Course syllabus

Course-PM

TIF050 / FIM604 TIF050 / FIM604 Materials in medicine lp2 HT22 (7.5 hp)

Course is offered by the department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering

 

Contact details

• examiner: Martin Andersson, martina@chalmers.se
• teachers:

Martin Andersson, Professor; Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Applied Chemistry, Chalmers  

Mats Hulander, Researcher; Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Applied Chemistry, Chalmers  

Caroline Beck Adiels, Associate Professor; Biological Physics, Physics, GU

Erik Olsén, PhD student; Nano and Biophysics, Physics, Chalmers  

Julia Wiktor, Assistant Professor; Materials and Surface Theory Division, Physics, Chalmers                                                                               

Julie Gold, Professor; Biological Physics, Physics, Chalmers                

Uta Klement, Professor; Materials and Manufacturing/Industrial and Materials Science, Chalmers                                               

Anna Ström, Professor; Applied Chemistry, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chalmers - not confirmed

Christina Lewing, Global Regulatory Affairs Director; Mölnlycke Health Care

Erik Adolfsson; Swerea

Nils-Krister Persson, Associate Professor; Department of Textile Technology

Course purpose

The aim of this course is to introduce the student to the main categories of materials used as biomaterials, with emphasis on their structure-property relationships, and to provide an introduction to specific materials commonly used in medical devices, as well as biosensors, drug delivery and tissue engineering applications. Another aim is for students to be familiar with the special handling, performance and degradation criteria required for materials in medicine. 

 

Course literature

1. Ratner et al, Biomaterials Science, 3rd edition. 

Course design

The course is based on a combination of lectures, a Journal Club where recent research articles are read and reviewed by the students, a site visit to a medical materials company as well as to the local research infrastructure CMAL (Chalmers Materials Analysis Laboratory) and a Project work presented on the last day of the course. There are a few open slots in the schedule meant to give you the opportunity to work jointly on your own. For more  information regarding the outline of the course, see the different modules (that will soon be update).

Learning objectives and syllabus

Learning objectives:

Understand the basic structure and property relationships of metal, ceramic, polymeric and composite materials systems.

Understand structure-property relationships of biological materials, including major tissues found in the body.

Be familiar with characterization methods commonly used to analyse biomaterials.

Name and describe a few specific materials in each of the main catagories of materials used in medicine, such as metals, ceramics, polymers, degradable polymers, biopolymers.

Have an understanding of the requirements for materials used in several application areas in the body, such as soft tissue replacements, hard tissue replacements, blood contacting devices, as well as transplants and tissue engineered devices.

Describe some advantages and disadvantages of the main sterilization methods used in the medical device industry.

Describe the main degradation mechanisms of materials in the body.

Study plan (Chalmers)

Study plan (GU)

Examination form

The examination consists of different assignments, i.e., Journal club activities, Project work and finally a written exam.

The Journal club sessions as well as the Project work presentation are mandatory events.

Credits can be attained during the course which are added to the final written exam score.

Further details of how to conduct these assignments, how they are evaluated, deadlines etc. are (to be) found under each respective module. If you get sick and fail to meet a deadline or miss out on a mandatory event, be sure to contact your group members in such a scenario and also email the corresponding teacher.