The goal of this course it to introduce the student to the design of technologies in the field of regenerative medicine, such as automated cell culture systems and innovative substrates for cell culture. The course aims at addressing the formative aspects related to the clinical application of such technologies. Also, the course focuses on fundamental aspects of modelling the cell microenvironment and on the design of advanced systems for the development of bioartificial organs.

The expected didactic results are that, with reference to any body organ/tissue, the student acquires the ability to:

1) locate the clinical risks associated to a specific regenerative therapy;

2) locate the cell sources that can be potentially used on humans in a specific regenerative therapy;

3) write the equation describing mass transport in a cellular product and relevant boundary conditions;

4) calculate and graph the concentration profile of a solute of interest within a cellular product used in a specific regenerative therapy;

5) describe and discuss the clinical results of all the phases of development of a specific regenerative therapy.

Introduction to regenerative medicine.

Rational for the use of biological material to replace tissue and organ function. The transplant crisis. Pioneering examples of regenerative therapies. Process schematization in regenerative therapies. Ethics and regulation for the development of new commercial products for a regenerative therapy. 

The fundamental constituents of a regenerative therapy: biomaterials, cells and signals.

Biomaterials for regenerative medicine. Cell manipulation, cell source, stem cells and differentiated cells, techniques for cell isolation and separation, cell expansion. Mass transport and conditioning of cellularized constructs. Strategies to model and engineer the cell microenvironment.

Tissue dynamics.

Morphogenesis. Homeostasis. Repair. Bioengineering techniques to model and to engineer dynamic states of tissues. Body systems: basic morphogenesis, macro anatomy, micro anatomy and cell populations, physiology, pathology, and conventional therapy.

Clinical application.

With reference to specific organs and tissues of the main systems: basic morphogenesis, macro anatomy, micro anatomy, physiology, pathology, conventional therapy, new strategies of regenerative medicine.

Integumentary system. Bioengineering strategies to repair or regenerate the skin, cornea and mammary gland.

Nervous system. Bioengineering strategies to repair or regenerate the peripheral nerves and the spinal cord.

Muskulo-skeletal system. Bioengineering strategies to repair or regenerate bone, cartilage, and skeletal muscle.

Circulatory system. Bioengineering strategies to repair or regenerate the heart muscle, valves, and blood vessels.

Endocrine system. Bioengineering strategies to repair or regenerate the endocrine function of the pancreas.

Gastrointestinal system. Bioengineering strategies to repair or regenerate the esophagus, stomach, intestine and liver.

Urogenital system. Bioengineering strategies to repair or regenerate the kidney and bladder.

Respiratory system. Bioengineering strategies to repair or regenerate the trachea and lungs.

Biology and Physiology. Transport phenomena in biological systems.

The final exam will be in the form of a written list of open questions that have to be answered in English. The student will be asked to:

1) locate the clinical risks associated to a specific regenerative therapy;

2) locate the cell sources that can be potentially used on humans in a specific regenerative therapy;

3) write the equation describing mass transport in a cellular product and relevant boundary conditions;

4) calculate and graph the concentration profile of a solute of interest within a cellular product used in a specific regenerative therapy;

5) describe and discuss the clinical results of all the phases of development of a specific regenerative therapy.