Experimental methods in tissue engineering: An integrated approach to theory, design, and analysis

David L Simpson

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Conference: 2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: Baltimore , Maryland
Publication Date: June 25, 2023
Start Date: June 25, 2023
End Date: June 28, 2023
Conference Session: Experimentation and Laboratory-Oriented Studies Division (DELOS) Technical Session 5: Lab Design
Tagged Division: Experimentation and Laboratory-Oriented Studies Division (DELOS)
Tagged Topic: Diversity
Page Count: 11
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--43571
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/43571
Download Count: 132

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David L Simpson Wentworth Institute of Technology

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Dr. Simpson is the Provost Initiatives Coordinator for Inclusive Excellence and an Assistant Professor in the Biological Engineering Program. He joined Wentworth in 2018 from the University of California, Davis where he served as the Associate Director for the Veterinary Institute for Regenerative Cures and Director of the Regenerative Medicine Laboratory. At Wentworth, Dr. Simpson is working to promote inclusive excellence within the academic programs through the development of new initiatives to support students, faculty and staff. Additionally, he teaches multiple courses within the Biological Engineering Program including, Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering, Biostatistics for Bioengineers and Genetics and Transgenics. He also serves as the Chair of the Faculty Senate and on the board of directors for local non-profits engaged in diversity, equity, and inclusion outcomes. His current research centers on stem cell biotechnology and cardiac tissue engineering and has been featured in top-tier journals, including Circulation, Circulation Research and Stem Cells. Dr. Simpson received his bachelor‚Äôs degree in engineering science from the University of Virginia and a doctoral degree from the joint biomedical engineering program at Georgia Tech and Emory University.

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Abstract

Tissue engineering involves the design, construction and characterization of tissue constructs to model tissue function or to be used as a regenerative medicine therapeutic. Often, in tissue engineering laboratory courses, much emphasis is given to biomaterial synthesis, biomechanics, and biotransport with little focus on quality assessment of tissue constructs. Thus, we developed a theory, design, and analysis (TDA) framework to provide undergraduate students more practice in tissue characterization. The framework involves structuring a multi-week lab that integrates theoretical foundations, bioinstrumentation background, experimental design and data analysis. The goal of the framework is to enhance lab-based learning by providing opportunities for students to incorporate multiple levels of Blooms Taxonomy. By consolidating these opportunities into a multi-week module, we hypothesized, that students would experience more reinforcement and thus comfortability with these experimental methods. For this study, we focused on the development of a TDA module to measure apoptosis in tissue constructs using real-time, reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Before deployment of this module, students were presented with a Likert survey (5-point scale with 1 being strongly disagree and 5 being strongly agree) to gauge their comfortability with experimental techniques, experimental design, data analysis, and their ability to describe apoptotic mechanisms. Students then participated in a series of “wet” and “dry” lab exercises to promote TDA competency in tissue characterization by real-time RT-PCR. Afterwards, students completed a post-lab Likert survey to assess outcomes. Based on our analysis, students expressed enhanced comfortability in performing real-time RT-PCR (2.9 vs. 4.1, p < 0.01), analyzing gene-expression data (3.1 vs. 3.9, p < 0.05) and explaining the mechanisms of apoptosis (3.3 vs. 4.1, p < 0.01) after completing the TDA module. Given these results, we have expanded the use of TDA modules in this course to promote comfortability with other experimental methods used in tissue engineering including flow cytometry and rheometery.

Citation
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Simpson, D. L. (2023, June), Experimental methods in tissue engineering: An integrated approach to theory, design, and analysis Paper presented at 2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Baltimore , Maryland. 10.18260/1-2--43571

TY - CPAPER
AB - Tissue engineering involves the design, construction and characterization of tissue constructs to model tissue function or to be used as a regenerative medicine therapeutic. Often, in tissue engineering laboratory courses, much emphasis is given to biomaterial synthesis, biomechanics, and biotransport with little focus on quality assessment of tissue constructs. Thus, we developed a theory, design, and analysis (TDA) framework to provide undergraduate students more practice in tissue characterization. The framework involves structuring a multi-week lab that integrates theoretical foundations, bioinstrumentation background, experimental design and data analysis. The goal of the framework is to enhance lab-based learning by providing opportunities for students to incorporate multiple levels of Blooms Taxonomy. By consolidating these opportunities into a multi-week module, we hypothesized, that students would experience more reinforcement and thus comfortability with these experimental methods. For this study, we focused on the development of a TDA module to measure apoptosis in tissue constructs using real-time, reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Before deployment of this module, students were presented with a Likert survey (5-point scale with 1 being strongly disagree and 5 being strongly agree) to gauge their comfortability with experimental techniques, experimental design, data analysis, and their ability to describe apoptotic mechanisms. Students then participated in a series of “wet” and “dry” lab exercises to promote TDA competency in tissue characterization by real-time RT-PCR. Afterwards, students completed a post-lab Likert survey to assess outcomes. Based on our analysis, students expressed enhanced comfortability in performing real-time RT-PCR (2.9 vs. 4.1, p &amp;lt; 0.01), analyzing gene-expression data (3.1 vs. 3.9, p &amp;lt; 0.05) and explaining the mechanisms of apoptosis (3.3 vs. 4.1, p &amp;lt; 0.01) after completing the TDA module. Given these results, we have expanded the use of TDA modules in this course to promote comfortability with other experimental methods used in tissue engineering including flow cytometry and rheometery.
AU - David L Simpson
CY - Baltimore , Maryland
DA - 2023/06/25
PB - ASEE Conferences
TI - Experimental methods in tissue engineering: An integrated approach to theory, design, and analysis
UR - https://peer.asee.org/43571
DO - 10.18260/1-2--43571
ER -