Topic: The Intersection of Materials Science and Biology: The Biomaterials Science

Speaker: Devesh Misra
　　　　　Department of Metallurgical, Materials and Biomedical Engineering
　　　　　University of Texas at El Paso, USA

Abstract

Materials science and biomedicine are arguably two of the most exciting fields in science today. Research at the border between them is inevitably the major focus. Accelerating the growth of this area requires an understanding of two very different fields. In this fusion, biomedicine has set the agenda; that materials science is following, and materials scientists are learning biology to be effective.

Historically, the fields of structural biology and physiology overlooked materials science approaches when investigating biological matter. However, studies on the physico-chemical, mechanical, optical, and magnetic properties of materials, and how they respond to changing environmental factors, provides us with splendid opportunities to improve understanding of biological processes such as tissue growth, self-repair, sensing and cell motility.
The emergence of biomaterials science is due, in part, to the advent of regenerative medicine, as this discipline needs biomaterials that interact with the body in a specific, predictable manner. In parallel, the development of new technologies means that researchers now have the tools to study, in greater detail, the structure and physical properties of biological materials, whether cells, tissue samples or complete organs. This knowledge is being used to engineer new ‘smart’ materials that can, for example, self-assemble, self-repair and/or evolve, and to investigate how these biomaterials interact with biological systems.

Placing in the forefront the aforementioned recognition, the presentation describes illustrations of research, including those involving collaboration with IMR, focusing on the multifaceted opportunity that the materials science and engineering concepts offers for new developments in biomaterials.