125:582: Nano- and Micro-engineered Biointerfaces
Brief Description: This course introduces methods for engineering biointerfaces on the nano- and
micro-scale. Both synthesis (creating nano-/ micro-scale substrates) and fabrication (preparing
nano- / micro-scale features on substrates) will be covered. Substrates will include ceramics,
polymers, and metals; biological systems will comprise cells, genes, and ligands.
Instructor: Professor Kathryn Uhrich
Wright-Rieman Laboratories, Room 311, Busch
Tel: 732 445 0361, Fax: 732 445 7036
Uhrich@rutchem.rutgers.edu
Office hours: TBA
Integrative Faculty Experts: Professors Yves Chabal, Rick Riman, David Shreiber, Charles Roth,
Prabhas Moghe, Adrian Mann, Larry Romsted, Tom Cook
Prerequisites: Background in undergraduate chemistry, general
biology, physics, and interest in integrative studies of biological interfaces.
Students concerned about their preparation should contact the instructor for
guidance.
Course Outline:
| |
Topic |
Assignments |
| Week 1 |
Introduction, terminology; Examples of nano- and
micro-scale in biology |
|
| Week 2 |
Substrate modification on the micro-scale. Surface
patterning via microlithography |
HW #1 assigned |
| Week 3 |
Substrate modification on the micro-scale. Surface
patterning via microcontact printing; microtexturing;
self-assembled monolayers |
HW #1 due
HW #2 assigned |
| Week 4 |
Substrate modification on the nano-scale. Surface
patterning via phase separation; templating;
nanolithography |
HW #2 due
HW #3 assigned |
| Week 5 |
Substrate modification on the nano-scale. Synthetic
approaches such as chemistry of surface modification;
site-specific chemistry |
HW #3 due
HW #4 assigned |
| Week 6 |
Surface patterning techniques (case studies) : Choosing
an appropriate patterning method and interface |
HW #4 due |
| Week 7 |
Applications such as biosensors; microfluidics,cellbased
bioreactors for metabolic control; gene-based
microarrays |
|
| Week 8 |
Formation of micro-scale substrates: microparticles;
microfilms; microfibers |
Report #1 due
HW #5 assigned |
| Week 9 |
Formation of nano-scale substrates. Synthetic
approaches for organic materials to include
dendritic/branched polymers; colloids such as micelles
and liposomes |
HW #5 due
HW #6 assigned |
| Week 10 |
Formation of nano-scale substrates. Synthetic
approaches for inorganic materials |
HW #6 due
HW #7 assigned |
| Week 11 |
Formation of nano-scale substrates. Fabrication
methods to generate nanoparticles; nanotubes and
nanofibers |
HW #7 due
HW #8 assigned |
| Week 12 |
Formation of nano- and micro-sized substrates (case
studies). Choosing the appropriate size scale and
biomaterial |
HW #8 due |
| Week 13 |
Applications such as tissue scaffolds,
gene/drug delivery; drug transport across cellular
membranes |
|
| Week 14 |
Critical issues |
Report #2 due |
| |
Final exam |
|
Textbooks: Required: None. Readings will be based on review
papers as well as current literature
Course Projects: Students will prepare two descriptive reports,
one following each course module (module I: substrate modification, weeks 1-8;
module II: substrate synthesis/fabrication, weeks 9-
16). Each report will integrate course material for that module by describing:
a) a relevant biomedical problem, b) fundamental biological principles, c) the
role of interfacial science in the
problem or its potential solution, and d) an engineering approach to its solution.
Topics may be chosen from literature or research projects.
Following most of the lectures (see Course Outline), a short writing assignment
will be given to integrate principles described in the class with the current
literature that
will be due at the beginning of class the following week.
Grading Policy: Homework 30%; Reports 40%; Exam 30%
Objectives: To provide students with fundamental principles
and applications to engineer biological interfaces at relevant size scales.
Specifically, students will learn:
To assimilate the principles and practical overview of the tools applied to
biology, materials science, and engineering for deeper understanding and integrative
design and
development of technologies for emerging applications.
.
Relationship of Course to Program Objectives: This is among
the core courses of the IGERT Training Program on Integratively Engineered Biointerfaces.
As such, there is an emphasis on
interdisciplinary and integrative approaches to the development of biomedical
technologies.
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