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Soft Tissue and Cellular Biomechanics (BMEN90029)
Graduate courseworkPoints: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)
About this subject
Contact information
Semester 1
Vijay Rajagopal
Overview
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AIMS
This subject introduces students to the analysis of soft tissue and cellular biomechanics.
The human body is mostly composed of soft tissues. These tissues and their cells respond to or generate mechanical forces to sustain human health. For example:
- Heart muscle cells generate forces to pump blood.
- The stomach generates pulsatile forces that help food digestion.
- Cancer cells move and spread through the body by generating mechanical forces.
Soft tissue mechanical properties change in cardiovascular disease, gastrointestinal dysfunction and cancer. Therefore, studying the biomechanics of soft tissues and cells is essential to health and disease management.
Soft tissues experience forces drastically differently to bones and engineering materials due to their soft nature. Standard engineering analysis methods that are adopted for bone biomechanics are not useful. This subject will introduce students to the right theoretical and experimental mechanical analysis framework to study soft tissue and cellular biomechanics. Students will learn the computational methods underlying finite element modeling, which is needed to perform accurate biomechanical analyses of soft tissues and cells.
By the end of this subject, students will be proficient in advanced biomechanics concepts, which are essential to study soft tissues and cells. The subject will routinely expose students to applications of the subject concepts through case studies in cardiovascular biomechanics, cancer and tissue engineering. Guest lectures will be provided by industry, clinical and research experts who work in or apply principles of soft tissue and cellular biomechanics.
INDICATIVE CONTENT
- Cell and tissue biomechanics
- Finite element modeling
- Mechanical characterisation of soft tissue and biomaterials
- Applications of biomechanics in industry and healthcare.
Intended learning outcomes
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
On successful completion of this subject, students should be able to:
- Analyse soft tissue and cell behaviour using advanced biomechanics concepts.
- Construct finite element models to predict mechanics of soft-tissues and cells.
- Describe the mechanical behaviour of cells and tissues using advanced stress-strain constitutive models.
- Apply knowledge and methods of soft tissue and cellular biomechanics in a variety of applications, including clinical imaging, and tissue engineering.
- Demonstrate skills in communicating results from biomechanical engineering projects and research in written form.
Generic skills
On completion of this subject, students should have developed the following skills:
- The ability to undertake problem identification, formulation and solution
- Capacity for independent critical thought, rational inquiry and self-directed learning
- Profound respect for truth and intellectual integrity, and for the ethics of scholarship
- An ability to apply knowledge of basic science and engineering fundamentals
Last updated: 8 November 2024