Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine
Program Description
The Graduate Certificate in Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine offers a holistic and comprehensive approach to the field, equipping students with essential skills and knowledge for success in this evolving industry. Participants will learn about the latest advancements, including tissue engineering, gene editing, drug discovery, and synthetic biology, and how to transform innovative ideas into practical applications. The program covers new scientific techniques and cutting-edge methods for repairing, replacing, or regenerating damaged human cells, tissues, or organs by harnessing the body's natural healing capabilities, such as stem cells, bioengineering, gene editing, and biomaterials.
Who would be suited to take this program?
* Professionals and researchers in the biomedical community that are seeking practical knowledge to integrate principles of stem cell and tissue engineering into their portfolio of medical devices or diagnostic tools.
* Regenerative Medicine, life science, and pharmacologic leaders and executives who aim to deepen their understanding of the field, which uses new therapies to mitigate pain, enhance tissue healing, or predict early success of novel pharmacologics.
* Quality/validation engineers, regulators, and/or policymakers that are involved in adopting (or regulating) replacements or regenerating human cells, tissue, or organs, to restore or establish normal function.
What will I learn?
Principles of Tissue Engineering - This course focuses on Tissue Engineering, a therapeutic approach to treating damaged or diseased tissues in the biotechnology industry. In essence, new and functional living tissue can be fabricated using living cells combined with a scaffolding material to guide tissue development. Such scaffolds can be synthetic, natural, or a combination of both. This course will cover the advances in the fields of cell biology, molecular biology, and materials science towards developing novel "tissue engineered" materials.
Research Skills in Stem Cell - This course focuses on stem cells, an emergent new therapeutic which offer great opportunities for regenerative medicine, biotechnology and the pharmaceutical industry. This course is intended for graduate students interested in stem cell bioengineering and tissue engineering. The course will cover stem cell biology and biomedical engineering applications for cell-based regeneration therapies. It will discuss techniques for engineering of stem cells and the current literature in this rapidly evolving field.
Cellular Mechanobiology - This course focuses on Mechanobiology, an emerging interdisciplinary field that focuses on the role of mechanical cues in governing cellular behavior. This course will address the means by which a cell utilizes its adhesions to neighboring cells and to the surrounding extracellular matrix to sense external forces and furthermore, how these forces are transduced within the cell to alter cellular behavior and regulate tissue architecture. This course will also discuss how the extracellular matrix influences cellular behavior during development, health, and disease. Furthermore, this course will also discuss the various tools and techniques developed that pushed the field of mechanobiology forward.
Biointerfaces and Drug Delivery - This course focuses on the interfacial dynamics of micro- and nanoparticle based drug delivery systems. There are 3 major areas of focus. First, we will explore the intermolecular and surface forces experienced by particles that affect their stability and efficacy in a physiological environment, and key techniques to characterize such forces. Second, we will discuss the design, bioconjugation, and targeting of particles used in drug delivery, including, liposomes, polymersomes, and protein and lipid nanoparticles. Third, we will examine challenges and opportunities presented by the protein corona and biological barriers that particles face while reaching their target, and how it could affect eventual translation into the clinic.
Foundations of Materials Science and Engineering - This course focuses on the effect of structure on the properties and behavior of engineering materials. Topics include atomic structure, bonding, crystallography, and defects in solids; properties of metals, semiconductors, ceramics, and polymers and their behavioral response to mechanical, chemical, optical, electrical, and magnetic stimuli.
Why study Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine at NJIT?
The tissue engineering and regenerative medicine market is projected to reach $56 billion by 2032, growing at an annual rate of 14%. At the same time, industry reports highlight ongoing skills gaps in areas such as stem cell biology, translational research, biomaterials, and regulatory science, with employers struggling to find professionals who combine scientific knowledge with engineering expertise. NJIT’s Graduate Certificate in Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine addresses this need by providing a broad, interdisciplinary curriculum that integrates stem cell biology, biomaterials, mechanobiology, drug delivery, and translational problem solving in a concise 12‑credit format. Through a combination of scientific depth, engineering principles, and applied project-based learning, the program prepares graduates for careers in both research and industry, filling a critical workforce gap in regenerative medicine. Certificate credits can also be applied toward an MS in Biomedical Engineering for students seeking further study.
What are the Career Opportunities?
Career Opportunities
* Tissue Engineer (product design, management, validation, and regulatory compliance)
* Engineer (systems, production, quality, manufacturing, R&D, management)
* Stem Cell Scientist
* Genetic Engineer in Healthcare Innovation
* Health Informatics Specialist
* Clinical Research Associate in the biotechnology sector
* Quality/Regulatory Engineer in medical device companies
In addition, holders of this graduate certificate may find employment in the following industries: healthcare, health sciences, biomedical engineering, medical device industry, pharmaceutical industry, FDA, USPTO, and other life science related industries
Prerequisites
An undergraduate degree in engineering, with an undergraduate cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale is required. Applicants with a science degree and relevant industrial experience may be considered for conditional admission.
The Graduate Certificate in Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine can be applied towards an MS in Biomedical Engineering. Students with an undergraduate degree in Biomedical Engineering may transfer all certificate courses with a minimum grade of B to the MS program. Students from other disciplines may apply up to two certificate courses towards the MS in Biomedical Engineering.
What are the Required Courses?
The Graduate Certificate in Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine can be completed by taking four courses (12 credits). The requirements must be satisfied as indicated in the following Course List.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Core Courses | ||
| Select four of the following: | ||
| Principles of Tissue Engineering | ||
| Research Skills in Stem Cell | ||
| Cellular Mechanobiology | ||
| Selected Topics | ||
| Found of Materials Sci & Engr | ||
