Introduction to bioengineering

Students will become familiar with the principles governing cell and tissue function and the alterations at the base of human diseases. They will also study and use modern cellular and molecular techniques that allow us to analyze cell function. Students will also learn how to raise biomedical problems, seek and use relevant information and find innovative solutions to them, taking into account the different biological and engineering tools that are taught in this degree. To do this, they will have to work in cooperative teams. They will also have the opportunity to get in touch, in hospitals and biomed/biotech companies, with actual problems and the solutions and limitations of existing technologies.

To understand biological materials and systems and design new ways to repair or replace them, it is imperative to understand their cellular and molecular components and functions. Cell and Molecular Biology form the foundation of biotechnology and biomedical industry today. This course covers a detailed analysis of the structures, mechanisms and molecules that control cell function, proliferation and differentiation as well as the changes that lead to pathological conditions. It also teaches, both in master and laboratory classes, modern molecular techniques to analyze cell function. PROGRAMME: CELL BIOLOGY 1. Chemical components of the cell. Cell compartments 2. Membrane Structure 3. Membrane Transport 4. Vesicular Traffic 5. Cell Communication MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 6. Protein Structure and Function, Proteomics. 7. From DNA to Genes to Genomes. Genomics. 8. From DNA to Proteins. Control of Gene expression. Transcriptomics. 10.Genetic Variation. Genetic Diseases. LABORATORY EXPERIMENTS: 1. Plasmid DNA Isolation. 2. Restriction Digestion. Plasmid Maps. 3. Ligation and Transformation. 4. Human Cell Culture.

The program will be divided into lectures (master class) and paper discussion/problem sessions (small class size) and laboratory practical classes. Students are required to read or resolve assigned chapters, articles, problems, etc., before or during the corresponding classes. Visits to hospitals and biomedical laboratories are foreseen. In the discussion and problems sessions, relevant scientific articles and problems will be presented and discussed by the students. In the laboratory classes, students divided in small groups of 2-3 students will perform experiments with the help of a supervisor. Students will be required to elaborate lab notes including descriptions of the experiments performed, results obtained as well as the experience and skills gained.