Biomaterials

Code: QUI02599M

3 ECTS

Duration: 15 weeks/78 hours

Scientific Area: Chemistry

Teaching languages: Portuguese

Languages of tutoring support: Portuguese

Presentation

Study of some applications of biomaterials in medicine and orthodontology considering the main types of biomaterial, their properties and their interaction with the organism.

Sustainable Development Goals

Saúde de qualidade - Assegurar uma vida saudável e promover o bem-estar para todos, em todas as idades.

Educação de qualidade - Assegurar a educação inclusiva, e equitativa e de qualidade, e promover oportunidades de aprendizagem ao longo da vida para todos.

Learning Goals

This curricular units aims to present a broad picture of the applications of biomaterials in medicine and orthodontology, considering the principal types of biomaterial, their properties and their interaction with living organisms. At the end of the curricular unit the students should be capable of recognising and understanding several different types of biomaterial. Also, they should be able to point out the major difficulties associated with their use arising as a result of chemical or mechanical degradation, or due to the interaction of the biomaterial with the biological material of the living organisms. They should be able to identify the factors that could have influence on the selection of materials for specific applications.

Historical introduction to biomaterials.
Introduction to materials science ? types of material (metals, ceramics, polymers, composites), and their properties; methods of mechanical, structural and superficial characterisation.
Fundamentals of biomaterials ? types of material (Ti, alloys, amalgams, calcium phosphates, carbon, polyHEMA, UHMWPE, PMMA, PEG/PEO, PLA/PGA, PTFE, bisGMA, ionomers, silicones, chitosan, collagen, others); hydrogels; tissue engineering scaffolds; surface films.
Tissue-biomaterial interaction ? biofilm; protein adsorption; biocompatibility; toxicology; osseointegration; degradation.
Applications ? joint and bone replacement, cardiovascular implants, tendon and ligament replacement, contact lens, orthodontology, controlled drug release. Biosensors. Ethics and future perspectives.

Teaching Methods

The curricular unit is organized in lectures according to the scholar regulations of the University of Evora. In these lectures of the curricular unit the subjects will be presented and discussed with the support, where appropriate, of practical demonstrations or computer simulations. The students also have space out of the classroom for individual or group work on complementary matters to the curricular unit program.
The unit evaluation consists of several stages of evaluation, namely a component of continuous assessment based on exchanges of views and discussions during the classes. The students will also prepare a short paper (10-15 pages) written in Portuguese or English with summaries in English and Portuguese in one of the topics discussed during the classes plus a written examination which will focus on the subjects taught in the second part of the curricular unit.