills of basic culture and sub-culture methods/techniques, an understanding of biomaterial biocompatibility in vitro, acquire knowledge of 2d and 3d culture techniques and the role of micro-environment on the amount of ECM formed, and also gain the knowledge of cell migration and the role of actin filaments, and decellularization and bio-printing techniques.

Tissue Engineering lab course provides BME students with invaluable experience

Students will work through a structured process that emulates an open-ended, real-world design of a biomedical engineering product. Students are required to complete a semester-long design project in Biomaterials/ Tissue Engineering, Biomechanics or Instrumentation areas that demonstrates the skills and knowledge learned during the course in preparation for the Senior Design course (BME 4900 & 4910). The approach will follow a structured format, starting with the project definition and followed by the development of product specifications, project scheduling and management, progress reporting, ethical issues, prototype development, proper documentation and technical presentation of the final project outcomes. In addition, students will learn to appreciate the importance of teamwork, written and oral communication, and the need for possessing a variety of technical and professional skills.

Discussion of the design process; project statement, specifications project planning, scheduling and division of responsibility, ethics in engineering design, safety, environmental considerations, economic constraints, liability, manufacturing, and marketing. Projects are carried out using a team-based approach. This part of the course develops possible designs, design analysis and the optimal design identification. Actual design, circuit system, process or algorithm development and testing steps are implemented in BME 4910. Course evaluation in both the sections include proposal development, progress reports, a final report and oral presentations.