Baylor's Program for Bioengineering Sciences and Translational Research "B-BEST"

描述（由申请人提供）：这个拟议的项目名为“贝勒生物工程科学和转化研究项目（B-BEST）”，将为招聘和发展两名具有生物工程科学和转化研究专业知识的新教师提供支持。这些首次加入的教师将增加组织再生领域的专业知识，以弥合基础研究和临床研究之间的差距。他们的技能将补充和增加BCD生物医学科学系（BMS）的现有优势，该系的教师从事与临床相关的跨学科转化研究。p30支持的青年教师将通过增加他们对导致颅面组织正常和异常发育/结构/功能的潜在生物学机制的了解，发展他们自己的组织再生研究。通过利用BMS内部强大的指导基础设施，p -30支持的教师将在两个部门交叉任命。以及UT-Arlington生物工程/生物医学工程研究生项目，以促进多学科生物工程在矿化和软组织再生领域的应用。BMS和BCD领域已建立的基础、转化和临床研究人员网络将协助P-30学院推动仿生和/或纳米结构支架的新技术，干细胞的使用，以及生物活性因子/药物的输送。这些方法将为未来的独立研究项目资助提供框架，这将进一步推动BMS/BCD的使命。该项目的长期目标如下：1)通过招募和留住更多的优秀教师，改善研究资源，扩大BCD的研究合作，加强研究能力；2)为BMS/BCD在基础、转化和临床研究领域的研究项目提供额外的重点、方向和成功的成果；3)增加在牙科和颅面健康领域与UTA， SMU和UTSW现有生物医学工程研究小组合作的机会；4)为对生物工程和转化研究感兴趣的牙科博士生提供培训机会。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This proposed project, entitled "Baylor's Program in Bioengineering Sciences and Translational Research (B-BEST)", will provide support for the hiring and development of two new faculty with expertise in Bioengineering Sciences and Translational Research. These first-time faculty will add expertise in the area of Tissue Regeneration needed to bridge the gap between basic and clinical research. Their skills will complement and add to existing strengths of BCD's Department of Biomedical Sciences (BMS), whose faculty engage in clinically-relevant, translational research that is interdisciplinary in nature. The P30-supported junior faculty will develop their own studies in tissue regeneration by increasing their knowledge of the underlying biological mechanisms leading to the normal and abnormal development/structure/function of craniofacial tissues. By drawing from the strong infrastructure for mentorship within BMS, the P-30-supported faculty will be cross-appointed in either the Depts. of Periodontics or Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, and the Department of Bioengineering/Biomedical Engineering Graduate Program at UT-Arlington to foster multi-disciplinary bioengineering applications in the area of mineralized and soft tissue regeneration. The network of established basic, translational and clinical researchers in BMS and BCD will assist P-30 faculty in driving new technologies for biomimetic and/or nanostructured scaffolds, use of stem cells, and the delivery of bioactive factors/drugs. Such approaches will provide the framework for future independent research project grants that will further the mission of BMS/BCD. The long-term aims of this project are the following: 1) Strengthen research capacity through recruitment and retention of additional outstanding faculty, improved research resources, and expanded research collaborations at BCD; 2) Provide additional focus, directions, and successful outcomes to the research programs in BMS/BCD in areas spanning the basic, translational, and clinical research spectrum.; 3) Increase opportunities to collaborate with existing biomedical engineering research groups at UTA, SMU, and UTSW in the area of dental and craniofacial health; and 4) Provide training opportunities for predoctoral dental trainees interested in bioengineering and translational research. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: This research grant will provide funding for the hiring of two first-time faculty members with expertise in tissue regeneration in the Dept. of Biomedical Sciences at Baylor College of Dentistry. These faculty will work with the present faculty who perform basic and translational research on craniofacial tissues. Advances in tissue regeneration research will bring about treatments for various kinds of craniofacial maladies that afflict many in the population.