ECTS - University of Pisa
Dato che la lingua ufficiale del corso è l'inglese, potete consultare tutte le informazioni presenti sulla versione in inglese.
The student will have acquired knowledge on the fundamental principles of the models covered by the course and on the methodologies used to develop and design human relevant systems in vitro, in vivo and in silico.
The student will be assessed on his/her demonstrated ability to discuss the main course contents using the appropriate terminology. The student’s knowledge of the subject will be verified, with particular attention to the theoretical foundations, the physical principles, the design criteria, the implementation aspects, the state of the art and the regulations concerning the models covered by the course.
The course aims to give students full awareness of the practical/computational/experimental/regulatory operations of bioengineering and experimental models and to assume a responsible and critical behaviour in carrying out laboratory activities and researching the literature or prior art.
It will be possible to assess the acquisition of the skills during interactive frontal lessons which should provide tangible elements and direct experience in the topics covered by the course.
Skills will be tested during the oral/written examination through the presentation of proofs of moderate to high difficulty, selected from those discussed during the course.
The ability to use mathematical models discussed during the course will also be assessed.
At the end of the course the student will be able to participate competently in technical discussions in a multidisciplinary project team geared to developing/designing human relevant models.
During lessons progress tests and discussions will enable deduction of effective learning.
Students are invited to verify the existence of any prerequisites by consulting the Regulations of the Study Program relating to their year ofenrolment.An exam taken in violation of the propaedeutic rules is void (University teaching regulations, art. 24, paragraph 3).
Basic knowledge of the cell and molecular biology, differential equations, Matlab are useful for better understanding and using some of the concepts developed in the course.
NONE
The course is strongly recommended before starting the attendance of the next semester courses.
Lessons are delivered face-to-face with the aid of slide projections. Software used: MATLAB.
Topics include
M Pasqualetti:
Use of animal models in translational medicine: the example of the mouse. Use of mouse molecular genetics for the modification of the genome: transgenesis and gene targeting/editing.
Identification and characterization of time- and tissue-specific promoters. Binary transgenesis for the fine control of transcriptional activity: tet-on and tet-off tetracycline system. Somatic recombination and site-specific recombinases: Cre/loxP and flp/FRT system.
Study of gene function and generation of animal models of human disease.
M Ori:
Regulation and principles of the 3Rs for the use of vertebrates in animal experimentation for translational medicine.
Use of gene editing technologies in lower vertebrates (zebrafish) to develop models of human genetic diseases in the perspective of personalized medicine.
Use of zebrafish to study regeneration mechanisms in vivo.
Drug High Throughput Screening in vivo, toxicity and efficacy assays.
M Onorati:
Main features of stem cells. Role of stem cells in adult tissues. Somatic/adult stem cells, biology and potential therapeutic applications.
Embryonic stem cells. Pluripotency criteria. Molecular patterning towards a specific cell fate.
Reprogramming mechanisms: Introduction to induced pluripotency. Direct somatic reprogramming. Cell therapy and regenerative medicine.
The new era of organoids and assembloids as a human-based platform to explore human biology and disease.
A Ahluwalia:
A brief introduction to biomedical ethics and the 3Rs
Numbers and dimensions in the human body.
Modelling receptor-ligand interaction and adhesion-cohesion in cells.
Mechanotransduction, cell micromechanics in the context of substrate design for engineering tissues.
Nutrient diffusion in 2D and 3D cultures, nutrient delivery, bioreactor design using numerical methods.
Pasqualetti/Ori/Onorati: As the topics covered are extremely up-to-date and varied, no textbook is available. Students are strongly advised to follow the lectures in the classroom and the topics covered can be further developed with the help of the ppt presentations shown in class and specific articles/reviews suggested by the lecturers.
For a good general resource covering early development and neurodevelopment, the following Text books are suggested:
Scott F. Gilbert and Michael J. Barresi. Developmental Biology (XI Edition)
Brown. Biotecnologie Molecolari. Zanichelli Ed.
AA: Teaching material will be prepared with the students and provided.
A reference book: Fondamenti di ingegneria dei tessuti per la medicina rigenerativa
Mantero Sara - Remuzzi Andrea - Raimondi Manuela Teresa - Ahluwalia Arti
https://www.patroneditore.eu/volumi/9788855530392/fondamenti-di-ingegneria-dei-tessuti-per-la-medicina-rigenerativa
There are no indications for non-attending students, since attendance at the course is compulsory in accordance with the didactic regulation of the Study Programme
The exam consists of an oral test. The oral exam consists of an interview between the candidate and the teachers.
The student must answer correctly to the questions proposed by the examination board, demonstrating an adequate ability tomake connections among the key themes addressed in the module.
Students can request placements during their thesis work
Examination committee:
Prof Arti Ahluwalia
Prof Massimo Pasqualetti
Prof Michela Ori
Prof Marco Onorati
