In partnership with  www.nsti.org           

Course #84

Nanotechnology for Tissue Engineering

New date to be decided. 
Available as a corporate-exclusive / tailored course at your site.
Please contact Ms Elisabet Larsson for an offer: cei@cei.se
Phone: +46-122-17570   Fax: +46-122-14347

INSTRUCTOR
Professor Thomas J. Webster, Brown University, Provicens, RI, USA

TECHNOLOGY FOCUS 
Historically, synthetic materials have not served as sufficient im­plants. For example, the current average lifetime of an ortho­pedic implant is only 15 years. Similarly, for the vascular com­munity, small diameter vascular grafts are only functional 25% of time past 5 years of use. Clearly, conventional materials have not invoked proper cellular responses to regenerate tissue that allows for these devices to be successful for long periods of times. In contrast, due to their ability to mimic the dimensions of constituent components of natural tissues, nanophase ma­terials may be an exciting successful alternative. This is not only due to their ability to simulate dimensions of proteins that com­prise tissues, but also because of their higher reactivity for in­teractions of proteins that control cell adhesion and, thus, the ability to regenerate tissues. 

WHO SHOULD ATTEND 
This is an introductory course suitable for anyone interested in the design of the next-generation of better biomaterials and, in particu­lar, at the intersection of nanotechnology and tissue engineering. 

COURSE CONTENT 
This course will focus on the creation of better tissue engineering through concepts in nanotechnology, i.e. the use of materials with constituent components less than 100 nm in at least one dimension. 

Day 1 

Current Implant Failures 

First, we will define current problems with various implants and learn why current materials fail in the device systems. 

• Orthopedic 
  - Current Materials Used
  - Current Modes of Failure: Poor bonding to surrounding bone; Generation of wear debris; Stress and strain imbal­ances at the tissue implant interface
  - Current Statistics on Orthopedic Implant Failure
• Dental 
  - Current Materials Used
  - Current Modes of Failure: Poor bonding to surrounding bone; Generation of wear debris; Stress and strain imbal­ances at the tissue implant interface
  - Current Statistics on Dental Implant Failure 
• Cartilage 
  - Current Treatment Methods and Materials Used
  - Current Modes of Failure: Poor regeneration of cartilage tissue; Generation of wear debris; Stress and strain imbalances at the tissue implant interface
  - Current Statistics on Cartilage Implant Failure 
• Vascular 
  - Current Materials Used
  - Current Modes of Failure: Poor bonding to surrounding vascular; Endothelium removal due to shear stress; Generation of stenosis; Stress and strain imbalances at the tissue implant interface; Current Statistics on Vascular Implant Failure 
• Bladder 
  - Current Materials Used
  - Current Modes of Failure: Poor bonding to surrounding tissue; Stress and strain imbalances at the tissue implant interface
  - Current Statistics on Bladder Implant Failure 
• Central and Peripheral Nervous System
  - Current Materials Used
  - Current Modes of Failure: Poor bonding to surrounding tissue; Build-up of glial scar tissue; Poor maintenance of electrical properties; Stress and strain imbalances at the tissue implant interface
  - Current Statistics on Central and Peripheral Nervous System Implant Failure

Day 2

Biological Response of Implanted Materials

Next, we will learn how cells interact with implanted materials to generate a biological response. We will discuss both desirable and undesirable reactions of the body with implanted materials. 

Protein Interactions with Implanted Materials

• Properties of Proteins
• Adsorption
• Conformation/Bioactivity

Cellular Recognition of Proteins Adsorbed on Materials Surfaces

• Adhesion
• Migration
• Differentiation

Cellular Extracellular Matrix Deposition Leading to Tissue Regeneration 

• Bone
• Dental Tissue
• Cartilage
•  Vascular
• Bladder
• Central and Peripheral Nervous System 

Foreign-body Response 

Inflammatory Response 

Wear Debris Response 

Advantages of Nanomaterial Use as Implants 

How can nanophase materials be used as better implants? What are their promising properties and what experimental evidence exists? We will sort through the experimental data and separate promise from “hype”. 

Mechanical Properties – Theoretical and Experimental Evidence 

• Ceramics: Increased grain boundary sliding
• Metals: Dislocation source
• Polymer Composites

Electrical

Surface

• Biologically-inspired Surface Roughness
• Increased Surface Reactivity 

Various Techniques to Synthesize Nanophase Materials

Experimental Evidence of Increased Tissue Regeneration 

• Orthopedic
• Dental 
• Cartilage
•  Vascular
• Bladder
• Central and Peripheral Nervous System 

Day 3 

Future Research Directions for Nanophase Materials in Tissue Engineering Applications 

Lastly, we will discuss the most promising future directions for the use of nanophase materials in biological applications. We focus on key unanswered questions such as the immunological response to nanoparticles. 

Immune System Response 

• Basics of Immune System and Particle Size
• Limited Experimental Evidence 

Nanophase Materials Coatings

• Various Conventional Coating Methods
• Limited Experimental Evidence 

Wear Debris

• Size Relationships for Wear Debris
• Limited Experimental Evidence 

Intelligent Nanoparticle Systems 

• Basics of Drug Delivery 
• Limited Experimental Evidence 

Course Summary and Conclusion 

Regular Course Fee: EUR 
Lunches and refreshments for three days: EUR 

University Student and Faculty Rate:
Two university participants are welcome to attend for one course fee if payment is to be made from university funds. Lunches and refreshments for second person will be added.

Deliverables:
The course fee covers tuition, course material, and the day conference packages (morning/afternoon refreshments, lunches etc.) paid on your behalf to the course venue. Accommodation is not included.