The field of Biomaterials has evolved over approximately the past fifty years from the intersection of multiple viewpoints, including materials science, biology, engineering, and clinical, business, and regulatory perspectives. In addition, the constant evolution of new processes and materials makes the field of Biomaterials very dynamic. In particular, there is an increased need of integrating more complex biological knowledge into the design of improved biomaterials.
Much consideration is given to the design of a biomaterial for a specific application. Certain properties of the biomaterial must be controlled in order to perform the necessary function and to elicit the appropriate response. These properties can be tailored to a specific need by carefully controlling the structural characteristics, modifying the surface properties, and employing biomimetic elements in the biomaterial design. Biomimetic principles are gaining widespread acceptance in the development of biomaterials, especially for drug delivery, regenerative medicine and nanotechnology.
After being introduced to the fundamentals of Biomaterials (Course: Introduction to Biomaterials, 3rd year), students will become familiar with the state of the art technology in biomaterial research in order to solve complex biomedical problems that arise not only at hospitals, but also at universities, research centers and companies.
The student will acquire advanced knowledge to design biomaterials for applications in bioengineering, biotechnology and nanomedicine. Furthermore, the student should acquire a critical ability for the possibilities of these technologies in the near future. Students will be required to acquire understanding and expertise from analysis of primary literature.