Bioelectromagnetics

This course provides a comprehensive treatment of the interactions between electromagnetic fields and biological cells and tissues, with a focus on electroporation.

• Physical fundamentals: electric field in the cell, induced transmembrane voltage, dielectric cell model (Schwan).
• Electroporation mechanisms: pore formation and evolution in the lipid bilayer, molecular dynamics, reversibility.
• Experimental methods: methods for detecting electroporation (dye uptake, impedance measurements, fluorescence microscopy), electroporation threshold determination.
• Pulse parameters: effects of amplitude, duration, number, and shape of pulses; classical and nanosecond pulses; high-voltage and low-frequency implementations.
• Medical applications: electrochemotherapy (ECT), irreversible tissue ablation (IRE), gene electrotransfer (GET), DNA vaccination.
• Biotechnology applications: extraction from cells and tissues, microorganism inactivation, food processing.
• Clinical aspects: clinical studies, regulation, treatment planning, combination with chemotherapeutic agents.

To gain a comprehensive understanding of electroporation, from its physical fundamentals to its clinical and biotechnology applications.

After successful completion, students will be able to:

• explain the physical mechanisms of electroporation at the cellular and tissue level
• describe the influence of pulse parameters on the outcome of electroporation
• design an experiment for investigating electroporation
• present clinical applications (ECT, IRE, GET) and their advantages
• evaluate the potential of electroporation for novel biotechnology applications