Course detail
Introduction to Medical Materials and Their Applications
FCH-BC_UNAcad. year: 2025/2026
The subject is the introduction to principles and medically relevant knowledge of nanotechnology, and the chemistry of modern materials for medical application. The students are familiarized with the structural principles of organs, tissues and cells and the principles of their regulation. The biological reactions of cells and tissues to various types of material and systems built of these materials are discussed. The health risks of materials and their nanoforms are pointed out. The above mentioned is demonstrated on examples of targeted distribution of biologically active materials and their directed releasing, regenerative medicine, tissue engineering and sensors utilisable in diagnostics and medicine. The practical part and comprehensibility are stressed at the introductory level.
Language of instruction
Czech
Number of ECTS credits
2
Mode of study
Not applicable.
Guarantor
Entry knowledge
The student must already possess basic knowledge of anorganic and organic chemistry and selected parts of physical chemistry, cell biology and physiology (ideally all at the level of secondary school).
Rules for evaluation and completion of the course
The term is concluded by writing a test focusing on the topics dealt with during the lectures. The successful conclusion of the subject requires the resulting grade A-E of the evaluation scale.
Presence at lectures.
Presence at lectures.
Aims
This subject intends to introduce students to the world of modern materials, their application in medically utilisable systems at nano and nanobiotechnological levels and their interactions with biological systems as shown on examples of medical applications.
The student acquires basic knowledge of modern materials and applications prepared from these materials for medicine in the nanotechnology field and their interaction with the organism and various tissues or cells. The student is capable of understanding the principle of applications of such systems, materials and technologies for medical purposes. Another study output is a simple literary recherche picked by individual students on topics covered during the lectures.
The student acquires basic knowledge of modern materials and applications prepared from these materials for medicine in the nanotechnology field and their interaction with the organism and various tissues or cells. The student is capable of understanding the principle of applications of such systems, materials and technologies for medical purposes. Another study output is a simple literary recherche picked by individual students on topics covered during the lectures.
Study aids
Not applicable.
Prerequisites and corequisites
Not applicable.
Basic literature
Goodsell D.S.: Bionanotechnology. Wiley-Liss, Hoboken 2004 (CS)
Recommended reading
Hošek J.: Úvod do nanotechnologie. ČVUT, Praha 2010 (CS)
Classification of course in study plans
- Programme BPCP_CHMA Bachelor's 2 year of study, winter semester, compulsory
Type of course unit
Lecture
26 hod., optionally
Teacher / Lecturer
Syllabus
1st week:
Introduction to nanobiotechnology: explanation of terms nanotechnology, biotechnology, nanobiotechnology and nanomedicine. Where they complement each other, where they overlap, examples of real medical applications.
2nd-3rd week:
Biological systems: from organism to cell, cells and tissues, stem cells, cell morphology, cell cycle, cell regulation and signalling, receptors, CD 44 receptor, extracellular matrix, collagen, elastin, proteoglycans and glycoproteins, fibronectin, laminin, integrins, health risks of nanotechnologies.
4th-5th week:
Targeted distribution and directed release of biologically active materials: targeted distribution and directed release – explanation of the terms, what the first carriers brought and what we expect of the modern carriers, what an ideal carrier should be like, carriers‘ separation, micelles and liposomes, nanoparticles, dendrimers, nanotubes, microbubles, nano and microfibers, combined carrier systems, theranostics, directed release of active material from the carrier, the release of active material by electromagnetic radiation, the release of active material by magnetic field, the release of active material by ultrasound, the release of active material by temperature or pH change, carriers reacting to biological stimuli, carriers containing an enzyme substrate in their structure, carriers reacting to substrate in vicinity, barriers between tissues and how to overcome them, therapeutic window, therapeutic index, targeted transport of active material in the cell, ways of releasing active material in the cell.
6th-8th week:
Systems boosting wound healing: various types and states of wounds, acute, chronic and complicated wounds, infected wounds, biofilm, wound healing, homeostasis and coagulation phase, inflammation phase, immunity system, proliferative phase, extracellular matrix and hyaluronan, remodeling phase, necrotic tissue removal, larva therapy, moist healing and hyaluronan, exuding wounds‘ covers, preparations on basis of honey, preparations on basis of glucans, cover for granulating wound, liquid and solid types of wound covers, fistula, epipleural abscess, other types of wound covers, other ways of wound healing.
9th-10th week:
Regenerative medicine: tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, healing and regeneration, stem cells, from stem cell to mature cell, embryology, how stem cells recognize what to become, cell signalling, cell interactions, sources of stem cells, therapeutic cloning, induced pluripotent stem cells, mezenchymal stem cells, bone marrow transplantation.
11th-12th week:
Tissue engineering: scaffolds and cells, hydrogel based scaffolds, spongei based scaffolds, nano and microfiber based scaffolds, scaffold materials, tissue engineering and practical examples, tissue engineering of joint cartilage, materials for synovial fluid viscosupplementation.
13th week:
Biosensors and medicine: what are sensors and biosensors, basic characteristics of sensors, types of biosensors, glucose sensor, Clark oxygen electrode, biosensor separation on the basis of induced reaction principles, piezoelectrical, optical, interferometric, grid sensor, resonance mirror, SPR sensors, evanescence field, surface plasmon, TIRF sensors, sensors based on Raman diffusion, enzyme electrodes, aptamers.
Introduction to nanobiotechnology: explanation of terms nanotechnology, biotechnology, nanobiotechnology and nanomedicine. Where they complement each other, where they overlap, examples of real medical applications.
2nd-3rd week:
Biological systems: from organism to cell, cells and tissues, stem cells, cell morphology, cell cycle, cell regulation and signalling, receptors, CD 44 receptor, extracellular matrix, collagen, elastin, proteoglycans and glycoproteins, fibronectin, laminin, integrins, health risks of nanotechnologies.
4th-5th week:
Targeted distribution and directed release of biologically active materials: targeted distribution and directed release – explanation of the terms, what the first carriers brought and what we expect of the modern carriers, what an ideal carrier should be like, carriers‘ separation, micelles and liposomes, nanoparticles, dendrimers, nanotubes, microbubles, nano and microfibers, combined carrier systems, theranostics, directed release of active material from the carrier, the release of active material by electromagnetic radiation, the release of active material by magnetic field, the release of active material by ultrasound, the release of active material by temperature or pH change, carriers reacting to biological stimuli, carriers containing an enzyme substrate in their structure, carriers reacting to substrate in vicinity, barriers between tissues and how to overcome them, therapeutic window, therapeutic index, targeted transport of active material in the cell, ways of releasing active material in the cell.
6th-8th week:
Systems boosting wound healing: various types and states of wounds, acute, chronic and complicated wounds, infected wounds, biofilm, wound healing, homeostasis and coagulation phase, inflammation phase, immunity system, proliferative phase, extracellular matrix and hyaluronan, remodeling phase, necrotic tissue removal, larva therapy, moist healing and hyaluronan, exuding wounds‘ covers, preparations on basis of honey, preparations on basis of glucans, cover for granulating wound, liquid and solid types of wound covers, fistula, epipleural abscess, other types of wound covers, other ways of wound healing.
9th-10th week:
Regenerative medicine: tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, healing and regeneration, stem cells, from stem cell to mature cell, embryology, how stem cells recognize what to become, cell signalling, cell interactions, sources of stem cells, therapeutic cloning, induced pluripotent stem cells, mezenchymal stem cells, bone marrow transplantation.
11th-12th week:
Tissue engineering: scaffolds and cells, hydrogel based scaffolds, spongei based scaffolds, nano and microfiber based scaffolds, scaffold materials, tissue engineering and practical examples, tissue engineering of joint cartilage, materials for synovial fluid viscosupplementation.
13th week:
Biosensors and medicine: what are sensors and biosensors, basic characteristics of sensors, types of biosensors, glucose sensor, Clark oxygen electrode, biosensor separation on the basis of induced reaction principles, piezoelectrical, optical, interferometric, grid sensor, resonance mirror, SPR sensors, evanescence field, surface plasmon, TIRF sensors, sensors based on Raman diffusion, enzyme electrodes, aptamers.