The demand for exact engineering within the life sciences is ever-growing and the Linköping program Engineering Biology (270 ECTS credits) thus prepares for a career as an engineer at the interface between engineering, biology, chemistry, mathematics, physics, and medicine. Solid engineering skills are indeed a prerequisite. The CDIO standards were accordingly implemented in 2005 with an introductory project course in which students i) learn to work according to the easy to use interactive project model LIPS, ii) enhance their oral and written communication skills, iii) get a deepened insight in the career role of an engineering biologist, and, iv) apply the project model when dealing with an assigned interdisciplinary task in groups of 5-7 students. The latter is the main part of the course, and we designed one task named The Morphology and Cytoskeleton of Cells, located to a preclinical setting at the Linköping University Hospital. A senior teacher performs the role of a customer in need of an enhanced method for visualization of certain subcellular structures in cells from patients, and the student group acts as a contractor delivering this product, i.e. a method, that meet 25 carefully specified demands. The novel method should be successfully tested on patient samples before final delivery. Students are given access to a biomedical laboratory and facilities, and have a high quality fluorescence microscope at their disposal. A junior teacher (Ph.D. student) acts as a supervisor for the student group. All students are given specific roles ranging from project leader to various system responsibilities, including documentation. The Customer communicates directly with the project leader and reviews documents, deliverables and milestones/tollgates. Since students are still regarded as laymen, they also have the possibility to limited consultation with two senior teachers experienced in the methodological area. The student group also interacts with two fictitious subcontractors, i.e. The Clinic that delivers samples, and The Chemicals Company (equaling one of the major actors in the real world) that delivers a full range of chemicals required. Successful delivery demands an extensive literature review in biology and optics/imaging, good laboratory practice, study design, data handling, optimizing of imaging software, as well as ethical considerations. Other concerns are safety issues and economy. The pioneer course was appreciated by the students, and required intensive teacher commitment.
2nd International CDIO Conference, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden, 13 – 14 June 2006