João Paulo Borges

Biomaterials, i.e. materials for medical applications, can be natural or of synthetic origin but in all cases are designed to interact with the human body. The Biomaterials course will be structured in two parts. In part one, we will analyze the structure and behavior of synthetic materials used as implants to treat injuries and diseases: metals, polymers, ceramics and glasses, composite materials (here we include cellular materials). Part two will focus on the structure and properties of natural biological tissues, including hard and soft tissues and tissue inflammatory response. In this part of the course we will examine the interface between biological and synthetic materials, critical in establishing and maintaining biocompatibility.