Tissue Engineering

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2009:

650-121 Biomolecules and Cells or Engineering Biology or equivalent

620-155 Calculus II or equivalent

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Student Support and Engagement Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and Student Equity and Disability Support: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

Students studying Tissue Engineering will become familiar with the history, scope and potential of tissue engineering. This will include the use of biomaterials in tissue engineering; major scaffold materials and fabrication methods, scaffold strength and degradation. Cell sources, selection, challenges and potential manipulation. Cell-surface interactions, biocompatibility and the foreign body reaction, and surface engineering. The role and delivery of growth factors for tissue engineering applications. In vitro and in vivo tissue engineering strategies, challenges, cell culture, scale-up issues and transport modelling. Ethical and regulatory issues. Clinical applications of tissue engineering, such as bone regeneration, breast reconstruction, cardiac and corneal tissue engineering, and organogenesis (e.g. pancreas).

On completion of this subject/ course students should be able to:

- explain the significance and future potential of tissue engineering

- identify key challenges in tissue engineering of different human tissues

- describe the design, fabrication and biomaterials selection criteria for tissue engineering scaffolds

- describe the sources and challenges of using stem cells and non-stem cells for tissue engineering

- use simple models to quantify aspects of bioreactor design explain the ethical and regulatory issues of significance in tissue engineering.

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

On Successful completion of this subject, students should be able to:

• Describe the scope of tissue and potential of tissue engineering in society;
• Evaluate the parameters that go into making a successful tissue engineering scaffold.
• Understand the challenges of cell sourcing, biomaterials engineering and scale-up in tissue engineering;
• Apply knowledge of basic science and engineering fundamentals;
• Undertake problem identification, formulation and solution;
• Utilise a systems approach to design and operational performance;
• Function effectively as an individual and in multidisciplinary and multicultural teams, with the capacity to be a leader or manager as well as an effective team member.