It is designed to draw on our mutual expertise to develop, fabricate and test biomaterials targeted for clinical application. The diagram below shows how our collaborative strengths can facilitate these goals. Engineering provides capabilities in modeling, sensing, mechanical property evaluation, corrosion, micro- and bulk fabrication. Mathematical and Physical Sciences provides new analytical techniques and a focus on specific chemical factors. Funding agencies have begun to recognize that such research can no longer move ahead in an insular manner.
Current challenges demand combined expertise in materials, biology and medicine.
An additional driving force is that biomaterials as a field of study is rapidly evolving. Microfabrication and genetic engineering provide us with new tools and approaches that were only dreamed of just a few years ago. These advances will trigger exponential growth in our understanding of biomaterial-tissue interactions and in their final clinical application. A kick-off meeting will be held on Nov. 24 th at 3 p.m. in Room 14 University Hall. Special efforts will be made to attract biomedical industry to this meeting to promote external collaborative efforts.