The course provides fundamentals of biomechanical engineering applying a multiscale/multiphysics vision, from molecules to organs and beyond. It offers a concise physical description of the organization of the cell and multi-cellular organisms and provides examples of the applications of biomolecular modeling at all levels of organization. Practical cases will be the objective of specific hands-on tutorials. The student will gain competencies in the areas of biophysics and biomechanics characterizing subcellular, cellular and tissue-level biological systems. At the end of the course the student will be able to: understand and characterize the biomechanics of subcellular structures such as proteins, protein aggregates, membranes, polymers filament networks; understand and characterize the physical, chemical and mechanical behavior of cells, tissues and organs in physiological and pathological conditions. The course will also provide information on the mechanisms responsible for emerging properties of living systems, such as biological information processing and consciousness and others. This course will help students to develop their independent thinking through self-assessment tests. The course will help to improve both written and oral communication skills through classroom exercises, group and individual tutorials. The ability to learn is stimulated by a training program that alternates, in an organized schedule, methodological principles, application examples, and exercises.

Basic knowledge of the basics of engineering with particular attention to physics, mathematics, chemistry, biology, mechanics, materials science. The lecturer will fill specific background gaps by ad hoc lectures if needed.

The course will cover the following basic topics: • Introduction to living systems and Key Life Processes • Biophysics and Biomechanics of subcellular structures o Mechanics of Biopolymers o Mechanics of Membranes o Molecular and Biological Motors and Machines • Biophysics and Biomechanics of the whole Cell o Structure, Mechanics and Dynamics of Biological Cells o Cell motility: cilia and flagella, beats and strokes. o Cell communication, cell intelligence • Tissue and Organ Biophysics and Biomechanics o Energy Management in the human body Specific seminars will address some of the following topics from biological and clinical description to engineering modelling o Multiscale features of the nervous system o Models of the immune system o The biophysics of vision o The biomechanics of sound perception • Beyond Organs o The emerging physics of consciousness

Lectures, classroom exercises

The teacher will provide all the course material (slides and lecture notes). Suggested textbooks: • Tuszynski, J.A., 2008. Molecular and cellular biophysics. Chapman & Hall/CRC. • Boal, D., 2001. Mechanics of the Cell. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. doi:10.1017/CBO9780511810954

Exam: Written test;

The exam consists of a written test made of multiple choice and open questions. Each question will have a score from 1 to 4 points depending on the question type (open, closed) and complexity. The total max is 35 or re-weighted to 35 in case the sum of question scores is higher than 35 . A grade over 32 is 30L.

In addition to the message sent by the online system, students with disabilities or Specific Learning Disorders (SLD) are invited to directly inform the professor in charge of the course about the special arrangements for the exam that have been agreed with the Special Needs Unit. The professor has to be informed at least one week before the beginning of the examination session in order to provide students with the most suitable arrangements for each specific type of exam.