CHEMMAT 753 : Biological Materials and Biomaterials

Engineering

2021 Semester One (1213) (15 POINTS)

Course Prescription

Fundamentals of biological materials from small-scale building blocks (genes, proteins) to large-scale biological entities (organs, joints). Biomaterial design, material selection and functionalisation and the interaction between biomaterials and the biological tissue. Critique and review recent research on selected topics. Individual and team research projects apply advanced concepts and methods to design and implement a scaffold or implant prototype.

Course Overview

The elective course is designed to cover a range of topics within Biological Materials and Biomaterials. While there is a limit to what can be covered, this course will aim to provide an overview of how biological (mammalian) tissue is built up to produce materials of different properties, starting from the smallest building blocks, the proteins, up to functional tissue and organs. The course will further explore synthetic biomaterials and tissue engineering, and how they can be used to repair or replace biological tissue. Weight is placed on understanding how the body responds to implanted biomaterials and you will be introduced to central instruments and methods used to test and characterize biological materials and biomaterials. The course also discusses ethics and regulatory pathways for biomaterials. 

The course is delivered as a mix of lectures, hands-on activities, tutorials, discussions, and guest-lectures. Throughout the course, you will be challenged to develop your critical thinking and collaborative skills. 

Course Requirements

Prerequisite: BIOMENG 221, or CHEMMAT 204 and 205, or CHEMMAT 221 and 232 Restriction: CHEMMAT 422

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 1: Disciplinary Knowledge and Practice
Capability 2: Critical Thinking
Capability 3: Solution Seeking
Capability 4: Communication and Engagement
Capability 5: Independence and Integrity
Capability 6: Social and Environmental Responsibilities

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Demonstrate an understanding of the fundamental hierarchical structural and functional properties of biological materials. (Capability 1.1, 2.1, 3.2 and 4.1)
  2. Understand and critically evaluate the important properties of an engineered biomaterial, ways to measure these, and our body’s response to implanted materials. (Capability 1.1, 2.1, 2.2, 3.1, 4.1, 5.1, 5.2 and 6.1)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Test 10% Individual Test
Assignments 40% Group & Individual Coursework
Final Exam 45% Individual Examination
Coursework 5% Individual Coursework
Assessment Type Learning Outcome Addressed
1 2
Test
Assignments
Final Exam
Coursework

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard 15 point course and students are expected to spend 10 hours per week involved in each 15 point course that they are enrolled in.

For this course, you can expect 3 hours of lectures, a 1-2 hour tutorial/lab, 3 hours of reading and thinking about the content and 3 hours of work on assignments and/or test preparation.

Delivery Mode

Campus Experience

Attendance is expected at scheduled activities including labs and tutorials to receive credit for components of the course.
Lectures will be available as recordings, but some in-class learning activities such as discussions and tutorials will not be available as recordings.
The course will not include live online events.
Attendance on campus is required for the test and exam.
The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable.

Learning Resources

1)  Handouts and notes provided during the course. 
2) Biomaterials Science. An Introduction to Materials in Medicine (Ed. Ratner B, Hoffman AS, Schoen FJ, Lemons JE), Academic Press, 3rd Edition, 2013 – Available as an e-book via the library.  
3) Biomaterials, artificial organs and tissue engineering. Larry L. Hench 1938-2015.; Julian R Jones; Institute of Materials, Minerals, and Mining. Boca Raton CRC Press; Cambridge: Woodhead 2005 – Available as an e-book via the library.  
4) Additional resources may be provided during the course. 

Health & Safety

Specific health and safety instructions are provided in the lab-manual. 

Student Feedback

At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.

Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.

Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

Digital Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).

Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against online source material using computerised detection mechanisms.

Class Representatives

Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.

If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.

This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Learning Continuity

In the event of an unexpected disruption we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and your assessment is fair, and not compromised. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the University Website for information about how to proceed.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.

In this course you may be asked to submit your coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. The final decision on the completion mode for a test or examination, and remote invigilation arrangements where applicable, will be advised to students at least 10 days prior to the scheduled date of the assessment, or in the case of an examination when the examination timetable is published.

Published on 08/12/2020 11:24 a.m.