Project Profile

This Integrative Graduate Education Research Traineeship (IGERT) project addresses the need for a coherent interdisciplinary graduate education and research training program on Engineered Bioactive Interfaces and Devices. Engineered Bioactive Interfaces and Devices focuses on the novel design of architectures that interact with biological systems and promote a desired response. These advanced architectures have numerous applications ranging from tissue engineering, to sensing systems, to drug delivery. Successful development of these systems will depend on expertise not only in developing novel synthetic architectures through nanotechnology, self-assembly and hybrid systems but also on the interactions of these interfaces with biological systems such as cells and proteins. Nearly all materials used today in biological applications are those that were originally designed for non-biological applications without any consideration for the interactions between the biological system and the synthetic interface. The need for more advanced bioactive interfaces and for specialty applications has grown and successful development of these architectures requires the integration of the biological sciences and engineering disciplines. This IGERT award addresses this need by educating and training the next generation of engineers and scientists working in this area. Through the activities proposed, the student participants will further enhance their backgrounds in their primary disciplines and obtain a thorough, cross-disciplinary education at the interface of biological sciences and engineering using state-of-the-art instrumentation and methodologies. Through outreach activities and undergraduate participation, this IGERT program will have a far-reaching impact. Young students, teachers and undergraduates will be encouraged to bridge the gaps between traditional disciplines when solving problems. IGERT is an NSF-wide program intended to meet the challenges of educating U.S. Ph.D. scientists and engineers with the interdisciplinary background, deep knowledge in a chosen discipline, and the technical, professional, and personal skills needed for the career demands of the future. The program is intended to catalyze a cultural change in graduate education by establishing innovative new models for graduate education and training in a fertile environment for collaborative research that transcends traditional disciplinary boundaries. « less