Week 1

Introduction to tissue engineering and regenerative medicine: Tissue engineering and regenerative medicine are transforming the future of medicine as scientists rethink the ways we treat organ failure and diseases. This field combines disciplines such as biology, engineering, and material science to develop lab-grown tissues that can one day replace failing organs in human patients. This course will provide a foundational understanding of the importance of tissue engineering and an overview of the different approaches scientists are taking to grow organs in the lab.

Week 2

Stem cells - creating organ building blocks: Stem cells are essential to tissue engineering, characterized by their ability to differentiate into any cell type in the human body. This week will focus on exploring the different types of stem cells, with a focus on induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), and how they can be used to create patient-specific organs. By guiding stem cells through specific differentiation pathways, scientists can create the cell types needed, such as: cardiac, neuronal, kidney, liver, and many more, for regenerative therapies.

Week 3

Modeling human organs-on-a-chip: Organs-on-a-chip have revolutionized how scientists study human biology, screen drugs, and model disease. By coupling living human cells with microfluidic devices, scientists can better mimic the physiological conditions of the human body. This week, we will explore how these organs-on-a-chip are designed and how they are being used to better study conditions such as cancer, kidney disease, and more.

Week 4

Biomaterials and vascularization challenges in tissue engineering: Two major challenges in tissue engineering are finding ways to grow tissues outside the body, and finding ways to deliver the oxygen and nutrients they need to survive. In this session, we will discuss the different biomaterials scientists use to grow cells outside of the body, as well as vascularization approaches to develop blood vessel networks within engineered tissues.

Week 5

3D Bioprinting - how we print tissues and organs: 3D bioprinting is one of the most exciting breakthroughs in tissue engineering, allowing scientists to print living tissues. Using bioinks made from living cells and biomaterials, scientists have found ways to print functional tissues and miniature organs. This week, we will cover the principles of 3D bioprinting, different bioprinting techniques, and breakthroughs in the field.

Week 6

Generating implantable organs using CRISPR and genetic engineering: CRISPR and other gene-editing technologies are revolutionizing tissue engineering. Scientists are using CRISPR to engineer cells for personalized medicine, overcome immune rejection, and even grow organs in genetically modified animals for (xeno)transplantation. This session will dive into how CRISPR/genetic engineering works, its applications in regenerative medicine, and discuss recent breakthroughs in implanting modified pig kidneys into human patients.