Ateneo - UPO

The goal of this course is to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of how the mechanical stimulus applied through rehabilitative exercise in physical therapy acts as a genetic signal that influences tissue behavior.
Specifically, the course addresses topics related to (i) how the cell nucleus perceives deformation of the cytoskeleton, (ii) the healing process of tissues subjected to high mechanical loads, (iii) the bioactivity principles of clinical technologies based on mechanobiology, and (iv) future applications of such technologies.

The slides presented during lectures contain data from scientific literature and provide sufficient material for preparing for the exam.
All slides are uploaded and made available to students on the DIR platform.
The full text of any article from which the data in the slides is drawn can be obtained upon request to the professor.

The primary objective of the course is to provide the student with a robust biological and genetic rationale for the mechanical therapy applied during a patient's rehabilitation process.

Fundamentals of biology, biochemistry, anatomy, histology, physics, and mathematics.

Lectures are delivered using slides prepared by the instructor, based on research articles and literature reviews from the scientific literature.
All slides are uploaded and made available to students on the DIR platform.
The full text of all articles from which the data in the slides are drawn is available upon request to the professor.

Students with disabilities, Specific Learning Disorders (SLD), or Special Educational Needs (SEN) may request specific services and tools tailored to their needs by contacting the "Career Development and Coordination and Student Services" staff and by consulting the dedicated page on the University website: https://uniupo.it/it/servizi/servizistudentesse-e-studenti-condizione-di-disabilit%C3%A0-e-dsa. Once they have established contact with the University staff, students with disabilities, SLD, or SEN may reach out to the instructor of a given course to discuss the specific arrangements for examinations and other didactic aspects.

The exam consists of a multiple choice quiz aimed at verifying the student's knowledge and understanding of the topics covered in class.
The exam is administered via the university's digital platform Esami DIR.

In detail, the course covers the following topics:
1. The adaptation of cells and tissues to the mechanical properties of an implant, and the resulting metabolic consequences
2. Cellular response to mechanical stimuli: the relationship between the DNA-containing nucleus and the cytoskeleton during mechanical deformation
3. The influence of mechanical stimuli on key tissues subject to stress: bone, cartilage, blood vessels, muscles, tendons, and ligaments
4. Physiotherapeutic practices based on mechanobiology principles: negative pressure, shockwaves, sutures, and bone implants

The student acquires knowledge regarding the relationship between rehabilitative therapy and cellular/tissue response, stemming from the mechanisms of mechanobiology and mechanotransduction.
The student improves their application of rehabilitative therapy by understanding its biological, biochemical, and genetic foundations, with a view toward personalizing the treatment.