Graduate Training for Rationally Designed, Integrative Biomaterials - GT BioMAT

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Biomaterials significantly impact the quality of life of thousands of people as evident from their role in contact lenses to deep brain stimulators. In this competitive renewal application, we propose the continuation of a program that is anchored by excellent training faculty, outstanding, productive students, and a collaborative and nurturing environment. Over the past five years, the GTBioMAT training program has focused on integrating three important skill sets that are critical to training the future leaders in Biomaterals science and engineering: 1) the ability to synthesize and characterize new materials whose design is driven by an understanding of the underlying clinical and basic science issues; 2) the ability to functionalize and apply these materials such that they integrate appropriately into livig systems; and 3) develop leadership skills in the trainees such that they lead the next generation of Biomaterials Science and Engineering research through their innovation and research. We have attracted a strong and diverse set of trainees to the program who are making excellent progress as evident from their publications, presentations and the leadership roles they are assuming on campus. The critical strengths of our training program are: 1) An superlative group of training faculty, with an excellent diversity by research interest, expertise, age, rank, gender and race that spans multiple departments at Georgia Tech and Emory; 2) An outstanding and diverse student pool interested in Biomaterials research drawn from the best institutions across the United States; 3) A unique core course sequence designed to provide contextually-relevant, skills for the rational design and synthesis of polymeric materials; 4) Integration of clinical faclty at multiple levels of student training (from thesis committees to mentor luncheons); 5) A unique, innovative and successful graduate leadership program for trainees whose impact extends to the campus more broadly. We believe that our training program is on target to leverage the unique strengths and environment extant at Georgia Tech and Emory School of Medicine to train the next generation of Biomaterials scientists who lead and contribute with unique skills that range from synthesizing new materials to being self-aware and influencing the world in a positive manner.