A Laboratory Course in Biomaterials

The field of biomedical engineering has vastly expanded in the past two decades, as reflected in the increased number of bioengineering and biomaterials programs at universities. The growth of this area has outpaced the development of laboratory courses that allow students hands-on experience, since the barriers involved in creating multidisciplinary biomaterials laboratory courses are high. A Laboratory Course in Biomaterials provides a teaching tool comprehensive in scope perspective. Multidisciplinary approach Suitable for junior or senior level laboratory courses in biomaterials and bioengineering, this volume trains students in laboratory skills, data analysis, problem solving, and scientific writing. The text takes a multidisciplinary approach, integrating a variety of principles that include materials science, chemistry, biochemistry, molecular and cell biology, and engineering. Step-by-step instructions The author presents flexible modules that allow the coursework to be adapted to the needs of different departments. Each module is organized around a central theme, such as drug delivery and natural biomaterials, to enhance student comprehension. This book provides step-by-step descriptions of lab procedures, reagents, equipment, and data processing guidelines. It also includes a series of thought-provoking questions and answers following each experiment, drawn from the author’s own experience in teaching a biomaterials laboratory course at the University of Illinois. Timely in its coverage, many of the experiments presented in the book are adapted from research papers reflecting the progress in various disciplines of bioengineering and biomaterials science.

Basic Laboratory Skills Commonly Used Lab Equipment and Supplies Waste Disposal Liquid Transfer Weighing Making Solutions Error Analysis Module I. Drug Delivery: Controlled Release of Encapsulated Protein from PLGA Microspheres Session 1. Encapsulation of BSA in PLGA Microspheres Session 2. Evaluation of the Encapsulation Efficiency and the Drug Load Session 3. Controlled Release of BSA from PLGA Microspheres Session 4. Evaluation of Controlled Release Profile Questions Appendix. Recipes and Sources for Equipment, Reagents, and Supplies Module II. Natural Biomaterials: Collagen and Chitosan Session 1. Extracting Acid-Soluble Type I Collagen from Bovine Calf Skin Session 2. Purification of Extracted Collagen Session 3. Analysis of Collagen Extraction and Purification by Electrophoresis Session 4. Fabricating Collagen/Chitosan Sponges Questions Appendix. Recipes and Sources for Equipment, Reagents and Supplies Basic Laboratory Skills II. Cell Culture and Microscopy Cell Culture Exercises Appendix. Sources and Recipes for Equipment, Reagents, and Supplies Module III. Biocompatibility Testing: Cytotoxicity and Adhesion Session 1. Cytotoxicity Evaluation Using Direct Contact Tests Session 2. Cytotoxicity Evaluation Using Liquid Extracts of Materials Session 3. Biofunctionality Evaluation through Cell Adhesion/Proliferation Tests Questions Appendix. Recipes and Sources for Equipment, Reagents and Supplies Module IV. Tissue Engineering: Organotypic Cultures of Skin Equivalents Session 1. The Dermis Equivalent Session 2. The Epidermis Equivalent Session 3. Histological Studies of Natural Skin and Organotypic Skin Equivalent Questions Appendix A. Sterilizing Collagen and Preparing Collagen Solution Appendix B. Custom-Made Teflon Support for Air Exposure of the Epidermis Equivalent Appendix C. Recipes and Sources for Equipment, Reagents and Supplies Module V. Bioceramics: Porous Hydroxyapatite Composite Session 1. Synthesis of HA and FA Session 2. X-Ray Powder Diffraction of HA and FA Session 3. Fabrication of Porous HA/FA-PLGA Composite Using a Salt-Leaching Method Session 4. Characterization of the Porous HA/FA-PLGA Composites—Acid Degradation and Compression Testing Questions Appendix. Recipes and Sources for Equipment, Reagents and Supplies Appendix: Answers Index

Wujing Xian is a professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.