Search result: Catalogue data in Autumn Semester 2016

Biomedical Engineering Master Information
Track Courses
Molecular Bioengineering
Track Core Courses
During the Master program, a minimum of 12 CP must be obtained from track core courses.
NumberTitleTypeECTSHoursLecturers
376-1103-00LFrontiers in NanotechnologyW4 credits4VV. Vogel, further lecturers
AbstractMany disciplines are meeting at the nanoscale, from physics, chemistry to engineering, from the life sciences to medicine. The course will prepare students to communicate more effectively across disciplinary boundaries, and will provide them with deep insights into the various frontiers.
ObjectiveBuilding upon advanced technologies to create, visualize, analyze and manipulate nano-structures, as well as to probe their nano-chemistry, nano-mechanics and other properties within manmade and living systems, many exciting discoveries are currently made. They change the way we do science and result in so many new technologies.

The goal of the course is to give Master and Graduate students from all interested departments an overview of what nanotechnology is all about, from analytical techniques to nanosystems, from physics to biology. Students will start to appreciate the extent to which scientific communities are meeting at the nanoscale. They will learn about the specific challenges and what is currently “sizzling” in the respective fields, and learn the vocabulary that is necessary to communicate effectively across departmental boundaries.

Each lecturer will first give an overview of the state-of-the art in his/her field, and then describe the research highlights in his/her own research group. While preparing their Final Projects and discussing them in front of the class, the students will deepen their understanding of how to apply a range of new technologies to solve specific scientific problems and technical challenges. Exposure to the different frontiers will also improve their ability to conduct effective nanoscale research, recognize the broader significance of their work and to start collaborations.
ContentStarting with the fabrication and analysis of nanoparticles and nanostructured materials that enable a variety of scientific and technical applications, we will transition to discussing biological nanosystems, how they work and what bioinspired engineering principles can be derived, to finally discussing biomedical applications and potential health risk issues. Scientific aspects as well as the many of the emerging technologies will be covered that start impacting so many aspects of our lives. This includes new phenomena in physics, advanced materials, novel technologies and new methods to address major medical challenges.
Lecture notesAll the enrolled students will get access to a password protected website where they can find pdf files of the lecture notes, and typically 1-2 journal articles per lecture that cover selected topics.
376-1714-00LBiocompatible MaterialsW4 credits3GK. Maniura, J. Möller, M. Zenobi-Wong
AbstractIntroduction to molecules used for biomaterials, molecular interactions between different materials and biological systems (molecules, cells, tissues). The concept of biocompatibility is discussed and important techniques from biomaterials research and development are introduced.
ObjectiveThe class consists of three parts:
1. Introdcution into molecular characteristics of molecules involved in the materials-to-biology interface. Molecular design of biomaterials.
2. The concept of biocompatibility.
3. Introduction into methodology used in biomaterials research and application.
ContentIntroduction into native and polymeric biomaterials used for medical applications. The concepts of biocompatibility, biodegradation and the consequences of degradation products are discussed on the molecular level. Different classes of materials with respect to potential applications in tissue engineering and drug delivery are introduced. Strong focus lies on the molecular interactions between materials having very different bulk and/or surface chemistry with living cells, tissues and organs. In particular the interface between the materials surfaces and the eukaryotic cell surface and possible reactions of the cells with an implant material are elucidated. Techniques to design, produce and characterize materials in vitro as well as in vivo analysis of implanted and explanted materials are discussed.
In addition, a link between academic research and industrial entrepreneurship is established by external guest speakers.
Lecture notesHandouts can be accessed online.
LiteratureLiteratur
Biomaterials Science: An Introduction to Materials in Medicine, Ratner B.D. et al, 3rd Edition, 2013
Comprehensive Biomaterials, Ducheyne P. et al., 1st Edition, 2011

(available online via ETH library)

Handouts provided during the classes and references therin.
402-0674-00LPhysics in Medical Research: From Atoms to Cells Information W6 credits2V + 1UB. K. R. Müller
AbstractScanning probe and diffraction techniques allow studying activated atomic processes during early stages of epitaxial growth. For quantitative description, rate equation analysis, mean-field nucleation and scaling theories are applied on systems ranging from simple metallic to complex organic materials. The knowledge is expanded to optical and electronic properties as well as to proteins and cells.
ObjectiveThe lecture series is motivated by an overview covering the skin of the crystals, roughness analysis, contact angle measurements, protein absorption/activity and monocyte behaviour.

As the first step, real structures on clean surfaces including surface reconstructions and surface relaxations, defects in crystals are presented, before the preparation of clean metallic, semiconducting, oxidic and organic surfaces are introduced.

The atomic processes on surfaces are activated by the increase of the substrate temperature. They can be studied using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The combination with molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) allows determining the sizes of the critical nuclei and the other activated processes in a hierarchical fashion. The evolution of the surface morphology is characterized by the density and size distribution of the nanostructures that could be quantified by means of the rate equation analysis, the mean-field nucleation theory, as well as the scaling theory. The surface morphology is further characterized by defects and nanostructure's shapes, which are based on the strain relieving mechanisms and kinetic growth processes.

High-resolution electron diffraction is complementary to scanning probe techniques and provides exact mean values. Some phenomena are quantitatively described by the kinematic theory and perfectly understood by means of the Ewald construction. Other phenomena need to be described by the more complex dynamical theory. Electron diffraction is not only associated with elastic scattering but also inelastic excitation mechanisms that reflect the electronic structure of the surfaces studied. Low-energy electrons lead to phonon and high-energy electrons to plasmon excitations. Both effects are perfectly described by dipole and impact scattering.

Thin-films of rather complex organic materials are often quantitatively characterized by photons with a broad range of wavelengths from ultra-violet to infra-red light. Asymmetries and preferential orientations of the (anisotropic) molecules are verified using the optical dichroism and second harmonic generation measurements. These characterization techniques are vital for optimizing the preparation of medical implants and the determination of tissue's anisotropies within the human body.

Cell-surface interactions are related to the cell adhesion and the contractile cellular forces. Physical means have been developed to quantify these interactions. Other physical techniques are introduced in cell biology, namely to count and sort cells, to study cell proliferation and metabolism and to determine the relation between cell morphology and function.

3D scaffolds are important for tissue augmentation and engineering. Design, preparation methods, and characterization of these highly porous 3D microstructures are also presented.

Visiting clinical research in a leading university hospital will show the usefulness of the lecture series.
465-0953-00LBiostatisticsW4 credits2V + 1UB. Sick
AbstractThe course deals with simple quantitative and graphical as well as more complex methods of biostatistics. Contents: Descriptive statistics, probability theory and design of experiments, testing hypotheses, confidence intervals, correlation, simple and multiple linear regression, classification and prediction, diagnostic tests, measurement of agreement.
Objective
551-0103-00LFundamentals of Biology II: Cell BiologyW5 credits5VE. Hafen, J. Fernandes de Matos, U. Kutay, G. Schertler, U. Suter, S. Werner
AbstractThe goal of this course is to provide students with a wide general understanding in cell biology. With this material as a foundation, students have enough of a cell biological basis to begin their specialization not only in cell biology but also in related fields such as biochemistry, microbiology, pharmacological sciences, molecular biology, and others.
ObjectiveThe goal of this course is to provide students with a wide general understanding cell biology. With this material as a foundation, students have enough of a cell biological basis to begin their specialization not only in cell biology but also in related fields such as biochemistry, microbiology, pharmacological sciences, molecular biology, and others.
ContentThe focus is animal cells and the development of multicellular organisms with a clear emphasis on the molecular basis of cellular structures and phenomena. The topics include biological membranes, the cytoskeleton, protein sorting, energy metabolism, cell cycle and division, viruses, extracellular matrix, cell signaling, embryonic development and cancer research.
Lecture notesThe lectures are presented in the Powerpoint format. These are available on the WEB for ETH students over the nethz (Moodle). Some lectures are available on the ETH WEB site in a live format (Livestream) at the above WEB site.
LiteratureThe lectures follow Alberts et al. `Molecular Biology of the Cell' 6th edition, 2014, ISBN 9780815344322 (hard cover) and ISBN 9780815345244
(paperback).
Prerequisites / NoticeSome of the lectures are given in the English language. Certain sections of the text-book must be studied by self-instruction.
551-1295-00LIntroduction to Bioinformatics: Concepts and Applications Information W6 credits4GW. Gruissem, K. Bärenfaller, A. Caflisch, G. Capitani, J. Fütterer, M. Robinson, A. Wagner
AbstractStorage, handling and analysis of large datasets have become essential in biological research. The course will introduce students to a number of applications of bioinformatics in biology. Freely accessible software tools and databases will be explained and explored in theory and praxis.
ObjectiveIntroduction to Bioinformatics I: Concepts and Applications (formerly Bioinformatics I) will provide students with the theoretical background of approaches to store and retrieve information from large databases. Concepts will be developed how DNA sequence information can be used to understand phylogentic relationships, how RNA sequence relates to structure, and how protein sequence information can be used for genome annotation and to predict protein folding and structure. Students will be introduced to quantitative methods for measuring gene expression and how this information can be used to model gene networks. Methods will be discussed to construct protein interaction maps and how this information can be used to simulate dynamic molecular networks.

In addition to the theoretical background, the students will develop hands-on experiences with the bioinformatics methods through guided exercises. The course provides students from different backgrounds with basic training in bioinformatics approaches that have impact on biological, chemical and physics experimentation. Bioinformatics approaches draw significant expertise from mathematics, statistics and computational science.

Although "Intoduction to Bioinformatics I" will focus on theory and praxis of bioinformatics approaches, the course provides an important foundation for the course "Introduction to Bioinformatics II: Fundamentals of computer science, modeling and algorithms" that will be offered in the following semester.
ContentBioinformatics I will cover the following topics:

From genes to databases and information
BLAST searches
Prediction of gene function and regulation
RNA structure prediction
Gene expression analysis using microarrays
Protein sequence and structure databases
WWW for bioinformatics
Protein sequence comparisons
Proteomics and de novo protein sequencing
Protein structure prediction
Cellular and protein interaction networks
Molecular dynamics simulation
636-0003-00LBiological Engineering and BiotechnologyW6 credits3VM. Fussenegger
AbstractBiological Engineering and Biotechnology will cover the latest biotechnological advances as well as their industrial implementation to engineer mammalian cells for use in human therapy. This lecture will provide forefront insights into key scientific aspects and the main points in industrial decision-making to bring a therapeutic from target to market.
Objective1. Insight Into The Mammalian Cell Cycle. Cycling, The Balance Between Proliferation and Cancer - Implications For Biopharmaceutical Manufacturing. 2. The Licence To Kill. Apoptosis Regulatory Networks - Engineering of Survival Pathways To Increase Robustness of Production Cell Lines. 3. Everything Under Control I. Regulated Transgene Expression in Mammalian Cells - Facts and Future. 4. Secretion Engineering. The Traffic Jam getting out of the Cell. 5. From Target To Market. An Antibody's Journey From Cell Culture to The Clinics. 6. Biology and Malign Applications. Do Life Sciences Enable the Development of Biological Weapons? 7. Functional Food. Enjoy your Meal! 8. Industrial Genomics. Getting a Systems View on Nutrition and Health - An Industrial Perspective. 9. IP Management - Food Technology. Protecting Your Knowledge For Business. 10. Biopharmaceutical Manufacturing I. Introduction to Process Development. 11. Biopharmaceutical Manufacturing II. Up- stream Development. 12. Biopharmaceutical Manufacturing III. Downstream Development. 13. Biopharmaceutical Manufacturing IV. Pharma Development.
Lecture notesHandsout during the course.
Recommended Elective Courses
These courses are particularly recommended for the Molecular Bioengineering track. Please consult your track advisor if you wish to select other subjects.
NumberTitleTypeECTSHoursLecturers
151-0604-00LMicrorobotics Information
Does not take place this semester.
W4 credits3GB. Nelson
AbstractMicrorobotics is an interdisciplinary field that combines aspects of robotics, micro and nanotechnology, biomedical engineering, and materials science. The aim of this course is to expose students to the fundamentals of this emerging field. Throughout the course students are expected to submit assignments. The course concludes with an end-of-semester examination.
ObjectiveThe objective of this course is to expose students to the fundamental aspects of the emerging field of microrobotics. This includes a focus on physical laws that predominate at the microscale, technologies for fabricating small devices, bio-inspired design, and applications of the field.
ContentMain topics of the course include:
- Scaling laws at micro/nano scales
- Electrostatics
- Electromagnetism
- Low Reynolds number flows
- Observation tools
- Materials and fabrication methods
- Applications of biomedical microrobots
Lecture notesThe powerpoint slides presented in the lectures will be made available in hardcopy and as pdf files. Several readings will also be made available electronically.
Prerequisites / NoticeThe lecture will be taught in English.
227-0385-10LBiomedical ImagingW6 credits5GS. Kozerke, K. P. Prüssmann, M. Rudin
AbstractIntroduction and analysis of medical imaging technology including X-ray procedures, computed tomography, nuclear imaging techniques using single photon and positron emission tomography, magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasound imaging techniques.
ObjectiveTo understand the physical and technical principles underlying X-ray imaging, computed tomography, single photon and positron emission tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasound and Doppler imaging techniques. The mathematical framework is developed to describe image encoding/decoding, point-spread function/modular transfer function, signal-to-noise ratio, contrast behavior for each of the methods. Matlab exercises are used to implement and study basic concepts.
Content- X-ray imaging
- Computed tomography
- Single photon emission tomography
- Positron emission tomography
- Magnetic resonance imaging
- Ultrasound/Doppler imaging
Lecture notesLecture notes and handouts
LiteratureWebb A, Smith N.B. Introduction to Medical Imaging: Physics, Engineering and Clinical Applications; Cambridge University Press 2011
Prerequisites / NoticeAnalysis, Linear Algebra, Physics, Basics of Signal Theory, Basic skills in Matlab programming
227-0386-00LBiomedical Engineering Information W4 credits3GJ. Vörös, S. J. Ferguson, S. Kozerke, U. Moser, M. Rudin, M. P. Wolf, M. Zenobi-Wong
AbstractIntroduction into selected topics of biomedical engineering as well as their relationship with physics and physiology. The focus is on learning the concepts that govern common medical instruments and the most important organs from an engineering point of view. In addition, the most recent achievements and trends of the field of biomedical engineering are also outlined.
ObjectiveIntroduction into selected topics of biomedical engineering as well as their relationship with physics and physiology. The course provides an overview of the various topics of the different tracks of the biomedical engineering master course and helps orienting the students in selecting their specialized classes and project locations.
ContentIntroduction into neuro- and electrophysiology. Functional analysis of peripheral nerves, muscles, sensory organs and the central nervous system. Electrograms, evoked potentials. Audiometry, optometry. Functional electrostimulation: Cardiac pacemakers. Function of the heart and the circulatory system, transport and exchange of substances in the human body, pharmacokinetics. Endoscopy, medical television technology. Lithotripsy. Electrical Safety. Orthopaedic biomechanics. Lung function. Bioinformatics and Bioelectronics. Biomaterials. Biosensors. Microcirculation.Metabolism.
Practical and theoretical exercises in small groups in the laboratory.
Lecture notesIntroduction to Biomedical Engineering
by Enderle, Banchard, and Bronzino

AND

Link
227-0393-10LBioelectronics and Biosensors
New course. Not to be confounded with 227-0393-00L last offered in the Spring Semester 2015.
W6 credits2V + 2UJ. Vörös, M. F. Yanik, T. Zambelli
AbstractThe course introduces the concepts of bioelectricity and biosensing. The sources and use of electrical fields and currents in the context of biological systems and problems are discussed. The fundamental challenges of measuring biological signals are introduced. The most important biosensing techniques and their physical concepts are introduced in a quantitative fashion.
ObjectiveDuring this course the students will:
- learn the basic concepts in biosensing and bioelectronics
- be able to solve typical problems in biosensing and bioelectronics
- learn about the remaining challenges in this field
ContentL1. Bioelectronics history, its applications and overview of the field
- Volta and Galvani dispute
- BMI, pacemaker, cochlear implant, retinal implant, limb replacement devices
- Fundamentals of biosensing
- Glucometer and ELISA

L2. Fundamentals of quantum and classical noise in measuring biological signals

L3. Biomeasurement techniques with photons

L4. Acoustics sensors
- Differential equation for quartz crystal resonance
- Acoustic sensors and their applications

L5. Engineering principles of optical probes for measuring and manipulating molecular and cellular processes

L6. Optical biosensors
- Differential equation for optical waveguides
- Optical sensors and their applications
- Plasmonic sensing

L7. Basic notions of molecular adsorption and electron transfer
- Quantum mechanics: Schrödinger equation energy levels from H atom to crystals, energy bands
- Electron transfer: Marcus theory, Gerischer theory

L8. Potentiometric sensors
- Fundamentals of the electrochemical cell at equilibrium (Nernst equation)
- Principles of operation of ion-selective electrodes

L9. Amperometric sensors and bioelectric potentials
- Fundamentals of the electrochemical cell with an applied overpotential to generate a faraday current
- Principles of operation of amperometric sensors
- Ion flow through a membrane (Fick equation, Nernst equation, Donnan equilibrium, Goldman equation)

L10. Channels, amplification, signal gating, and patch clamp Y4

L11. Action potentials and impulse propagation

L12. Functional electric stimulation and recording
- MEA and CMOS based recording
- Applying potential in liquid - simulation of fields and relevance to electric stimulation

L13. Neural networks memory and learning
LiteraturePlonsey and Barr, Bioelectricity: A Quantitative Approach (Third edition)
Prerequisites / NoticeSupervised exercises solving real-world problems. Some Matlab based exercises in groups.
227-0965-00LMicro and Nano-Tomography of Biological TissuesW4 credits3GM. Stampanoni, P. A. Kaestner
AbstractThe lecture introduces the physical and technical know-how of X-ray tomographic microscopy. Several X-ray imaging techniques (absorption-, phase- and darkfield contrast) will be discussed and their use in daily research, in particular biology, is presented. The course discusses the aspects of quantitative evaluation of tomographic data sets like segmentation, morphometry and statistics.
ObjectiveIntroduction to the basic concepts of X-ray tomographic imaging, image analysis and data quantification at the micro and nano scale with particular emphasis on biological applications
ContentSynchrotron-based X-ray micro- and nano-tomography is today a powerful technique for non-destructive, high-resolution investigations of a broad range of materials. The high-brilliance and high-coherence of third generation synchrotron radiation facilities allow quantitative, three-dimensional imaging at the micro and nanometer scale and extend the traditional absorption imaging technique to edge-enhanced and phase-sensitive measurements, which are particularly suited for investigating biological samples.

The lecture includes a general introduction to the principles of tomographic imaging from image formation to image reconstruction. It provides the physical and engineering basics to understand how imaging beamlines at synchrotron facilities work, looks into the recently developed phase contrast methods, and explores the first applications of X-ray nano-tomographic experiments.

The course finally provides the necessary background to understand the quantitative evaluation of tomographic data, from basic image analysis to complex morphometrical computations and 3D visualization, keeping the focus on biomedical applications.
Lecture notesAvailable online
LiteratureWill be indicated during the lecture.
227-0981-00LCross-Disciplinary Research and Development in Medicine and Engineering Restricted registration - show details
A maximum of 12 medical degree students and 12 (biomedical) engineering degree students can be admitted, their number should be equal.
W4 credits2V + 2AV. Kurtcuoglu, D. de Julien de Zelicourt, M. Meboldt, M. Schmid Daners, O. Ullrich
AbstractCross-disciplinary collaboration between engineers and medical doctors is indispensable for innovation in health care. This course will bring together engineering students from ETH Zurich and medical students from the University of Zurich to experience the rewards and challenges of such interdisciplinary work in a project based learning environment.
ObjectiveThe main goal of this course is to demonstrate the differences in communication between the fields of medicine and engineering. Since such differences become the most evident during actual collaborative work, the course is based on a current project in physiology research that combines medicine and engineering. For the engineering students, the specific aims of the course are to:

- Acquire a working understanding of the anatomy and physiology of the investigated system;
- Identify the engineering challenges in the project and communicate them to the medical students;
- Develop and implement, together with the medical students, solution strategies for the identified challenges;
- Present the found solutions to a cross-disciplinary audience.
ContentAfter a general introduction to interdisciplinary communication and detailed background on the collaborative project, the engineering students will receive tailored lectures on the anatomy and physiology of the relevant system. They will then team up with medical students who have received a basic introduction to engineering methodology to collaborate on said project. In the process, they will be coached both by lecturers from ETH Zurich and the University of Zurich, receiving lectures customized to the project. The course will end with each team presenting their solution to a cross-disciplinary audience.
Lecture notesHandouts and relevant literature will be provided.
327-0505-00LSurfaces, Interfaces and their Applications I Information W3 credits2V + 1UN. Spencer, M. P. Heuberger, L. Isa
AbstractAfter being introduced to the physical/chemical principles and importance of surfaces and interfaces, the student is introduced to the most important techniques that can be used to characterize surfaces. Later, liquid interfaces are treated, followed by an introduction to the fields of tribology (friction, lubrication, and wear) and corrosion.
ObjectiveTo gain an understanding of the physical and chemical principles, as well as the tools and applications of surface science, and to be able to choose appropriate surface-analytical approaches for solving problems.
ContentIntroduction to Surface Science
Physical Structure of Surfaces
Surface Forces (static and dynamic)
Adsorbates on Surfaces
Surface Thermodynamics and Kinetics
The Solid-Liquid Interface
Electron Spectroscopy
Vibrational Spectroscopy on Surfaces
Scanning Probe Microscopy
Introduction to Tribology
Introduction to Corrosion Science
Lecture notesScript Download:
Link
LiteratureScript (20 CHF)
Book: "Surface Analysis--The Principal Techniques", Ed. J.C. Vickerman, Wiley, ISBN 0-471-97292
Prerequisites / NoticeChemistry:
General undergraduate chemistry
including basic chemical kinetics and thermodynamics

Physics:
General undergraduate physics
including basic theory of diffraction and basic knowledge of crystal structures
327-1101-00LBiomineralization Information W2 credits2GK.‑H. Ernst
AbstractThe course addresses undergraduate and graduate students interested in getting introduced into the basic concepts of biomineralization.
ObjectiveThe course aims to introduce the basic concepts of biomineralization and the underlying principles, such as supersaturation, nucleation and growth of minerals, the interaction of biomolecules with mineral surfaces, and cell biology of inorganic materials creation. An important part of this class is the independent study and the presentation of original literature from the field.
ContentBiomineralization is a multidisciplinary field. Topics dealing with biology, molecular and cell biology, solid state physics, mineralogy, crystallography, organic and physical chemistry, biochemistry, dentistry, oceanography, geology, etc. are addressed. The course covers definition and general concepts of biomineralization (BM)/ types of biominerals and their function / crystal nucleation and growth / biological induction of BM / control of crystal morphology, habit, shape and orientation by organisms / strategies of compartmentalization / the interface between biomolecules (peptides, polysaccharides) and the mineral phase / modern experimental methods for studying BM phenomena / inter-, intra, extra- and epicellular BM / organic templates and matrices for BM / structure of bone, teeth (vertebrates and invertebrates) and mollusk shells / calcification / silification in diatoms, radiolaria and plants / calcium and iron storage / impact of BM on lithosphere and atmosphere/ evolution / taxonomy of organisms.

1. Introduction and overview
2. Biominerals and their functions
3. Chemical control of biomineralization
4. Control of morphology: Organic templates and additives
5. Modern methods of investigation of BM
6. BM in matrices: bone and nacre
7. Vertebrate teeth
8. Invertebrate teeth
9. BM within vesicles: calcite of coccoliths
10. Silica
11. Iron storage and mineralization
Lecture notesScript with more than 600 pages with many illustrations will be distributed free of charge.
Literature1) S. Mann, Biomineralization, Oxford University Press, 2001, Oxford, New York
2) H. Lowenstam, S. Weiner, On Biomineralization, Oxford University Press, 1989, Oxford
3) P. M. Dove, J. J. DeYoreo, S. Weiner (Eds.) Biomineralization, Reviews in Mineralogoy & Geochemistry Vol. 54, 2003
Prerequisites / NoticeEach attendee is required to present a publication from the field. The selection of key papers is provided by the lecturer.
No special requirements are needed for attending. Basic knowledge in chemistry and cell biology is expected.
376-1622-00LPractical Methods in Tissue Engineering Restricted registration - show details
Number of participants limited to 12.
W5 credits4PK. Würtz-Kozak, M. Zenobi-Wong
AbstractThe goal of this course is to teach MSc students the necessary skills for doing research in the fields of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.
ObjectivePractical exercises and demonstrations on topics including sterile cell culture, light microscopy and histology, protein and gene expression analysis, and viability assays are covered. The advantages of 3D cell cultures will be discussed and practical work on manufacturing and evaluating hydrogels and scaffolds for tissue engineering will be performed in small groups. In addition to practical lab work, the course will teach skills in data acquisition/analysis.
402-0341-00LMedical Physics IW6 credits2V + 1UP. Manser
AbstractIntroduction to the fundamentals of medical radiation physics. Functional chain due to radiation exposure from the primary physical effect to the radiobiological and medically manifest secondary effects. Dosimetric concepts of radiation protection in medicine. Mode of action of radiation sources used in medicine and its illustration by means of Monte Carlo simulations.
ObjectiveUnderstanding the functional chain from primary physical effects of ionizing radiation to clinical radiation effects. Dealing with dose as a quantitative measure of medical exposure. Getting familiar with methods to generate ionizing radiation in medicine and learn how they are applied for medical purposes. Eventually, the lecture aims to show the students that medical physics is a fascinating and evolving discipline where physics can directly be used for the benefits of patients and the society.
ContentThe lecture is covering the basic principles of ionzing radiation and its physical and biological effects. The physical interactions of photons as well as of charged particles will be reviewed and their consequences for medical applications will be discussed. The concept of Monte Carlo simulation will be introduced in the excercises and will help the student to understand the characteristics of ionizing radiation in simple and complex situations. Fundamentals in dosimetry will be provided in order to understand the physical and biological effects of ionizing radiation. Deterministic as well as stochastic effects will be discussed and fundamental knowledge about radiation protection will be provided. In the second part of the lecture series, we will cover the generation of ionizing radiation. By this means, the x-ray tube, the clinical linear accelarator, and different radioactive sources in radiology, radiotherapy and nuclear medicine will be addressed. Applications in radiolgoy, nuclear medicine and radiotherapy will be described with a special focus on the physics underlying these applications.
Lecture notesA script will be provided.
535-0423-00LDrug Delivery and Drug TargetingW2 credits2VJ.‑C. Leroux, D. Brambilla
AbstractThe students gain an overview on current principles, methodologies and systems for controlled delivery and targeting of drugs. This enables the students to understand and evaluate the field in terms of scientific criteria.
ObjectiveThe students dispose of an overview on current principles and systems for the controlled delivery and targeting of drugs. The focus of the course lies on developing a capacity to understand the involved technologies and methods, as well as an appreciation of the chances and constraints of their therapeutic usage, with prime attention on anticancer drugs, therapeutic peptides, proteins, nucleic acids and vaccines.
ContentThe course covers the following topics: drug targeting and delivery principles, radiopharmaceuticals, macromolecular drug carriers, liposomes, micelles, micro/nanoparticles, gels and implants, administration of vaccines, delivery of active agents in tissue engineeering, targeting at the gastrointestinal level, synthetic carriers for nucleic acid drugs, ophthalmic devices and novel trends in transdermal and nasal drug delivery.
Lecture notesSelected lecture notes, documents and supporting material will be directly provided or may be downloaded using

Link

The website also displays additional information on peroral delivery systems, transdermal systems and systems for alternative routes (nasal, pulmonary) of delivery. These fields are covered in detail in the course Galenische Pharmazie II (Galenical Pharmacy II).
LiteratureY. Perrie, T. Rhades. Pharmaceutics - Drug Delivery and Targeting, second edition, Pharmaceutical Press, London and Chicago, 2012.

Further references will be provided in the course.
636-0507-00LSynthetic Biology II Restricted registration - show details W4 credits4AS. Panke, Y. Benenson, J. Stelling
Abstract7 months biological design project, during which the students are required to give presentations on advanced topics in synthetic biology (specifically genetic circuit design) and then select their own biological system to design. The system is subsequently modeled, analyzed, and experimentally implemented. Results are presented at an international student competition at the MIT (Cambridge).
ObjectiveThe students are supposed to acquire a deep understanding of the process of biological design including model representation of a biological system, its thorough analysis, and the subsequent experimental implementation of the system and the related problems.
ContentPresentations on advanced synthetic biology topics (eg genetic circuit design, adaptation of systems dynamics, analytical concepts, large scale de novo DNA synthesis), project selection, modeling of selected biological system, design space exploration, sensitivity analysis, conversion into DNA sequence, (DNA synthesis external,) implementation and analysis of design, summary of results in form of scientific presentation and poster, presentation of results at the iGEM international student competition (Link).
Lecture notesHandouts during course
Prerequisites / NoticeThe final presentation of the project is typically at the MIT (Cambridge, US). Other competing schools include regularly Imperial College, Cambridge University, Harvard University, UC Berkeley, Princeton Universtiy, CalTech, etc.

This project takes place between end of Spring Semester and beginning of Autumn Semester. Registration in April.

Please note that the number of ECTS credits and the actual work load are disconnected.
Other Elective Courses
These courses may be suitable for the Molecular Bioengineering track. Please consult your track advisor.
NumberTitleTypeECTSHoursLecturers
551-0313-00LMicrobiology (Part I) Information W3 credits2VW.‑D. Hardt, L. Eberl, H.‑M. Fischer, J. Piel, M. Pilhofer
AbstractAdvanced lecture class providing a broad overview on bacterial cell structure, genetics, metabolism, symbiosis and pathogenesis.
ObjectiveThis concept class will be based on common concepts and introduce to the enormous diversity among bacteria and archaea. It will cover the current research on bacterial cell structure, genetics, metabolism, symbiosis and pathogenesis.
ContentAdvanced class covering the state of the research in bacterial cell structure, genetics, metabolism, symbiosis and pathogenesis.
Lecture notesUpdated handouts will be provided during the class.
LiteratureCurrent literature references will be provided during the lectures.
Prerequisites / NoticeEnglish
The lecture "Grundlagen der Biologie II: Mikrobiologie" is the basis for this advanced lecture.
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