Enhancing Faculty Recruitment in Nanoscale Sciences for Biomedical Research

描述（由申请人提供）：纳米材料和生物集成中心（CNMB）于2006年2月正式获得阿拉巴马大学系统董事会批准，作为一个跨学科研究和学生培训中心，专注于(1)具有潜在生物医学适用性的纳米材料和结构的合成和表征，(2)将这些纳米材料和结构集成到实际的生物医学设备和技术中。通过将来自基础科学和材料部门的研究人员和教师与来自生物医学和健康专业的人员聚集在一起，该中心处于生物材料研究和纳米技术开发的最前沿，以改善人类健康。我们建议在纳米尺度科学生物医学研究领域聘用两名新的终身教职员工。第一批教员将在“纳米治疗和生物医学”领域

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The Center for Nanoscale Materials and Biointegration (CNMB) was formally approved by the University of Alabama System Board of Trustees in February 2006 as an interdisciplinary research and student-training center focusing (i) on the synthesis and characterization of nanoscale materials and structures that have potential biomedical applicability and (ii) on the integration of these nano-materlals and -structures into practical biomedical devices and technologies. By bringing together researchers and faculty from the basic sciences and materials departments with those from the biomedical and health professions, the Center is uniquely positioned to be at the forefront of biomaterials research and nanotechnology development for improving human health. We propose hiring two new tenure-track faculty members in Nanoscale Sciences for Biomedical Research. The first faculty hire will be in the area of "Nanoscale Therapeutics and Biomedical Imaging" and the second faculty hire will be recruited in the "Micro- and Nano-Electro Mechanical Systems for Biomedical Applications (BioMEMS/NEMS)" area. Both faculty hires would be associated with the CNMB and have their tenure-track academic appointments in departments within the UAB School of Natural Sciences & Mathematics. The new faculty hires will utilize the core facilities supported by CNMB in the School of Natural Sciences & Mathematics, the Institute of Oral Health Research in the School of Dentistry, and the Pulmonary Injury & Repair Center in the School of Medicine at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). Also these new faculty hires will strengthen our NIBIB-supported pre-doctoral training program entitled "Nanotechnology in Biosensors and Bioengineering". CNMB director and PD/PI Dr. Yogesh Vohra has a strong track record of minority recruitment in the NIBIB T32 program where 40% trainees are underrepresented minority participants while nearly 40% of the faculty hires in the School of Natural Sciences & Mathematics over the past five years have been either women or members of underrepresented groups in the sciences. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE (provided by applicant): This faculty recruitment program would increase a skilled workforce in nanotechnology tools that will lead to advances in biomedical implants, biosensors for early diagnostics of diseases, and regenerative medicine. The intellectual property generated by the nanotechnology research efforts of these new faculty hires will further lead to new startup companies and contribute to the economic development in the region.