Introduction to Regenerative Medicine

Objectives

- Understand the biological mechanisms of repair versus regeneration.
- Know the potential of stem cells and discuss the ethical implications of their use.
- Understand the potential of regeneration strategies based on gene and cell therapies.
- Understand the role of biomaterials in regenerative medicine.
- Contact with regeneration strategies and tissue repair.
- Discuss strategies for regenerative medicine.
- Develop presentation skills and discussion of specific topics.

General characterization

Code

11168

Credits

3

Responsible teacher

Prof.ª Doutora Gabriela Silva

Hours

Weekly - Available soon

Total - Available soon

Teaching language

Portuguese

Prerequisites

 

Bibliography

No decorrer da UC a Regente disponibilizará aos alunos materiais e conteúdos considerados necessários à prossecução dos objetivos de aprendizagem (tais como protocolos das aulas práticas, artigos científicos, entre outros) em formato digital.

Os seguintes livros servirão de base para as aulas:

Principles of Regenerative Medicine, 2nd Edition (2010).
Anthony Atala, Robert Lanza, James A. Thomson, and Robert Nerem.
Academic Press

Regenerative Biology and Medicine, 2nd Edition (2012).
David L. Stocum.
Academic Press

Teaching method

The first five classes will be theoretical (each class is a 120-minute session) and will serve to present the basic concepts of the scientific area underlying the field that is subject of this curricular unit. The following two classes will be practical classes in a laboratory environment, which aims to introduce students to the practice associated with tissue regeneration strategies. The following classes will be in the seminar format, which will be presented by invited experts focusing on the latest developments in areas related to regenerative medicine.
The final three classes of the semester will be devoted to the discussion of posters prepared by the students.

Evaluation method

 

Subject matter

- Fundamentals of Regenerative Medicine. Historical perspective.
- Regeneration mechanisms. Homeostasis and tissue repair in adult mammals.
- Principles and mechanisms of stem cell biology. Inducing cellular reprogramming for generating stem cells.
- Sources of stem cells. Ethical issues.
- Cell Therapy and Gene Therapy - applications in regenerative medicine.
- Biomaterials and Regenerative Medicine.
- Tissue regeneration strategies: reconstruction of organs using scaffolds and the extracellular matrix of decellularized organs.
- Biomaterials as scaffolds for promotion of tissue regeneration.
- Tissue regeneration strategies based on three-dimensional carriers (scaffolds).
- Stem cells and tissue regeneration.
- Regeneration strategies: example of the central nervous system.
- Nano-strategies for tissue regeneration.
- Tutorial on preparing scientific posters.
- Discussion and preparation of posters about tissue regeneration strategies.

Programs

Programs where the course is taught: