Outline

Overview

With the severe worldwide shortage of donor organs and the ubiquitous problem of donor organ rejection, there is a strong need for developing technologies for engineering replacement organs and other body parts. Recent developments in engineering and the life sciences have begun to make this possible, and as a consequence, the very new and multidisciplinary field of tissue engineering has been making dramatic progress in the last few years. This unit will provide an introduction to the principles of tissue engineering, as well as an up to date overview of recent progress and future outlook in the field of tissue engineering. This unit assumes prior knowledge of cell biology and chemistry and builds on that foundation to elaborate on the important aspects of tissue engineering. The objectives are: To gain a basic understanding of the major areas of interest in tissue engineering; To learn to apply basic engineering principles to tissue engineering systems; To understand the promises and limitations of tissue engineering; To understand the advances and challenges of stem cell applications; Enable students to access web-based resources in tissue engineering; Enable students to develop basic skills in tissue engineering research.

Unit details and rules

Unit code	BMET3971
Academic unit	Biomedical Engineering
Credit points	6
Prohibitions ?	AMME4971 or BMET4971 or AMME9971 or BMET9971
Prerequisites ?	MECH2901 or BMET2901 or [(MEDS2005 or MEDS1002 or ANAT2011) and (MEDS2001 or PHSI2007)]
Corequisites ?	None
Assumed knowledge ?	None
Available to study abroad and exchange students	Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Hala Zreiqat, hala.zreiqat@sydney.edu.au
Project supervisor(s)	Matilda Longfield, matilda.longfield@sydney.edu.au
Tutor(s)	Sarah Fox, sarah.l.fox@sydney.edu.au
	Queenie Yip, queenie.yip@sydney.edu.au
	Silas Qian, silas.qian@sydney.edu.au
	Miao Zhang, miao.zhang@sydney.edu.au
	Sidharth Aravind, sidharth.aravind@sydney.edu.au

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length
Creative assessment / demonstration	Ethics in Tissue Engineering - Blog 5 "Blog" posts exploring ethical questions that arise from course content.	20%	Multiple weeks Due date: 30 May 2024 at 23:59	10 pages max (2 pages per blog)
Outcomes assessed:
Participation	Pre-Reading Question Submission 1x question submitted per student prior to lecture	5%	Multiple weeks	30 minutes reading 5-10 mins submission
Outcomes assessed:
Participation	Tissue Engineering interconnectedness "Spider Webs" engagement with weekly "spider web" on the interconnectedness of the course	5%	Multiple weeks	5-10 minutes per week
Outcomes assessed:
Tutorial quiz	Quiz 1 Short answer and multiple choice questions covering week 1-3 content.	10%	Week 03 Due date: 10 Mar 2024 at 23:59	30 minutes
Outcomes assessed:
Tutorial quiz	Quiz 2 Short answer and multiple choice questions covering week 4-6 content.	10%	Week 06 Due date: 31 Mar 2024 at 23:59	30 minutes
Outcomes assessed:
Tutorial quiz	Quiz 2 Short answer and multiple choice questions covering week 7-9 content.	10%	Week 09 Due date: 28 Apr 2024 at 23:59	30 minutes
Outcomes assessed:
Tutorial quiz	Quiz 4 Short answer and multiple choice questions covering week 10-12 content.	10%	Week 12 Due date: 19 May 2024 at 23:59	30 minutes
Outcomes assessed:
Presentation	Group presentation "Shark Tank" in person group pitch with questions and supporting documents	30%	Week 13 Due date: 21 May 2024 at 23:59	15 mins
Outcomes assessed:
= group assignment ?

Assessment summary

40% – 4 quizes each worth 10% each
30% – "Shark Tank" group pitch (presentation)
20% - Ethics Blogs - 5x group submission exploring ethical questions related to tissue engineering
10% – Engagement & Participation (Pre-Reading submissions & Spider Webbs)

Assessment criteria

The unit will be assessed through:

40% – 4 quizzes each worth 10% each

Quizzes will occur in weeks 3, 6, 9 and 12 and students will have 1 attempt at each
These will be available from 2PM Thursday until 11.59PM Sunday and students will have 30 minutes to complete once started
NOTE: If special considerations is required for any Quizzes students will receive a mark adjustment for the first two that they miss. However, if special considerations is requested for >2 quizzes a replacement assessment will be required to ensure all learning outcomes are met.

30% – "Shark Tank" group pitch (presentation)

10 minute presentations with 5 minutes of question time.
Slides must be submitted by 11:59PM on Tuesday of Week 13 and presented in person in between Wednesday-Friday in week 13 (groups must book in for an available slot).
These will be marked live by multiple members of the teaching team.

20% - Ethics Blogs

5x group submission exploring ethical questions related to tissue engineering
Students will manage a group blog and must refer to canvas for when posts are required
The collection of blog posts must be submitted via turn-it-in at the end of week 13.

10% – Engagement & Participation (Pre-Reading submissions & Spider Webs)

Students will submit questions via SRES relating to the pre-reading prior to each lecture (weeks 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11 & 13).
Additionally each week they will build on "Spider webs" that tutors will evaluate student engagement with weekly (week 1-13).

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

This unit has an exception to the standard University policy or supplementary information has been provided by the unit coordinator. This information is displayed below:

10% per day for project report and presentations

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

You may only use artificial intelligence and writing assistance tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator, and if you do use them, you must also acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section.

Studiosity is permitted for postgraduate units unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission.

Learning support

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Support for students

The Support for Students Policy 2023 reflects the University’s commitment to supporting students in their academic journey and making the University safe for students. It is important that you read and understand this policy so that you are familiar with the range of support services available to you and understand how to engage with them.

The University uses email as its primary source of communication with students who need support under the Support for Students Policy 2023. Make sure you check your University email regularly and respond to any communications received from the University.

Learning resources and detailed information about weekly assessment and learning activities can be accessed via Canvas. It is essential that you visit your unit of study Canvas site to ensure you are up to date with all of your tasks.

If you are having difficulties completing your studies, or are feeling unsure about your progress, we are here to help. You can access the support services offered by the University at any time:

Support and Services (including health and wellbeing services, financial support and learning support)
Course planning and administration
Meet with an Academic Adviser

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Week 01	Introductory overview of tissue engineering - Prof. Hala Zreiqat	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 02	Tissue Engineering in burns: clinical reality - Prof. Peter & Dr. Jo Maitz	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 03	Introduction to tissue engineering analysis: a case study of skin	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 04	Introduction to Stem Cells - Michelle O'Hara	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 05	Stem Cells & Organoids for Tissue Engineering - Asoc. Prof. Anai Gonzalez-Cordero	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 06	Engineering Considerations: Understanding stem cells & organoids	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 07	Extracellular determinants of cell behaviour - Dr. Amelia Parker	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 08	Introduction to cultured meat - Katie Bashant Day	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 09	Designing the growth environment: biomolecules to bioreactors	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 10	Synthetic Elastic Biomaterials - Dr. Ziyu Wang	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 11	Tissue Engineering for disease modelling and drug development - Prof. Yi-Chin Toh	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 12	Analysing efficacy in Tissue Engineering: designing for medicine and evaluating results	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 13	Tissue Engineering: From laboratory to market place & future directions - Prof. Hala Zreiqat	Lecture (2 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

Class attendance is mandatory. Failure to attend 11/13 classes will require special considerations else the student will receive a fail result.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

See Canvas for Pre-Lecture reading material (Weeks 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11, 13)

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

Outcomes
Graduate qualities

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

LO1. Anatomical and Biological Foundations: Students will recall their knowledge of key anatomical and biological aspects relevant to tissue engineering, including skin anatomy and cell sources.
LO2. Comprehensive Understanding of Tissue Engineering: Students will gain a thorough understanding of the key concepts, scope, and evolution of tissue engineering, along with hearing from expert researchers in the field about various applications, and ethical considerations.
LO3. Critical Analysis of Tissue Engineering Practices: Students will critically analyse the role of tissue engineering in various medical contexts, including disease modeling, drug testing, regenerative medicine and laboratory grown meat.
LO4. Practical Application of Tissue Engineering Techniques: Students will develop and apply technical skills in tissue engineering analysis, including quality literature assessment, image analysis, and data analysis.
LO5. Innovation and Current Developments Evaluation: Students will evaluate current and emerging innovations in tissue engineering, understanding their impact and potential future directions.
LO6. Interdisciplinary Knowledge Integration: Understand and evaluate the interconnectedness of different scientific disciplines within tissue engineering including biomaterials, mechanobiology, anatomy and physiology, and engineering design principles .
LO7. Ethical and Regulatory Insight: Students will comprehend and formulate the ethical and regulatory discussions related to tissue engineering, especially in the development and application of new treatments, cell sources and medical studies.
LO8. Presentation and Communication Skills: Students will enhance their presentation and communication skills particularly in the context of scientific research and project proposals.
LO9. Project Design and Implementation: Students will develop skills in designing and implementing tissue engineering projects, including relevant regulatory, engineering requirements, design and manufacture considerations.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1	Depth of disciplinary expertise Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.
GQ2	Critical thinking and problem solving Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.
GQ3	Oral and written communication Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.
GQ4	Information and digital literacy Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.
GQ5	Inventiveness Generating novel ideas and solutions.
GQ6	Cultural competence Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.
GQ7	Interdisciplinary effectiveness Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.
GQ8	Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.
GQ9	Influence Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes	Graduate qualities
Learning outcomes

Responding to student feedback

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

Content will be grouped into "blocks" to create packages of content that link together and are assessed through progressive quizzes. Lectures will be made interactive through the introduction of EdTech tools. Students will develop their understanding of the interconnectedness of course content through the development of Tissue Engineering "spider webs". Technical data analysis skills will be introduced into the course. additional tutor support during lectures to help with student questions and management of the class;

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Support for students

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect

Current students

BMET3971: Tissue Engineering

Semester 1, 2024 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Support for students

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect