Biomedical Engineering at the Centre for Preclinical

Research and Technology

Contemporary medicine is challenged to seek methods for delaying and alleviating undesirable and pathological disturbances of the aging processes, which translates into researching structural and functional properties of proteins and developing possible pharmacological therapies.

Conclusions

The Centre for Preclinical Research and Technology (CePT) in Warsaw is a scientific investment project undertaken by consortium of Medical University of Warsaw (WUM) being the coordinator, University of Warsaw (UW), Warsaw University of Technology (WUT) and seven research institutes with support of European Commission.

T. Pałko, N. Golnik and K.Pęczalski Warsaw University of Technology/Institute of Metrology and Biomedical Engineering, Warsaw, Poland

Introduction

Centre for Preclinical Research and Technology

Research in the CePT contains three areas:

1. Fundamental research on pathogenesis of the most important diseases associated with the progress of civilization (new technnologies of the scientific investigation: cardiovascular disease, neurodegeneration, cancer).2. New diagnostic methods (analysis of signals, imaging and

modelling of cell, tissue and organ properties). 3. New therapeutic methods (nanobiomaterials, pharmacological and instrumental methods and tissue engineering).

Laboratories for biomedical engineering in the CePT

The Warsaw University of Technology (coordinator prof. Tadeusz Pałko) is responsible for biomedical engineering and technological problems in the CePT. Eight Faculties of WUT based on five scientific fields (chemical, electrical, material engineering, mechatronics and material engineering take part in development of biomedical engineering. The problem is realized in two centers: Centre for Biomedical Technology and Medical Physics (BIOFIM) and Centre for Bionanomaterials.

BIOFIM Centre is located at WUT and consists of 10 laboratories:1. Biomaterials Design and Production Techniques, 2. Artificial Locomotion Organs, 3. Biomechanics and Rehabilitation Engineering, 4. Artificial Organs and Modelling of Metabolic Processes, 5. Computer-Aided Medical Diagnostics, 6. Hybrid Modelling of the Circulatory and Respiratory Systems, 7. Sensors, Ultrasonic Methods and Weak Biological Signals, 8. Miniature Analytical Systems, 9. Electronics, Medical Informatics and Bioinformatics, 10. Radiological Equipment, Dosimetry and Nanodosimetry.

Centre for Bionanomaterials consists of 3 laboratories: 1. Production and Characterization of Biomaterials, organized by Faculty of Material Science and Engineering of WUT, 2. Laboratory of Modelling and Imaging in Biomechanics located in the Institute of Fundamental Technological Research Polish Academy of Sciences (PAS),3. Laboratory of the Nanostructures for Photonics and Medicine located in the Institute of High Pressure Physics PAS.

Both centres form a unique complex of core laboratories facilitating effective cooperation of research teams in medical engineering and physics and their close cooperation with leading medical clinics. The centres are equipped with research instrumentation on an European scale.

It can be expected that in the near future, CePT will become a modern platform for medicine oriented research. Results of technological research will be applied in preclinical studies of instrumental methods for:- early detection of structural or functional changes on cell and organ level, - treatment;- support of organ functions.CEPT is also market oriented.

Acknowledgment Project is supported by European Union and National Centre for Research and Development of Poland (WND-POIG. 02.02.00–14–024/08)

The general view of the laboratory of Hybrid Modelling of the Circulatory and Respiratory Systems