Biomedical Engineering

ROBERTO LAVECCHIA
ROBERTO LAVECCHIA

The course aims to provide students with the cultural and methodological bases for the study of the physico-chemical and biological phenomena involved in biomedical systems using an approach typical of chemical engineering. In particular, the primary objectives of the course are to develop the students' ability to quantitatively analyze biotechnological processes in which enzymes or cells are present and to apply the acquired knowledge to the design and modeling of biomedical equipment and devices.

At the end of the course, students should be able to:

- identify and analyze the chemical-physical and biological phenomena that intervene in the functioning of biomedical devices or equipment containing enzymes or cells;

- describe and model the behavior of the aforementioned equipment;

- plan the experimental activities needed to study enzyme kinetics or cell growth.

Basic knowledge of general chemistry and organic chemistry
Fundamentals of differential and integral calculus

Part A – FUNDAMENTALS OF CELLULAR AND BIOMOLECULAR ENGINEERING
The role of chemical engineering in the study of systems of interest to biomedical engineering. Living organisms: characteristics and properties. Prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms: differences and similarities. Cell growth and characteristics of the growth medium.
Viruses and viral infections. Structural characteristics of viruses. Phases and mechanisms of viral infection. Development of antiviral therapies.
Structure and chemical-physical properties of amino acids and proteins. Structural levels of proteins and biological function. Denaturing agents and effect on protein stability.
Enzymes: structural characteristics and effect on biological activity. Examples of enzymes of biomedical interest. Enzyme biosensors.
Fundamentals of genetic engineering: DNA and RNA. The genetic code. Recombinant DNA technology. Cell therapies and gene therapies.
Part B – ENGINEERING OF ENZYME REACTIONS
Elements of chemical kinetics. Reaction rates and kinetic expressions. Elementary chemical reactions and reaction mechanisms. Derivation of the Michaelis-Menten equation and estimation of the kinetic parameters.
Effect of temperature and pH on enzyme kinetics. Enzyme inhibition. Mechanisms of action of inhibitors and identification of the type of inhibition. Inhibitors and drug therapy. Examples of drugs based on the use of enzyme inhibitors.
Part C – CELLULAR PROCESS ENGINEERING
The phenomenon of cell growth. Effect of temperature and pH on cell growth. The Monod equation. Inhibition of cell growth induced by substrates or products.
Cellular metabolism. Primary and secondary metabolites. Endogenous metabolism. Kinetic expressions for cell growth. Yield factors and maintenance coefficient. Cell death.
Energy production in aerobic and anaerobic conditions. The role of ATP in energy production processes. Lactic fermentation. Bioreactors: operational and functional characteristics. Development of bioreactors for biomedical applications.

Fournier R.L., Basic transport phenomena in biomedical engineering, Taylor and Francis, Philadelphia, 1999
Ratledge C., Kristiansen B., Biotecnologie di base, Zanichelli, Bologna, 2004
Stryer L., Biochimica, Zanichelli, Bologna, 1996
Lecture notes provided by the teacher

Teaching will take place in the classroom and will consist of lessons also conducted through PowerPoint presentations and seminars held by professionals and teachers in the biotechnology sector

The course does not require compulsory attendance but it is strongly recommended

The assessment includes an oral test aimed at assessing the degree of preparation acquired by the student on the topics presented in the course as well as the methodological approach to face problems or situations that are relevant to the development of biochemical processes or technologies related to biomedical engineering

Describe the steps of a viral infection process and the possible therapeutic strategies to counteract its evolution

Active and allosteric sites in enzymatic macromolecules: their role in catalysis and inhibition phenomena

Electrophoretic phenomena and techniques for electrolyte separation in aqueous media

Glucose oxidation reactions for energy production and storage in aerobic and anaerobic conditions

Describe the structural characteristics of amino acids with particular reference to the properties of their side chains

Kinetic models for enzyme inhibition: analytical derivation and experimental validation