Platform for the Mechanical Characterization of Polymer Biomaterials and Biological Specimens

本申请寻求为一家机构提供资金，用于表征生物材料的机械性能，包括聚合物溶液、熔体、水凝胶和固体材料以及生物标本，如粘膜和血液凝块。多伦多大学化学系的三个CRC(Tier 1)小组非常迫切地需要这种仪器。这些团队在聚合物化学、材料科学和生物学的界面上进行创新和雄心勃勃的研究。在这些小组的至少六个项目中，聚合物生物材料和生物样品的机械性能的表征是至关重要的，但化学系没有为此目的的仪器。此外，为聚合物合成提供指导的及时反馈是不可能的。目前，机械特性实验是不定期、不实时地使用化学工程系(甚至在其他大学)唯一合适和过度使用的设备进行的。这些测量的效率和可靠性的降低严重阻碍了我们实施NSERC支持的研究计划的能力。

This application seeks funding for a Facility for the characterization of the mechanical properties of biomaterials, including polymer solutions, melts, hydrogels and solid materials and biological specimens such as mucosa and blood clots. This instrumentation is very urgently needed by three CRC (Tier 1) groups in the Department of Chemistry of the University of Toronto. These groups perform innovative and ambitious research at the interface of polymer chemistry, materials science and biology. In at least six projects in these groups, the characterization of the mechanical properties of polymer biomaterials and biological specimens is vitally important, however no instrumentation for this purpose exists in the Department of Chemistry. Furthermore, timely feedback providing guidance for polymer synthesis is not possible. Currently, mechanical characterization experiments are conducted irregularly and not in real time using the only suitable and highly over-used equipment located in the Department of Chemical Engineering (and even in other universities). The compromised efficiency and reliability of these measurements severely impedes our ability to implement our NSERC-supported research programs.