Cluster 8 - Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine

http://www.jacobsschool.ucsd.edu/cosmos/academics/clusters/2014/8.shtml

Cluster 8 - Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine
Instructors:
Robert Sah, Professor, Bioengineering, UCSD
Barbara Schumacher, Staff Research Associate, Bioengineering, UCSD

Prerequisite:
Students must have completed Algebra II and one year of high school biology.
Description:
Tissue engineering is the application of engineering and life sciences to develop biological substitutes that restore, maintain, or improve tissue function. Engineered tissues provide alternative treatments for medical conditions where there are limitations associated with traditional approaches such as pharmaceuticals, medical devices, or transplants. Current products include engineered skin used to treat wounds and burns and re-implantation of a patient’s own cells to repair damaged knees. Tissue engineering is an exciting and interdisciplinary field involving engineers, biologists, chemists, material scientists, and doctors. This COSMOS cluster will introduce students to the foundations of tissue engineering through hands-on lab exercising using modern tissue engineering tools and techniques. Participants will also go on a field trip to a local tissue engineering or biotechnology company.