Tissue Engineering (BIO 421)

2025 Fall
Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences
Mol.Bio.Genetic&Bioengin.(BIO)
3
6
Sibel Çetinel cetinel@sabanciuniv.edu,
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English
Undergraduate
BIO301 BIO332
Interactive lecture,Laboratory
Interactive,Discussion based learning,Project based learning
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CONTENT

Tissue engineering combines the skills of engineering and knowledge of principle biology to generate, restore and replace damaged tissues and organs. To engineer living tissues mimicking conditions in living organism is essential. Therefore, tissue engineering is considered a biomedical engineering discipline and a potential alternative to tissue and organ transplantation. This course is built on three main pillars of tissue engineering: cells, scaffolds, and growth factors. Initially stem cells and differentiation is discussed as well as cell-based tissue engineering applications. Then design and characterization of biomaterials and nanomaterials as tissue scaffolds are covered. Here, various bio-fabrication techniques including 3D bioprinting are detailed. This course also covers the interaction with biomaterial surface, mechanical loading, biologic regulators, and culture conditions. Finally, examples of tissue engineering- based procedures that can alleviate specific diseases and clinical translation of regenerative therapies are analyzed as case studies with student presentations. This course also contains a laboratory session. At this session students will learn to handle mammalian cell cultures, prepare hydrogel and polymer scaffolds, perform tissue culture and characterization.

OBJECTIVE

Students will learn certain aspects of tissue engineering and how to utilize this information to generate overall strategic approach used to solve a clinical problem.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

  • Describe the significance, status, and future potential of tissue engineering,
  • Explain the challenges of tissue engineering of different (individual) tissues,
  • Explain the biomaterial selection, design, and characterization criteria for scaffold generation,
  • Explain the selection, source, and handling of cells for tissue engineering applications,
  • Explain the selection of bio-fabrication method for different (individual) tissues,
  • Describe the challenges of in vivo transplantation and clinical translation of tissue engineered systems,
  • Manage to identify the scientific problem and formulate the solution,
  • Present a literature study, discuss, and deduct the scientific information.
  • Perform mammalian cell culture on tissue scaffolds.

PROGRAMME OUTCOMES


1. Understand the world, their country, their society, as well as themselves and have awareness of ethical problems, social rights, values and responsibility to the self and to others. 4

2. Understand different disciplines from natural and social sciences to mathematics and art, and develop interdisciplinary approaches in thinking and practice. 5

3. Think critically, follow innovations and developments in science and technology, demonstrate personal and organizational entrepreneurship and engage in life-long learning in various subjects; have the ability to continue to educate him/herself. 2

4. Communicate effectively in Turkish and English by oral, written, graphical and technological means. 2

5. Take individual and team responsibility, function effectively and respectively as an individual and a member or a leader of a team; and have the skills to work effectively in multi-disciplinary teams. 4


1. Possess sufficient knowledge of mathematics, science, fundamental engineering, computational methods and program-specific engineering topics; use theoretical and applied knowledge of these areas in complex engineering problems. 2

2. Identify, define, formulate and solve complex engineering problems while considering the UN Sustainable Development Goals; choose and apply suitable analysis, design, estimation/prediction and modeling methods for this purpose. 1

3. Develop, choose and use modern techniques and tools that are needed for analysis and solution of complex problems faced in engineering applications; use information technologies effectively. 1

4. Have the ability to design a complex system, process, instrument or a product under realistic constraints and conditions, with the goal of fulfilling creative current and future requirements. 4

5. Use research methods, including conducting literature reviews, designing experiments, performing experiments, collecting data, analyzing results, and interpreting results, to investigate complex engineering problems or discipline-specific research topics. 5

6. Possess knowledge of business practices such as project management, risk management, change management, and economic feasibility analysis; awareness on entrepreneurship and innovation. 3

7. Possess knowledge of impact of engineering solutions on society, health and safety, the economy, sustainability, and the environment within the framework of the UN Sustainable Development Goals; awareness on legal outcomes of engineering solutions; awareness of acting impartially and inclusively without any form of discrimination; act in accordance with ethical principles, possessing knowledge of professional and ethical responsibilities. 4

8. Communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, on technical subjects, considering the diverse characteristics of the target audience (such as education, language, and profession). 3

ASSESSMENT METHODS and CRITERIA

  Percentage (%)
Midterm 30
Group Project 20
Presentation 20
Other 30

RECOMENDED or REQUIRED READINGS

Textbook

Jan de Boer, Clemens van Blitterswijk (2022, Third Edition), Tissue Engineering, Academic Press. ISBN: 978-0-12-824459-3
Robert Lanza, Robert Langer, Joseph P. Vacanti, Anthony Atala (2020, Fifth Edition), Principles of Tissue Engineering, Academic Press. ISBN: 978-0-12-818422-6