Program Overview

Program Overview

The university program focuses on Tissue Engineering & Regenerative Medicine in the Nervous System. The program is scheduled to take place from December 2-6, 2019.

Module A: Tissue Engineering & Regenerative Medicine in the Nervous System

Module A is a comprehensive program that covers various aspects of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine in the nervous system. The program is divided into five days, with each day focusing on a specific topic.

Day 1: Overview of Neural Tissue Engineering & Regenerative Medicine

• Date: December 2, 2019 (Monday)
• Lecture 1: 9:30 to 10:30 AM - Introduction to tissue engineering and regenerative medicine concepts and strategies in treating nervous system disorders
• Lecture 2: 10:45 to 11:45 AM - Exploration of emerging strategies, technologies, and trends in nervous system repair, reconstruction, and functional restoration
• Tutorial 1: 2:00 to 4:00 PM
• Assignment: Hand out the first assignment

Day 2: Biomaterials & Acellular Scaffolds in Neural Tissue Engineering

• Date: December 3, 2019 (Tuesday)
• Lecture 3: 9:30 to 10:30 AM - Principles of material selection, chemistry, and fabrication procedures; generation of polymer-based scaffolds for neural tissue engineering applications
• Lecture 4: 10:45 to 11:45 AM - Applications of acellular scaffolds in tissue engineering and regeneration, including controlled drug delivery, modulation of inflammation, degradation/remodeling, and cell recruitment

Day 3: Cell Replacement Strategies & Cell-Based Scaffolds in Tissue Engineering

• Date: December 4, 2019 (Wednesday)
• Lecture 5: 9:30 to 10:30 AM - Principles of cell replacement and cell engineering, including source (stem cells, primary/secondary, cell lines), immunological (autologous, allogeneic, xenogeneic), and reprogramming (genetic manipulation)
• Lecture 6: 10:45 to 11:45 AM - Techniques to create 3D cell-based constructs and anatomically-inspired "living scaffolds", including matrix/polymer encapsulation, mechanical "stretch-growth" of axonal tracts, encasement schemes for neuronal/glial network self-assembly, 3D bio-printing techniques, and bioreactor designs

Day 4: Tissue Engineering Applications for Peripheral Nerve Repair

• Date: December 5, 2019 (Thursday)
• Lecture 7: 9:30 to 10:30 AM - Introduction to peripheral nervous system (PNS) injury, including causation, incidence, pathophysiology, and endogenous regenerative capacity; discussion of current clinical repair strategies, unmet needs, and preclinical modeling considerations
• Lecture 8: 10:45 to 11:45 AM - Future clinical potential and repair mechanisms of tissue engineering strategies to facilitate nerve regeneration and augment functional recovery following major PNS trauma; focus on tissue engineered "living scaffolds" to drive long-distance axonal regeneration

Day 5: Tissue Engineering Applications for Central Nervous System Repair

• Date: December 6, 2019 (Friday)
• Lecture 9: 9:30 to 10:30 AM - Introduction to central nervous system (CNS) injury and neurodegeneration, including causes, incidence, and pathophysiology; discussion of current clinical management strategies, unmet needs, and preclinical modeling considerations
• Lecture 10: 10:45 to 11:45 AM - Future clinical potential and repair mechanisms of tissue engineering strategies to facilitate regeneration following CNS trauma or neurodegenerative disease; focus on "living scaffolds" to direct endogenous stem cell migration and micro-tissue engineered neural networks to reconstruct lost brain circuitry
• Assignment: Submission of the first assignment
• Summary of Module A and feedback