Course overview
The main objective of this course is to introduce the foundations of advanced biomaterials. In general, biomaterials are synthetic of natural materials used to augment or replace tissues permanently or for applications intended to address shorter needs. Traditionally, biomaterials have found application in the manufacture of artificial vascular grafts, heart valves, cosmetic and orthopedic implants, dental fillers, and intravenous catheters. More recently, they have become an essential tool for regenerative medicine and the development of highly efficient drug delivery vehicles. The successful implementation of biomaterials requires the fulfillment of several physical and chemical properties as well as biocompatibility. In this context, the course will cover some of the most important biomaterials for applications in human health, their manufacturing processes, properties, interactions with tissues, and techniques for their characterization.
The specific goals for the course are: Design manufacturing processes according to the required attributes for the final application.; Critically analyze the application of mechanical, thermal, spectroscopic, microscopic, and biological characterization techniques to evaluate the performance of a material for an intended biomedical application; Critically analyze the impact of biological properties in evaluating the performance of a material for an intended biomedical application.