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Unit of study_
BMET5964: Advanced Cellular Biomechanics
This unit offers essential knowledge in the cutting edge of subcellular to molecular level biomechanics, bioengineering and applications in biomedical engineering, biotechnology industry and the recently emerging concept of 'Mechanomedicine'. Students will delve deeper into the concepts of 'The cell as an engineering system' (Introduce the molecular biomechanics concept in the context of cellular structures and organisations, membrane, the nucleus, organelles, cytoskeleton, and ECM), Cellular functions and their control (Proteins and enzymes DNA, RNA, and recombinant DNA Technology). It also includes mathematical modelling of calcium transient, intercellular and interfacial forces, mechanical properties of cells, Kinetic and transport models, single-Cell biomechanics and related experimental approaches, dynamic force spectroscopies, single-molecule imaging and super-resolution microscopies Students will also be able to understand pivotal molecular biomechanics technologies used in biotechnology industry and the medical clinic with the new concept of 'Mechanomedicine' or 'Mechanobiology Inspired Therapeutics', such as molecular constructs of cell mechanics measurement, molecular biosensors to visualise mechanotransduction, genetic engineered cell therapy, new therapeutics targeting receptor mediated mechanosensing pathway and biomechanical nanomedicine etc.
| Code | BMET5964 |
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| Academic unit | Biomedical Engineering |
| Credit points | 6 |
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Prerequisites:
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None |
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Corequisites:
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None |
| Prohibitions:
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None |
| Assumed knowledge:
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BMET3962 or BMET9962. Students need to have assumed knowledge in calculus, molecular biology, biochemistry, basic mechanics and some understanding in biophysics |
At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:
- LO1. Understand cellular mechanobiology, including the interactions between mechanical and biological performance in cells and tissues; and how external mechanical cues mediates their physiological function.
- LO2. Understand the concepts of mechanomedicine and its significant applications such as molecular constructs of cell mechanics measurement, molecular biosensors, new therapeutics targeting receptor mediated mechanosensing pathway etc.
- LO3. Obtain hands-on experimental skills by conducting simple experiments that investigate cellular biomechanics.
- LO4. Group presentation will enable the students to appreciate teamwork and to achieve effective oral communication skills, understand and critically analyse the emerging biomechanics research.
- LO5. Write scientific reports to convey complex and technical data in clear and concise terms; and argue persuasively the approach and results obtained in light of the problem or task assigned and the adopted methodology.
- LO6. Develop innovative ideas and critical thinking to conduct independent research on the field(s) of cellular biomechanics.
- LO7. Apply engineering principles to answer questions relating to cellular biomechanics in a quiz format.
Unit outlines
Unit outlines will be available 2 weeks before the first day of teaching for the relevant session.
- Semester 2, 2024 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
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