Center: IUCRC Phase III University of Arkansas: Center for Membrane Applications, Science and Technology (MAST)

膜用于各种行业，如药品制造，食品和饮料生产，饮用水和废水处理以及从废物流中回收有价值的化学物质。膜应用科学与技术中心（MAST）正在与这些领域和其他领域的膜制造商和用户合作，促进科学知识和开发促进人类健康，繁荣和福祉的新产品。通过与来自各行各业的科学家以及来自四个机构的大学研究人员建立多学科项目团队，MAST中心正在解决现实世界中具有挑战性的技术问题，这些问题在医疗保健和环境可持续性领域具有重大的社会影响。在阿肯色大学（University of Arkansas）， MAST中心正在与工业界合作，开发有效的流程，以纯化病毒和病毒样颗粒，用于疫苗和基因治疗产品。此外，MAST中心正在与当地少数民族社区学院和学校合作，培训熟练的劳动力，以支持发展中的当地生物技术产业并促进多样性。膜应用科学与技术中心（MAST）在六个领域开展与工业相关的研究：(1)新膜的开发和表征；(2)绿色膜制造方法的开发；(3)水处理膜工艺的发展；(4)生物制药工业的产品制造；(5)制药工业的产品制造；(6)膜在食品和饮料工业中的应用。该中心与代表膜用户和制造商的工业合作伙伴以及来自四个机构的教师和学生合作，以开发具有挑战性的分离技术解决方案。与此同时，该中心还培养学生成为未来技术发展的领导者。在阿肯色大学，MAST中心开发了独特的设备来培养几种具有商业意义的病毒，用于开发生物技术行业的净化过程。MAST中心正在开发高效水回收和再利用的膜和工艺。该中心还致力于解决乳制品行业面临的挑战。MAST中心正在与当地工业、少数民族社区学院和学校合作，培养训练有素的劳动力，促进最近建立的当地生物技术产业的发展。与此同时，MAST中心正在确保建立未来多元化的劳动力队伍。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Membranes are used in a variety of industries such as the manufacture of drugs, production of food and beverages, treatment of drinking and wastewater and recovery of valuable chemical species from waste streams. The Center for Membrane Applications, Science and Technology (MAST) is collaborating with membrane manufacturers and users in these fields and others, to promote scientific knowledge and to develop new products that advance human health, prosperity and welfare. By establishing multidisciplinary project teams with scientists from a range of industries as well as university researchers across four institutions, the MAST Center is addressing challenging real world technical issues that are of significant societal impact in the areas of healthcare and environmental sustainability. At the University of Arkansas, the MAST Center is working with industry to develop efficient processes to purify viruses and virus like particles for use in vaccines and gene therapy products. Further, the MAST Center is working with local minority serving community colleges and schools to train a skilled workforce to support a developing local biotechnology industry and to promote diversity. The Center for Membrane Applications, Science and Technology (MAST) conducts industrially relevant research in six areas: (1) development and characterization of new membranes (2) development of green membrane manufacturing methods; (3) development of membrane processes for water treatment, (4) manufacture of products for the (4) biopharmaceutical industry, (5) pharmaceutical industry and (6) membrane applications in food and beverage industries. The Center works with industrial partners representing membrane users and manufacturers and faculty and students from four institutions in order to develop technological solutions to challenging separations. In parallel, the Center trains students to be future leaders of technology development. At the University of Arkansas, the MAST Center has developed unique facilities to grow several viruses of commercial relevance for the development of purification processes for the biotechnology industry. The MAST Center is developing membranes and processes for efficient water recycle and reuse. The Center is also addressing challenges in the dairy industry. The MAST Center is working with local industry, minority serving community colleges and schools to develop a trained workforce that will promote the growth of a recently established local biotechnology industry. At the same time the MAST Center is ensuring the establishment of a future diverse workforce.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.