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Raman R. Biofabrication of Living Actuators. Annu Rev Biomed Eng 2024; 26:223-245. [PMID: 38959387 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-bioeng-110122-013805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/05/2024]
Abstract
The impact of tissue engineering has extended beyond a traditional focus in medicine to the rapidly growing realm of biohybrid robotics. Leveraging living actuators as functional components in machines has been a central focus of this field, generating a range of compelling demonstrations of robots capable of muscle-powered swimming, walking, pumping, gripping, and even computation. In this review, we highlight key advances in fabricating tissue-scale cardiac and skeletal muscle actuators for a range of functional applications. We discuss areas for future growth including scalable manufacturing, integrated feedback control, and predictive modeling and also propose methods for ensuring inclusive and bioethics-focused pedagogy in this emerging discipline. We hope this review motivates the next generation of biomedical engineers to advance rational design and practical use of living machines for applications ranging from telesurgery to manufacturing to on- and off-world exploration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ritu Raman
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA;
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2
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Jia MS, Rao RR, Elsaadany M. Early introduction of 3D modeling modules promotes the development of simulation skills in downstream biomedical engineering curricula. J Biol Eng 2023; 17:26. [PMID: 36998089 PMCID: PMC10064548 DOI: 10.1186/s13036-023-00339-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 04/01/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recent advancements in additive manufacturing have made 3D design a desirable skill in combating the historically slow development of biomedical products. Due to the broad applicability of additive manufacturing to biomedical engineering, 3D design and 3D printing are attractive educational tools for biomedical engineering students. However, due to the multidisciplinary nature of biomedical engineering, finding a suitable spot in the curriculum to teach students basic and application-based skills for 3D manufacturing is difficult. Furthermore, prior training in fundamental 3D design skills may be needed to support the use of application-based supplementary content. RESULTS We designed a SolidWorks Simulations toolkit to complement a sophomore (2nd-year)-level Biomechanics course and distributed this assignment to students with and without prior training in 3D design delivered in an introductory biomedical engineering course. Using short videos, example-based problem solving, and step-by-step tutorials, students completed this as an extra-credit assignment and completed a survey gauging student opinion on SolidWorks and 3D design, confidence in each target skill, and the effectiveness of assignment delivery. The compilation of survey responses suggests that the assignment effectively increased positive responses in student opinion on interest in and likeliness to use SolidWorks in both groups. However, confidence in the target assignment skills was higher in the trained group and fewer problems occurred in operating SolidWorks for trained students. Further, analyzing the distribution of student grades with respect to survey responses suggests that responses had no relationship with initial class grade. CONCLUSION These data collectively indicate that prior training provided to the students had a positive impact on the effectiveness of the assignment although increases in student opinion on the utility of 3D design were observed in both trained and untrained students. Our work has generated and identified a useful educational supplement to enrich existing biomedical engineering course materials with practical skills.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary S Jia
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, USA
| | - Raj R Rao
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, USA
| | - Mostafa Elsaadany
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, USA.
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3
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Mishra C, Novak L, Riley C, Okekeogbu I, Smith G, Brace E, Kerstiens E, Clase K. Continuous improvement of a bioengineering CURE: Preparing students for a changing world. BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY EDUCATION : A BIMONTHLY PUBLICATION OF THE INTERNATIONAL UNION OF BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2022; 50:510-518. [PMID: 35929640 PMCID: PMC9804359 DOI: 10.1002/bmb.21656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2021] [Revised: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 07/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Based on recent education reform guidelines to prepare professionals who are able to handle new technological, economic, social, and environmental challenges, pedagogical modifications are deemed necessary by the educators. Specifically, in biology, the rapid changes in the content and biological products demand changes in the curriculum. We aim to address this current need by providing an example of a course that was redesigned to meet the current trends of biological engineering education. In this course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE), learning objectives and possible outcomes were developed and assessment mapping was performed to align the course objectives with the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) recommendations. A description of how one can assess authentic inquiry courses while adhering to the recommendations are discussed. For example, in this particular course, students completed weekly reflection assignments, maintained lab notebooks that were graded every week, presented their research to their peers at the end of the semester, and submitted a final paper to be graded. "Holistic" engineering is crucial for the all-around development of a 21st century engineer. Altering the traditional lecturing with more hands-on learning is crucial for the development of professional and communication skills of students. Such alterations could lead to the production of well-rounded life-long learners to serve the upcoming world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chandrani Mishra
- Department of Agricultural and Biological EngineeringPurdue UniversityWest LafayetteIndianaUSA
| | - Lauren Novak
- Biological EngineeringPurdue University SystemWest LafayetteIndianaUSA
| | - Coleen Riley
- Department of Agricultural and Biological EngineeringPurdue UniversityWest LafayetteIndianaUSA
| | - Ikenna Okekeogbu
- Department of Agricultural and Biological EngineeringPurdue UniversityWest LafayetteIndianaUSA
| | - Gillian Smith
- Department of Agricultural and Biological EngineeringPurdue UniversityWest LafayetteIndianaUSA
| | - Emma Brace
- Department of Agricultural and Biological EngineeringPurdue UniversityWest LafayetteIndianaUSA
| | - Emily Kerstiens
- Department of Agricultural and Biological EngineeringPurdue UniversityWest LafayetteIndianaUSA
| | - Kari Clase
- Department of Agricultural and Biological EngineeringPurdue UniversityWest LafayetteIndianaUSA
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Aydin O, Passaro AP, Raman R, Spellicy SE, Weinberg RP, Kamm RD, Sample M, Truskey GA, Zartman J, Dar RD, Palacios S, Wang J, Tordoff J, Montserrat N, Bashir R, Saif MTA, Weiss R. Principles for the design of multicellular engineered living systems. APL Bioeng 2022; 6:010903. [PMID: 35274072 PMCID: PMC8893975 DOI: 10.1063/5.0076635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 02/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Remarkable progress in bioengineering over the past two decades has enabled the formulation of fundamental design principles for a variety of medical and non-medical applications. These advancements have laid the foundation for building multicellular engineered living systems (M-CELS) from biological parts, forming functional modules integrated into living machines. These cognizant design principles for living systems encompass novel genetic circuit manipulation, self-assembly, cell-cell/matrix communication, and artificial tissues/organs enabled through systems biology, bioinformatics, computational biology, genetic engineering, and microfluidics. Here, we introduce design principles and a blueprint for forward production of robust and standardized M-CELS, which may undergo variable reiterations through the classic design-build-test-debug cycle. This Review provides practical and theoretical frameworks to forward-design, control, and optimize novel M-CELS. Potential applications include biopharmaceuticals, bioreactor factories, biofuels, environmental bioremediation, cellular computing, biohybrid digital technology, and experimental investigations into mechanisms of multicellular organisms normally hidden inside the "black box" of living cells.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Austin P. Passaro
- Regenerative Bioscience Center, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, USA
| | - Ritu Raman
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA
| | | | - Robert P. Weinberg
- School of Pharmacy, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
| | | | - Matthew Sample
- Center for Ethics and Law in the Life Sciences, Leibniz Universität Hannover, 30167 Hannover, Germany
| | - George A. Truskey
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA
| | - Jeremiah Zartman
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, USA
| | - Roy D. Dar
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA
| | - Sebastian Palacios
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02139, USA
| | - Jason Wang
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA
| | - Jesse Tordoff
- Computational and Systems Biology Program, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA
| | - Nuria Montserrat
- Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - M. Taher A. Saif
- Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA
| | - Ron Weiss
- Author to whom correspondence should be addressed:
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Raman R, Langer R. Biohybrid Design Gets Personal: New Materials for Patient-Specific Therapy. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2020; 32:e1901969. [PMID: 31271257 PMCID: PMC6942246 DOI: 10.1002/adma.201901969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2019] [Revised: 05/15/2019] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Precision medicine requires materials and devices that can sense and adapt to dynamic physiological and pathological conditions. This motivates the design and manufacture of biohybrid materials that mimic the responsive behaviors demonstrated by natural biological systems. Two parallel approaches to biohybrid design are presented-biomimetics and biointegration. Biohybrid hydrogels that mimic the form and function of natural materials, or that integrate living cells or bioactive moieties, can respond to a range of environmental stimuli in parallel, including heat, light, pH, hydration, enzymes, and electric, mechanical, and magnetic forces. A range of examples that illustrate the tremendous potential of this nascent discipline are presented, and ongoing technical challenges related to manufacturing, storage, transport, and external noninvasive control of these materials that will need to be overcome in the coming years are outlined. The ethical, educational, and regulatory challenges that will govern translation of biohybrid design into medical applications are also discussed. Personalized medical therapies that target the precise needs of patients are a critically needed and expanding market. Biohybrid design offers the unique ability to manufacture materials and devices that match the dynamic and patient-specific in vivo environment, promising to generate more effective and safe therapies that enable personalized care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ritu Raman
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 500 Main St., Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | - Robert Langer
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 500 Main St., Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
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Singh A, Ferry D, Balasubramanian S. Efficacy of Clinical Simulation-Based Training in Biomedical Engineering Education. J Biomech Eng 2019; 141:121011. [PMID: 31660578 PMCID: PMC7104742 DOI: 10.1115/1.4045343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2019] [Revised: 10/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The need for biomedical engineering (BME) students to be trained in real-world healthcare settings, where most medical device industry emerges, is imperative. Clinical immersion helps accomplish this training goal. However, the growing student population in the field of BME and a shortage of clinical collaborators offer serious limitations to the clinical immersion experience. This paper describes the use of a clinical simulation-based training (SBT) tool in BME education as an alternative resource to the real-world clinical immersion experience. Through the inclusion of simulation labs in BME courses, we assessed their efficacy in need-finding and enhancing students' understanding of the current challenges of existing medical technology. We also explored the possibility of offering cross-disciplinary learning environments in these simulation labs, including engineers and students from other healthcare disciplines such as nursing. Simulation labs served as a helpful tool in the need-finding phase of the design process, and the immersed students reported higher adaptive and life-long learning outcomes. Students also reported the simulation lab immersion to be valuable to their future goals as engineers. Furthermore, the SBT labs offered repetitive training in a controlled learning environment, inclusion of an interdisciplinary setting, and feedback through student reflections. The inclusion of simulation lab immersion and SBT labs in the two BME courses served as an useful and alternative educational tool that helped train students to better understand the needs of the healthcare industry while working in interdisciplinary settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anita Singh
- Biomedical Engineering,School of Engineering,Widener University,
Chester, PA 19013 e-mail:
| | - Dawn Ferry
- School of Nursing,Widener University,
Chester, PA 19013
| | - Sriram Balasubramanian
- School of Biomedical Engineering Sciences and Health Systems,Drexel University,
Philadelphia, PA 19104
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Grant L, Raman R, Cvetkovic C, Ferrall-Fairbanks MC, Pagan-Diaz GJ, Hadley P, Ko E, Platt MO, Bashir R. Long-Term Cryopreservation and Revival of Tissue-Engineered Skeletal Muscle. Tissue Eng Part A 2019; 25:1023-1036. [PMID: 30412045 PMCID: PMC6916121 DOI: 10.1089/ten.tea.2018.0202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2018] [Accepted: 11/06/2018] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPACT STATEMENT The ability to freeze, revive, and prolong the lifetime of tissue-engineered skeletal muscle without incurring any loss of function represents a significant advancement in the field of tissue engineering. Cryopreservation enables the efficient fabrication, storage, and shipment of these tissues. This in turn facilitates multidisciplinary collaboration between research groups, enabling advances in skeletal muscle regenerative medicine, organ-on-a-chip models of disease, drug testing, and soft robotics. Furthermore, the observation that freezing undifferentiated skeletal muscle enhances functional performance may motivate future studies developing stronger and more clinically relevant engineered muscle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren Grant
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois
- Micro and Nanotechnology Laboratory, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois
| | - Ritu Raman
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Caroline Cvetkovic
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois
- Micro and Nanotechnology Laboratory, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois
| | - Meghan C. Ferrall-Fairbanks
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Gelson J. Pagan-Diaz
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois
- Micro and Nanotechnology Laboratory, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois
| | - Pierce Hadley
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois
| | - Eunkyung Ko
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois
- Micro and Nanotechnology Laboratory, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois
| | - Manu O. Platt
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Rashid Bashir
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois
- Micro and Nanotechnology Laboratory, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois
- Carle Illinois College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois
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Affiliation(s)
- Ritu Raman
- The Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
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Raman R, Bashir R. Biomimicry, Biofabrication, and Biohybrid Systems: The Emergence and Evolution of Biological Design. Adv Healthc Mater 2017; 6. [PMID: 28881469 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.201700496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2017] [Revised: 07/26/2017] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
The discipline of biological design has a relatively short history, but has undergone very rapid expansion and development over that time. This Progress Report outlines the evolution of this field from biomimicry to biofabrication to biohybrid systems' design, showcasing how each subfield incorporates bioinspired dynamic adaptation into engineered systems. Ethical implications of biological design are discussed, with an emphasis on establishing responsible practices for engineering non-natural or hypernatural functional behaviors in biohybrid systems. This report concludes with recommendations for implementing biological design into educational curricula, ensuring effective and responsible practices for the next generation of engineers and scientists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ritu Raman
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge MA 02142 USA
| | - Rashid Bashir
- Department of Bioengineering Carle Illinois College of Medicine Micro and Nanotechnology Laboratory University of Illinois at Urbana‐Champaign Urbana IL 61801 USA
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