Biomaterials & Tissue Engineering
BIOMATERIALS & TISSUE ENGINEERING
Director: Candan Tamerler, Ph.D.
Research in the Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering track involves the investigation and development of materials and structures to improve the quality of life for patients. These materials—which may be synthetic, natural, or cell-based—are intended to assist in the diagnosis of pathology or injury, monitor condition, and improve or restore normal physiological function in the human body.
Biomaterials science is the study of materials and their interaction with biological environments, and tissue engineering is the application of engineering and life sciences toward development of a biomaterial to restore, maintain and improve tissue function. Research in this inter- and multidisciplinary field involves collaborations among engineers, surgeons, materials scientists, biological scientists, chemists, dentists, and veterinarians in academics, industry, government and the clinic.
Students in this track are trained in structure-function-property relationships, which are built on a foundation in biology, materials science, and engineering. As a part of their coursework, students learn to independently develop a plan of research.
Specific research areas available at KU include drug delivery devices, tissue engineering, soft tissue biomechanics, biosensors, diagnostics and therapeutics, combination products, biocompatible materials, injury biomechanics, hydrogels, microparticle fabrication, gene and protein delivery, mass transport, polymer science, biocatalysis, biofluids, and dental materials. Graduates are prepared to enter into industry, government, or academics, where they will be able to assist in research programs in biomaterials.
Track Faculty
Titles
-Professor, Chemical and Petroleum Engineering
-Professor, Pharmaceutical Chemistry
Associated Tracks
-Bioimaging
-Biomaterials & Tissue Engineering
-Biomedical Product Design & Development
-Biomolecular Engineering
Research Interests
-Nanoparticles and Colloids in Pharmaceuticals and Biomedicine
- Track Director, Biomolecular Engineering
- Assistant Professor, Chemical and Petroleum Engineering
Associated Tracks
Biomaterials & Tissue Engineering
-Biomolecular Engineering
Research Interests
-Molecular Engineering and Interfacial Nanomedicine
Associated Tracks
-Bioimaging
-Biomaterials & Tissue Engineering
-Biomechanics & Neural Engineering
-Biomedical Product Design & Development
Research Interests
-Tissue Mechanics
-Computational Joint Mechanics
Associated Tracks
-Biomaterials & Tissue Engineering
-Biomedical Product Design & Development
-Biomolecular Engineering
Research Interests
-Biomimetic Materials
-Hydrogels
-Tissue Engineering
-Drug Delivery
-Bioprocessing
Titles
-Assistant Professor, Chemical and Petroleum Engineering
Associated Tracks
-Biomaterials & Tissue Engineering
-Biomedical Product Design & Development
-Biomolecular Engineering
Research Interests
-Bio-Inspired Nano/Micro Manufacturing
-3D Printing and Bioprinting of Living Tissue Foundry
-Extracellular Vesicles for Cancer Immunotherapy
-3D Microfluidics and Nanotechnology
Titles
-Associate Department Chair, Mechanical Engineering
Associate Professor, Mechanical Engineering
Associated Tracks
-Biomaterials & Tissue Engineering
-Biomechanics & Neural Engineering
-Biomedical Product Design & Development
Research Interests
-Applications of Biomechanics and Machine Design
-Biomechanics Testing Machines and Experimental Designs
-Kinematic Joint Studies
-Wear of Artificial Components
-Testing and Evaluation of Prosthetic Devices
Titles
-Distinguished Professor, Pharmaceutical Chemistry
Associated Tracks
-Biomaterials & Tissue Engineering
-Biomolecular Engineering
Research Interests
-Physical Biochemistry
-Stabilization of macromolecules
-Vaccines
Titles
-Professor, Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering
Associated Tracks
-Bioimaging
-Biomaterials & Tissue Engineering
-Biomechanics & Neural Engineering
-Biomedical Product Design & Development
Research Interests
-Nano-micro-macro mechanics of calcified and soft tissues
-Constitutive modeling and computational methods
-Scanning acoustic microscopy and ultrasonic testing
Titles
-Assistant Professor, Chemical and Petroleum Engineering
Associated Tracks
-Biomaterials & Tissue Engineering
-Biomolecular Engineering
Research Interests
-Sex and Age-Specific Biomaterials
-Regeneration of Soft-to-Hard Tissue Interfaces
-Determination of Sex Differences in Musculoskeletal Tissue
Titles
-Associate Professor, Chemical and Petroleum Engineering
Associated Tracks
-Biomaterials & Tissue Engineering
Research Interests
-Enzyme catalysis in non-aqueous solvents
-Extractive fermentation
-Pharmaceutical and biomaterials processing with compressed carbon dioxide.
Titles
-Chair, Division of Biomedical Sciences
-Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry
-University of Southern California
Associated Tracks
-Biomedical Sciences with special training in Pathology and Biomaterials
Research Interests
-Amplifying cell signals for potentially lower cost stem cell interventions
Titles
-KU Foundation Distinguished Professor, Chemistry, Mechanical Engineering, and Biomedical Engineering
Associated Tracks
-Biomolecular Engineering
-Biomaterials & Tissue Engineering
-Biomedical Product Design & Development
Research Interests
-Nano Devices and Microfluidics
- Director, Institute for Bioengineering Research
- Deane E. Ackers Distinguished Professor, Mech. Eng.
Associated Tracks
-Bioimaging
-Biomaterials & Tissue Engineering
-Biomedical Product Design & Development
Research Interests
Professor Spencer and her research team are designing, synthesizing, and developing novel biomaterials for the repair and replacement of mineralized tissues. Under in vivo conditions, failure of a repair or replacement generally begins at the biomaterial/tissue interface and thus, a key aspect of our work is understanding the fundamental phenomena that control biological interactions at material interfaces.
Titles
-Professor, Otolaryngology
Associated Tracks
-Biomaterials & Tissue Engineering
Research Interests
-Neurotology
-Otology
-Tinnitus Management
-Balance Disorders
-Cochlear implants
-Acoustic Neuromas and Skull Base Surgery
- Track Director, Biomaterials & Tissue Engineering
- Wesley G. Cramer Professor, Mechanical Engineering
Associated Tracks
-Biomaterials & Tissue Engineering
Research Interests
-Molecular Biomimetics
-Bio-nanotechnology
-Bio-enabled Materials Science
Titles
-Professor, Molecular Bioscience
Associated Tracks
-Biomaterials, Bioimaging
Research Interests
-Drug discovery
-Drug delivery
-Cell biology/engineering
-Genetic engineering
-Nanotechnology