Submission Categories

2023 Categories

Category Descriptions

Advances and translation of self-assembly soft biomaterials

Advances and Translation of Self-assembly Soft Biomaterials

The synthesis and functionalization of self-assembly biomaterials, such as peptide, protein, nucleic acid, and lipid-based biomaterials, have been widely studied and applied in biomedicine, especially in areas like vaccine, orthopedics, tissue engineering, drug delivery, biosensing, imaging, and immuno-engineering. This symposium will present the most recent research progress in soft biomaterial self-assembly, discuss the mechanisms, methods, techniques, and translation involved in soft biomaterial self-assembly and related challenges. This symposium will also present recent applications of this technology and self-assembled biomaterials in the biological and medical domains, and the avenues for future research and development. This symposium will focus on the promising potentials of the basic and applied research involved in self-assembly biomaterials as well as studying their interactions with cells and tissues. It is expected that self-assembly of biomaterials will become one of the novel therapeutic biomaterials in the form of nanofibers, nanoparticles, gels, films, and micelles.

Applied Biomaterials for Microphysiological Systems

Microphysiological systems (MPSs) are systems, often microfluidic in nature, of interconnected 2D or 3D cellular constructs designed to recapitulate the multi-tissue structure and function of one or more organ systems. MPSs, also commonly referred to as organs-on-a-chip or in vitro organ constructs (including organoids), have the potential to revolutionize the translational pathway for novel biomaterials, pharmaceuticals, and biopharmaceuticals by minimizing or even negating the need for small animal testing. Topics include, but are not limited to, cutting-edge biomaterials-based strategies to recapitulate native and pathological (i.e., disease model) tissue structures and functions in MPSs and translational applications of biomaterials-based MPSs.

Biointerfaces (SIG)

The junction between materials and biological systems is a critical and complex interface with the potential to control the function of macromolecules and dictate cell and tissue responses. Increasingly, cells and biomacromolecules are designable components of biomaterials, creating additional opportunities for innovative research at the interface of materials science and fundamental biology. This session serves as a forum for advances in approaches to modulate interfacial properties, investigations of structure-function and self-assembly at biointerfaces, and applications of interface-driven biomedicine. We also encourage contributions that advance a biomaterials lens to cutting-edge research in protein and cell biology, and research that translates progress in molecular and cell biology into innovative biomaterials.

Biomaterial-Associated Infection: Focusing on the Biomaterial, Host, Pathogen, or All?

The translational uses of biomaterials in human face possible concerns of infection, which may be determined by the biomaterials to be used, potential exposure to pathogens, and the host to be treated. This session will focus on the contributions and recent advances of biomaterial, pathogen, and the host in biomaterial-associated infections. Abstracts related to antimicrobial development, infection, treatment, and challenges are welcome.

Bioactive Materials for Hard and/or Soft Tissue Regeneration

Advances in hard and soft tissue grafting in the craniofacial region have gone past autogenous grafts from the mandible, palate and iliac crest to allografts, allowlists and xenografts.  Some of these materials have bioactive properties, others are mixed with growth enhancers and/or growth factors to optimize hard and/or soft tissue regeneration. This symposium is focused in biostructured biomaterials and surfaces. We aim at creating an excellent forum for the debate of the cutting edge research on nano and biotechnologies applied to the development of new, smarter and super effective biomaterials able to overcome clinically-oriented unsolved problems or elegant new technologies maximizing the efficacy of minimally-invasive clinical therapies.

Biofunctionalized Biomaterial Surfaces for Cellular and Tissue Engineering

The topics covered in the symposium will span from micro- and nano-particles developed to obtain injectable systems for controlled and sustainable release of drugs and bioactive molecules, to nanofibre-based biomaterials obtained by electrospinning, surface patterning to generate and explore specific functionalities or to self-assembling systems following bottom-up strategies as analogues of the biological processes. 

Bioinspired Approaches to Supramolecular Biomaterials

Progress in cell and protein biology are fueling innovation of increasingly sophisticated and functional self-assembling, supramolecular biomaterials. Molecular-level control over their self-assembly dynamics and overall material/biological properties offers novel opportunities for cellular engineering, drug delivery, and tissue regeneration. This session will stimulate progress on cutting-edge bioinspired approaches to engineer the functionality, self-assembly dynamics, and stimuli-responsiveness of supramolecular biomaterials. We encourage contributions spanning the entire range of the research landscape, from progress on mining biological systems to extract new biomaterial design principles to new developments in the characterization and application of the resulting bioinspired supramolecular biomaterials.

Biomaterial-Based in Vitro Cancer/Tumor Models for Drug Screening and Diagnostics

Biomaterial-based in vitro cancer/tumor models offer a close mimic of the complex tumor microenvironment, providing versatile platforms for drug and toxicology screening as well as diagnostics. The implementation of these preclinical tools can afford low-cost, easy-to-use systems to evaluate cancer treatments, enhancing the efficacy and toxicological assessment for specific patients, mitigating the limitations of current technologies, and expanding the treatment options and patient’s quality of life.

Biomaterials and Medical Products Commercialization (SIG)

B&MPC SIG members exchange ideas and experiences about the commercialization of medical products dependent upon biomaterials for utility, efficacy, safety, and reimbursement capability.  Society for Biomaterials members, ranging from students to veterans in the field, will find an open forum to explore issues facing commercial biomaterials, such as regulations, patents, litigation, reimbursement for the resultant medical device, manufacturing, and distribution with reference to hospital value analysis committees, purchasing & supply chain management system. Translation from development to marketing of safe and innovative medical products is challenging not only for biomaterials science but also for governmental and public policy and opinion.  Accordingly, our mission through this SIG would be to interact and explain the scientific relative advantages of biomaterials to the clinical community.  This in turn would facilitate any commercial value analysis team to propose their decision to the government payers.  Join the Biomaterials and Medical Products Commercialization SIG to enhance your knowledge and decision-making skills in the dynamic healthcare community.

Biomaterials Approaches to Address Health and Healthcare Disparities

The unprecedented nature of the COVID-19 pandemic has reintroduced/continued the conversation about the health inequities that disproportionately affect individuals with social, economic, and/or environmental disadvantages. This session will showcase the current status and future of purposefully designed biomaterials to address both health and healthcare disparities that disproportionately affect individuals with social, economic, and/or environmental disadvantages. The session will begin with a keynote speaker addressing the importance and future of biomaterials in disparity research, followed by short oral presentations. This session will encompass a diverse portfolio of topics including (but not limited to) cheaper alternative materials for medical care in the Global South and remote areas, the fabrication of biomaterials to study healthcare disparities based on race, sex, gender or other identities, and the development of in vitro models to study diseases relevant to global health.

Biomaterials Education (SIG)

 The Biomaterials Education SIG members’ mission is to affect the quality of teaching and learning through the discussion, generation, and implementation of innovative ideas Through this, they seek to advance the interest and goals of the biomaterials community by attempting to bridge the gap between classroom theory and clinical application. As the field of biomaterials rapidly evolves, so must biomaterials education. The Biomaterials Education Special Interest Group is dedicated to the belief that all members of the biomaterials education community should be provided with high quality educational opportunities in a stimulating environment. This session will focus on topics including methods for integrating new standards education modules into established biomaterials curriculums, incorporating innovation and entrepreneurial process in curriculums, maximizing learning through the integration of virtual and in-person learning activities in a post-pandemic classroom environment, and methods for engaging the end-user, industry, and entrepreneurial communities in student education.

Biomaterials for Cardiovascular Regeneration 

This session includes research on biomaterials-based engineering for cardiovascular regeneration, including the role of extracellular matrix (ECM) and stem cells in cardiaovascular tissue development; whole-heart engineering with spatially controlled and temporal growth factors that regulate cardiovascular tissue regeneration and vascularization. Strategies for design of 3D scaffolds to engineer myocardium, vessels and organoids with appropriate biochemical and mechanical characteristics are also covered.
This session will highlight recent advances in both in vitro and in vivo  strategies employed for engineering 3D scaffolds to regenerate cardiovascular tissues with appropriate biochemical and mechanical characteristics for modulating cellular behavior and activation of highly regulated signaling pathways. We also invite research abstracts on research advances in ECM component-incorporated biomaterials, engineering of complex 3D structures using biofabrication and spatial patterning techniques, as well as translation of engineered scaffolds for cardiovascular regenerative medicine. 

Biomaterials for Cell Therapy

Biomaterials-assisted cell therapy has tremendous clinical potential in improving disease outcomes. Biomaterial carriers have been designed to modulate cell behavior, protect cells from immune attacks, guide patient-specific cellular activity or stimulate endogenous cell recruitment. Biomaterials has been used in cell transplantation, cell microencapsulation, cell delivery, or cell reprogramming and cell expansion ex vivo. This session will cover all applications of biomaterials in protecting or enhancing the function of cells or facilitating their delivery.

Biomaterials for Cultivated Meat

Cultivated meat is a promising technology that could generate meat without the need for animal agriculture. Generating a tissue requires biomaterials to provide support to the cells and mimic the extra cellular matrix. The scaffolding materials must meet key requirements to enable cell growth and maturation, and should preferably have nutritional values. In recent years, as bioprinting techniques are being developed for creating thick and complex structures we also see developments of new edible bioinks .This session will accept abstracts focusing on on developments of new biomaterials for cultivated meat including edible microcarriers, 3D scaffolds and bioinks. 

Biomaterials for Lung Disease Treatment, Modeling and Tissue Engineering

Lung diseases including the COVID-19 and its long-term complications have been the focus of public attention lately. Biomaterial-based drug delivery systems including the COVID-19 vaccines have proven to be a powerful tool in the combat of the recent pandemic. Advances in the novel biomaterials for the lung disease models also offer new opportunities for investigating the disease mechanism and the testing of novel therapies for the lung diseases. This symposium will feature recent advances in biomaterials for the diagnosis, treatment and modeling of lung diseases, such as nanoparticle-based vaccines and therapeutics, hydrogel and on-chip models of lung diseases and decellularized ECMs for lung injury repair and modeling. The symposium will consist of both invited talks and presentations from general abstract submission. It is expected that this symposium will help to promote the involvement of this community in the basic, clinical and translation research of the emerging lung diseases.

Biomaterials for Modeling the Heart to Study Disease and Therapies in Vitro

This session focuses on leveraging biomaterials to create “in vivo-like” models of the heart, whether these be engineering tissues, organoids, or organs-on-a-chip, and how these systems can be leveraged to understand disease processes and as a testbed to identify and test potential therapeutics. Approaches to augment and/or evaluate functionality of engineered cardiac tissue physiology including cardiac rhythm, myocardial strain, and electrophysiology, are of interest. Other preferable topics include the applications of active programmable biomaterials, 4D printing techniques or rational-designed architected scaffolds in the development of cardiac model systems. Of equal interest are approaches that combine in vitro models with state-of-the-art techniques for phenotyping, including bulk and spatial-resolved omics technologies and cutting-edge AI technologies to data analysis and visualization such as machine learning.

Biomaterials for Organoids

An organoid is a self-organized three-dimensional tissue that is typically derived from stem cells (pluripotent, fetal or adult) and which mimics the critical functional, structural, and biological complexity of an organ, such as the gut, brain, eye, pancreas, liver, kidney, and lung. Organoids bridge a gap in existing model systems by providing a more stable system amenable to extended cultivation and manipulation while more representative of in vivo physiology. This session will cover the most recent advancements of biomaterials-mediated organoid and organ chip technologies in regenerative medicine, cancer therapy, drug testing, environmental control, monitoring, adaptive sensing, and translational applications. This topic was well-received in the previous SFB meetings and is an exciting emerging research area. In 2023, we will continue this session and promote the translational impacts of biomaterials-mediated organoid projects.

Biomaterials for Regenerative Engineering 

Regenerative engineering aims to develop functional, bioactive, and instructive biomaterials and approaches for the regeneration of tissues through the convergence of engineering, medicine, developmental biology, and stem cell science. This symposium will highlight recent trends in developing functional biomaterials that play an active role in controlling cellular behaviors and tissue regeneration. We will include different classes of biomaterials such as proteins, polysaccharides, synthetic polymers, fibers, metals, ceramics, and hydrogels for applications in regenerative engineering. This session will also highlight the biomaterials that can direct cell fate and promote differentiation. Moreover, oral and poster presentations will cover the biomaterials that can facilitate drug delivery and immunomodulation. Translational strategies for taking these biomaterials from ‘Bench to Bedside’ will also be discussed during the symposium. We expect our interdisciplinary session, including material science, chemistry, biology, engineering, and medicine, will be of great significance to clinicians, industry members and academia.

Biomaterials for Women's Health

The tissues of the female reproductive system demonstrate unique functional and mechanical properties, yet female reproductive health has historically been significantly understudied and underfunded. This session will be organized to stimulate discussion to advance the research, development, and commercialization of novel biomaterial solutions to improve women’s health. Topics will include, but are not limited to, reproductive health, disorders in reproductive tissues (e.g. endometriosis, cancer, premature ovarian insufficiency, infertility, preterm birth, pelvic floor disorders), maternal-fetal interface models, sex-related differences in chronic diseases, and therapeutic interventions.

Biomaterials in Engineering the Tumor Immune Microenvironment

Malignant cells of the tumor co-exist with non-malignant cells in a 3D space. Immune cells of many types such as macrophages, dendritic cells, mast cells, T-cells and more make up the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME). Biomaterials are incorporated in bioengineering the TIME for multiple purposes: (1) creating bioengineered models to further fundamental immuno-oncology studies; and (2) modulating anti-tumor immune response. Cancer-immune cell interactions in the TIME are specifically important to study for the development of immunotherapies to treat various types of cancer. Not only is engineering the TIME useful for drug discovery, it can also provide mechanistic insights into cancer-immune cell interactions within the TIME that can be used to develop targeted immuno-therapies.
In this session, we will explore all aspects of biomaterials used to engineer or modulate the tumor immune microenvironment.

Biomaterials Systems and Devices for Hemostasis and Wound Care

Stopping bleeding (hemostasis) and providing short and long-term wound care via passive and/or bioactive mechanisms is an important area of biomaterials-based technologies and includes external, intracavitary and intravascular hemostats, dressings, powders, foams, fibers and gels. The goal of this session is to highlight recent advances in biomaterials and biosystems/microdevices that focus on hemostasis, thrombosis, and/or wound healing.  The proposed session will invite presentations from researchers in this field that discuss biomaterials design, structure-property-function relationships, microdevice design, and achieved/ongoing/future visions of technology translation pathways. Presentations focused on material considerations for microdevices for investigating hemostatic pathways are also of interest for this session.

Biomaterials to Engineer Tissue Morphodynamics

The cellular response to applied and passive mechanics of the microenvironment are critical to tissue development, homeostasis, and disease. Recent strategies in biomaterials synthesis and fabrication have enabled user-defined control over the mechanical forces that cells and tissue experience. This session will highlight recent engineering strategies in the design of dynamic, actuated biomaterials to instruct or guide cell and tissue function.

Biomaterial-Tissue Interaction (SIG)

Events that follow binding of the first host ion to an implant’s surface are dictated by reactions not well understood for any biomaterial or device. Understanding these events is the purpose of the Biomaterial-Tissue Interaction Special Interest Group. Only through such understanding can one definitively answer such questions as: “Why did it fail?” and “What led to its success that we can apply to future devices?” These answers will come from such fields as physiology, immunology, pathology, biomechanics and material science. They will apply to the subjects of every other SIG in the Society.  All those interested in the mechanisms of host-implant interaction are welcome to join BTI's quest.

Biophysical Strategies for Regulation of Cellular Microenvironments

Biophysical factors directed by biomaterials are known to play important roles in regulating cellular behavior by influencing gene and protein expression, protein localization, and cell signaling activity. This session focuses on biomaterial-based strategies for regulating biophysical factors in engineered cellular microenvironments. Topics include but are not limited to novel uses of biomaterials for regulation of nano- and micro-topographical and ligand patterning cues, normal and shear stress environments, thermosensitive properties, and physical parameters of fiber networks for regulating cellular phenotype. This includes studies incorporating novel strategies for control of biophysical parameters in biomaterial design for engineering of physiological models as well as fundamental studies of the mechanisms by which cells utilize biophysical cues from the biomaterials in their microenvironment to elicit specific biological outcomes. The studies presented in this session will contribute to the design of next-generation biomaterials capable of precisely and predictably directing cellular behaviors.

Bioprinting Vascularized Tissue Constructs

This session will focus on new bioinks and new printing methods for bioprinting vascularized tissue constructs. Specifically, biomaterials and printing techniques that support endothelial cells, blood vessels and vascular networks.

Cancer Immunotherapy

The past decade has witnessed the accelerating development of immunotherapies for cancer treatment. Immune checkpoint blockade therapies and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapies have demonstrated clinical efficacy against a variety of cancers. However, issues including limited patient responses, life-threatening off-target side effects, and poor efficacy against many solid tumors still limit the clinical utility of cancer immunotherapies. Biomaterial carriers of these therapies, though, enable one to troubleshoot the delivery issues, amplify immunomodulatory effects, integrate the synergistic effect of different molecules, and more importantly, home and manipulate immune cells in vivo. Through this “Cancer Immunotherapy” symposium under the Society For Biomaterials 2023 Annual Meeting, we aim to bring together a group of scientists pursuing cutting edge research at the intersection of biomaterials and cancer immunotherapy. Topics of interest include but are not limited to: nanovaccine, nano-immunotherapy, biomaterial scaffold-based immunotherapy, immunotherapy biomarkers, adjuvanting materials, and materials for cell engineering.

Cardiovascular Biomaterials (SIG)

The Cardiovascular Special Interest Group has the mission to foster the professional interaction and address the common concerns of academic and industrial scientists and engineers, clinicians, and regulatory professionals concerned with the discovery, research, development, and use of biomaterials for cardiovascular devices and implants.

Cardiovascular Manufacturing

Biomanufacturing is an emerging field for developing technologies to fabricate bio-related products using natural or synthetic or hybrid biomaterials, and cells and cell-based products.  This session will highlight the development and application of 3D printed cardiovascular products, organoids, organ-on-chips, vascularized constructs, and other related products for cardiovascular engineering.

Cell Encapsulation and Digital Assembly for Basic and Applied Biomedicine

The formation of biological tissues is not random but hierarchically controlled in a three-dimensional (3D) space, consisting of various cell types in the extracellular matrix. Encapsulating cells in biomaterials with microscale tunability enables precise recapitulation of how cells interact with the matrix and each other in vivo, providing a powerful approach to modulating cell behavior and function. Moreover, recent advances demonstrated that leveraging 3D bioprinting technologies enables the digital assembly of tissues with microgels and encapsulated cells as building blocks. This approach allows for unprecedented control over the cell location, type, and cell-cell interactions in 3D space, enabling highly functional tissue constructs for basic and applied biomedicine. This session will focus on this emerging direction of research at the interface of biomaterials, digital assembly, and biology. 

Challenges and Opportunities in Translating Emerging Biomaterials Technologies Amid Papers, Patients, and Practice

Biomaterials ranging from bioactive ceramics to nanoparticle delivery systems have great potential for clinical translation to improve patient care. However, the translation pathway is fraught with challenges, including but not limited to bridging in vitro and in vivo results, cost-effective production scaling and reproducibility, validating market need and size, navigating the regulatory approval process, and understanding risk-benefit legal liability concerns. In addition, rapid advances over the past few decades have led the field to a point where clear communication among key stakeholders in academia, medicine, industry, and regulatory agencies – both domestically and internationally – is critical to successfully bring the next generation of paradigm shifting technologies to the clinic. This session will cover these topics while highlighting how multiple industry and academic teams alike are tackling these challenges today. We encourage abstracts from anyone interested in clinical translation of biomaterials products to share their stories, challenges, and opportunities in translating their technology from research institutes to the outside world.

Characterization of PEG Hydrogel Properties and the Effect of Ligands on Chondrogenesis for Articular Cartilage Tissue Formation

To further understand the influence of ligands on chondrogenesis, a system was created in which human articular chondrocytes (HACs) and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) were embedded and cultured in poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) acrylate hydrogels. This highly absorbent crosslinked hydrophilic polymer can mimic the microenvironment of the developing limb with the incorporation of hyaluronic acid (HA) and/or type-I collagen. The effect of HA on chondrogenesis is observed through varying the concentration of HA and analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively via sulfated glycosaminoglycans (sGAG) content.

Computational Approaches for Biomaterial Design

Computational modeling can enhance our ability to design and evaluate biomaterials for a variety of applications. This session will explore computational approaches and tools for designing biomaterials for tissue engineering and other applications, evaluating complex data from in vitro and in vivo studies, and predicting biomaterial performance in different microenvironments. Examples of these may include fluid mechanics and bio-transport models of drug/protein delivery, models of protein-protein and protein-material interactions, statistical modeling for biomaterial optimization, machine learning for biomaterial design and analysis, and bioinformatics-based platforms for analyzing complex data, including RNA sequencing and other -omics approaches.

Computationally Driven Biomaterials and Machine Learning

This session focuses on the myriad of emerging research at the intersection of biomaterials and data science. ML and other computational models have rapidly emerged as promising tools to augment biomaterial development, scaffold fabrication, and biological analysis. Topics of interest for this session therefore include, but are not limited to, AI-driven polymer design and synthesis, computational modeling of tissues and histological data, ML optimization of 3D printing and other scaffold fabrication methods, and ML analysis of in vitro and in vivo biological systems. We welcome all contributions that apply ML and/or computational modeling to the broad domain of biomaterials research, and we hope that this session will be of interest to anyone in academia or industry who is curious about ML-empowered biomaterials science.

Dental/Craniofacial Biomaterials (SIG)

This symposium covers broad topics of dental and craniofacial biomaterials, from basic and translation research to clinical applications. It aims to provide a forum for scientists, engineers, and clinicians to report latest research findings and exchange ideas and information to establish research links of the recent advances in dental/craniofacial community. In addition, the symposium covers the challenges of translating the innovative dental research to commercial products. By bringing the wide-range of expertise from various fields, the symposium will provide a platform to address challenges linking fundamentals to clinical application of dental/craniofacial biomaterials

Development of a Face Lung Air Purifier Mask

Currently, the alarming rate of air pollution is on the increase and this has been a problem for the world. The impact of air pollution can cause respiratory diseases such as chronic respiratory diseases (CRDs) that cause damage to the airways and other parts of the lung. Other respiratory diseases such as asthma, pulmonary hypertension and occupational lung disease. World health organization global Alliance against chronic respiratory diseases vision is focused on “a world in which all people breathe freely”. This vision is targeted at people suffering from chronic respiratory diseases in low and middle-income countries. The proposed flap mask is a sensitive gas exchange device that monitors the partial pressures of carbon dioxide and oxygen that comes into the mask. In addition, an air purifier extracts oxygen from the air and recycles carbon dioxide excreted from breathing through exhalation back to humans. The recycled carbon dioxide is filtered to produce purified oxygen. 

 

Development of Novel Bioinks for Tissue Engineering

Bioinks play an important role in 3D printing for the creation of tissue-engineered constructs. They require careful development of the biomaterial formulation to balance the requirements of suitable rheological and mechanical properties for printing with the ability to support cell viability, proliferation, and phenotype. Bioinks are most often based on hydrogels, either from naturally derived or synthetic sources, and may include additives such as nanomaterials to improve their materials properties and/or functionalization with biologically active molecules. Abstracts submitted to this session will focus on the development of novel bioink formulations, the characterization of bioinks and their use with different 3D printing technologies, and/or the application of these bioinks to fabricate 3D tissues.

Devices Designed for Imaging

Imaging materials within the context of anatomy or for in vitro evaluation is often limited to small slices and destructive techniques. Research into highly imagable materials for tissue engineering, drug delivery and devices allows for less invasive monitoring of such systems. This symposium will highlight cutting edge material design for enhanced imaging with systems such as optical coherence tomography, ultrasound, fluorescence, magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography and others and provide perspectives on need for new materials for alternative modalities. Abstracts will be accepted in all areas of imagable materials however, responsive or multi-modal materials are of special interest.

Drug Delivery (SIG)

The Drug Delivery Special Interest Group will deal with the science and technology of controlled release of active agents from delivery systems. Controlled drug release is achieved by the use of diffusion, chemical reactions, dissolutions or osmosis, used either singly or in combination. While the vast majority of such delivery devices are based on polymers, controlled release can also be achieved by the use of mechanical pumps. In a broader sense, controlled release also involves control over the site of action of the active agent, using the active agent using pro-drugs, targetable water soluble polymers or various microparticulate systems. Relevant aspects of toxicology, bioavailability, pharmacokinetics, and biocompatibility are also included.

Drug Delivery for Cardiovascular Applications

Drug delivery is currently an important part of cardiovascular biomaterials including drug-eluting stents, vascular grafts, cardiac patches, and angiogenesis strategies.  However, there are still new biomaterials and controlled release strategies that are needed.  Topics of interest include methods to prevent thrombosis, intimal hyperplasia, scar tissue formation, and infection of cardiovascular grafts.     

Emerging Innovations and Translation in Orthopedic Biomaterials Science and Engineering

The research and development in orthopedic biomaterials have greatly improved the health of orthopedic patients worldwide. This symposium will focus on the emerging technologies, methods, and scientific findings in the development of orthopedic biomaterials. Progress in biomaterials like metals (including degradable ones), ceramics, and polymers for orthopedic applications will be presented. Biomaterials that are responsive to local stimuli and are multi-functional will be sought. Emerging translational technologies will be highlighted, and technological and commercial challenges will be discussed. Mixed presentations from academia and industry, and from the U.S., Canada, China, Europe, and other countries are expected.

Engineered Biomaterials for Neural Applications

Engineered biomaterials are uniquely positioned for use in creating, testing, and regenerating neural tissue with applications like in vitro models of injury and disease, tissue engineering, therapeutic treatments, understanding neural development, and mapping the brain. This session will focus on cutting edge research in neural biomaterials including fundamental material development through pre-clinical and clinical studies.  These include big questions surrounding understanding and treating diseases and injuries of the peripheral and central nervous systems spanning cell types including stem and progenitor cells, neurons, astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, microglia, and Schwann cells.

Engineered Recombinant Protein-Based Scaffolds for Tissue Engineering

Biomimetic materials for tissue engineering can be useful as high purity and non-animal origin products.  These can be functionalized to expand usage by number of processing techniques.  we expect participation from academic labs, industry partners across various healthcare fields such as tissue engineering, medical devices, pharmaceutical.  Some example of products covered may include bacteria process based Vegan(non-animal source) collagen and bacterial nano-cellulose.

Engineering Cells & Their Microenvironments (SIG)

The Engineering Cells & Their Microenvironments Special Interest Group concentrates on technologies and approaches focused at the single cell level and encompassing engineering cell microenvironments, biomaterial-induced cell signaling, stem cell manufacturing and differentiation, immunoengineering, and biomaterials for cell-based detection and diagnosis.

Engineering Complex Tissues

Native tissues are hierarchically organized and composed of multiple cell types and extracellular matrix molecules that are critical for normal tissue function and dysregulated in disease states. This session will focus on novel methodologies to engineer complex tissues and systems for applications in tissue regeneration, disease modeling, drug screening, developmental biology, etc. Abstracts describing approaches to generate multicomponent systems with multiple cell types and biochemical and physical cues are of particular interest.

Engineering the Extracellular Matrix

The extracellular matrix (ECM) is a crucial physical and biological interface for cellular function.  Engineering existing diseased or damaged ECM using molecular approaches have demonstrated efficacy in modulating biological and functional performance of cells and tissues.  This session will explore approaches and examples of molecularl engineering of the ECM with biomaterials alone or through combinatorial approaches with drugs.

Engineering the Lung Microenvironment

The COVID-19 pandemic and its long-term consequences has put lung health in the spotlight. Advances in biomaterial design and microfabrication offer the potential to create in vitro models of the pulmonary microenvironment. These models can be used to develop treatments for acute conditions such as virus infections, to investigate mechanisms of chronic disease progression, for toxicology testing, and may even eliminate the need for animal experimentation in the future. This symposium will focus on the opportunities associated with using biomaterials to engineer the lung microenvironment, therapeutic delivery and potential impacts on pulmonary medicine. 

Extracellular Vesicles for Biomedical Applications

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are natural nanoparticles that carry RNA, DNA, proteins, and lipids, and have been given much attention in recent years due to the growing knowledge of their role in driving disease and maintaining health. The objective of this session entitled " Extracellular Vesicles for Biomedical Applications" is to bring together investigators focusing on the characterization and biology of EVs, engineering of EVs, and their utility as diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutics. Example topics include EV nanomaterials science, the interaction of EVs with biological systems, EV biodistribution in vivo and pharmacology, and the utility of EVs for molecular targeting, imaging, diagnostics, tissue engineering, and drug delivery. This session will target scientists from a wide background (graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, academic professors, industry members, clinicians) who are developing EVs towards biomedical applications. 

Fibrous Biomaterials for Tissue Engineering

As tissue engineering and regenerative medicine aims to recapitulate native microenvironments, fibrous biomaterials are being developed with great success. The fibrous nature of the biomaterials mimics the fibrous extracellular matrix. This session will highlight the design, fabrication, characterization and use of fibrous biomaterials for use in those applications. We will include both natural and synthetic polymer approaches, as well as functional characterization and analysis of the fibrous biomaterials. Additionally, we are soliciting abstracts that detail the design and fabrication of fibrous biomaterials for any tissue engineering application. 

Granular Hydrogel Scaffolds

Granular hydrogel materials emerged as a class of biomaterial that provide for well-defined in vitro and in vivo systems with plug-and-play components and tissue-mimicking 3D environments. Granular hydrogels are composed of a slurry of microgel particles that are assembled to form a larger porous structure. Microporous annealed particle scaffolds (MAPS) are a sub-class of granular hydrogel material with a void space network stabilized by inter-particle chemical bonds. The modular nature of granular hydrogels offers enormous tunability in not only the individual microgel design but also the homogenous or heterogenous microgel assembly into the bulk scaffold. This session will explore current advances in granular hydrogel technology, including MAPS, for both immune modulation, tissue repair, organ-on-a-chip, and 3D-printing applications.

Host Response to Biomaterials/Macrophage Plasticity at Tissue-Biomaterial Interface

Materials developed that are intended for human application such as biomaterials, medical devices, or prostheses evoke a multitude of biological responses when implanted into living tissue. These responses vary and include: injury, inflammation, wound healing, foreign body reactions, and fibrous encapsulation of the biomaterial, medical device, or prosthesis. Developing strategies to regulate immune responses poses a significant challenge with respect to the clinical translation of tissue-engineering scaffolds and other implanted biomaterials. Major advancements have been made relating to macrophage-based therapies and biomaterials. Macrophages have the potential to influence healing trajectory, and the predominance of specific subtypes at the early onset of healing influences overall repair outcomes. Macrophages exhibit significant plasticity with complex phenotypes ranging from proinflammatory (M1) to pro-regenerative (M2), and they release cytokines and chemokines that govern immunological stability, inflammation resolution, tissue healing, and tissue regeneration.

Immune Engineering (SIG)

Over the past decade the focus of many bioengineers and clinicians has been shifting towards "immune engineering" approaches that include but are not limited to engineered biomaterials for vaccines, immunotherapy (immune-modulation), cell and gene therapy, immune microenvironment engineering, and systems immunology. These research areas embrace a comprehensive list of translational immunology-associated problems including chronic infections, autoimmune diseases, aggressive cancers, allergies, etc. The purpose of the Immune Engineering SIG is to bring together emerging ideas and provide a venue for professional interaction to a large number of academic and industrial research groups and scientists working in these areas.

Immune Engineering in Osseous Systems

Bone cells interact with immune cells under physiological and pathological conditions. The new interdisciplinary field of osteoimmunology has highlighted the shared molecules, signaling pathways, and reciprocal interactions between the two systems in health and disease. Further, recent progress in this area has shown the potential of immune engineering strategies to develop new therapies to address bone-related ailments. This session focuses on the use of biomaterial systems to enhance, modulate or direct the immune response using biophysical or biochemical means toward bone healing, repair, and regeneration. Example biomaterial innovations include strategies for mobilizing immune cells in fracture milieu, modulating macrophage response, osteoblastogenesis or osteoclastogenesis, tackling immune dysfunction, and modulating the phenotype of naive immune cells using drug and gene delivery vehicles.

Immunomodulation and Cancer Imaging and Therapy using Nanomaterials

The aim of this symposium is to provide the biomaterials community with a unique forum to discuss the latest advances in (i) immunomodulation using nanomaterials (NMs) in biological and biomedical settings; (ii) cancer multimodal imaging using NMs from translational studies across organ systems to leading-edge technological developments; and (iii) non-invasive cancer therapies using actuated NMs and their implications in remotely controlled nanomedicines.

Over the past few years, there have been substantial progress in immunomodulation using NMs and its use in precision medicine. NMs administered intravenously are predominantly sequestered by the abundant phagocytes in spleen and liver, and a generation of NM researchers have struggled to find ways to keep them out of the phagocytes.  Delivered systemically or locally, with or without efforts to target NMs to other cells, most NMs will be ingested by phagocytes.  Looking at the efficient uptake of NMs by innate immune cells with an immune-centric viewpoint reveals the potential to use that phagocytic character to manipulate the innate cells and thereby manipulate the immune response. Depending on what the NM is made of and carries, the influence can be stimulatory to activate immune responses or suppressive to reduce already active immune responses. The symposium will highlight the many ways that NMs can be utilized to manipulate or inform about immune responses, and how NMs can be further exploited for cancer imaging and therapy.
 
As for cancer imaging, magnetic NMs find applications as contrast agents for MRI and as tracers for magnetic particle imaging (MPI). MRI is critical for visualizing soft tissue and organs. About one-third of over 60 million MRI scans are contrast-enhanced MRI. Magnetic NMs are considered safer alternatives to Gd-based contrast agents, which have recently shown adverse effects (e.g., nephrogenic systemic fibrosis and Gd deposition in the human brain, both being investigated by the FDA). MPI is an emerging molecular imaging technology that enables unambiguous, sensitive, and quantitative tomographic imaging of the biodistribution of magnetic NMs. Synthesis of magnetic NMs for MPI aims to improve resolution and signal-to-noise ratio, while advances in surface coatings aim to enhance blood circulation time, target disease sites, and enable tracking of cellular therapies. However, not only the imaging capability of magnetic NMs makes them suitable for clinical applications, but also their interaction with biological entities when remotely activated by exogenous polarizing fields, which endows them with extra potential as therapeutic agents to treat certain diseases. This could lead to the change of enzymatic activity on particle surfaces, selective cytoskeleton disruption of tumor cells, and remote control of cellular functionality as a result of the realignment of NM magnetic moments, which has the potential to cause detectable mechanical forces.

Immunomodulatory Biomaterials

This session will focus on engineered biomaterials to modulate and regulate immune functions in the settings of autoimmune diseases, allergies, transplantation, cancer immunotherapies, etc. Specifically, the session will cover topics ranging from biomaterials for drug delivery of immunomodulators and imaging agents, antigen delivery, scaffolds for immunomodulation, microbiome modulation, cell-based therapies, etc. Cutting-edge immunoengineering platforms will be included.

Immunomodulatory Biomaterials and Immune Cell Interfaces

The immune system is essential for tissue repair, regeneration, and homeostasis. Interactions with and among immune cells are critical to the success or failure of new therapies and medical devices. Further, harnessing and modulating the innate properties of immune functionality is a promising avenue to treat diseases, trauma, and congenital defects. This session aims to shed light on interfacial phenomena that occur between immune cells and tissues and on using biomaterial systems to enhance, modulate or direct the immune response, with the goal of better diagnosing or treating human diseases. Application areas include but are not limited to immune cell mobilization, immunomodulation using biomaterials, therapeutics (natural and synthetic), diagnostic devices/screening, implants, bioreactors, and modeling.

Incorporating Trained Immunity Concepts in Biomaterial Design

Trained immunity is an emerging concept that describes the phenomenon by which innate immune cells, especially macrophages, monocytes, and dendritic cells undergo metabolic reprogramming and epigenetic changes due to previous exposure to pathogens or endogenous stimuli. Understanding trained immunity can increase our ability to translate biomaterial technology to multiple disease contexts and by proxy multiple patient populations. Here we explore how biomaterials can be designed to modulate trained immunity responses.

Interfacing Biomaterials with Extracellular Vesicles

Cells naturally secrete diverse types of nanomaterials. In particular, recent studies highlight the role of lipid membrane-bound extracellular vesicles from cells in mediating various nanoscale biological processes, including intercellular communication, immunomodulation, and host remodeling. Emerging studies are showing different strategies to interface biomaterials with extracellular vesicles as a means to control their transport and retention with potential applications in disease modeling and tissue regeneration. The aim of the Symposium session is to introduce this new field to the biomaterials community and to feature recent progress in both fundamental and application-based studies that interface biomaterials with extracellular vesicles.

Interoception Mediated Musculoskeletal Tissue Regeneration

Central nervous system (CNS) has been found to play an important role in bone homeostasis. Indeed, the CNS receives signals from many physiological systems inside the body as interoception. It consists of ascending neural pathways that transmit the internal body signals to the brain, the CNS where the input interoceptive information is processed, and the descending neural pathways through which the interoceptive signals are circled back to regulate peripheral organs. Hence, this symposium aims to explore how biomaterials trigger or mediate the musculoskeletal tissue regeneration undergoing this specific pathway. 

Intersection of Biomaterials and Environmental Health

Biomaterials can play a pivotal role in understanding the impact of exposures to environmental pollutants on human health. This can be in the form of developing in vitro models (e.g., organ-on-a-chips) to assess toxicity, identifying mechanisms of mechanically-mediated chemical potency (e.g., ECM-chemical interactions), informing nanomaterial-cell interactions (e.g., nanoplastics), and understanding the role of environmental stressors in (eco)precision medicine (e.g., gene-environment interactions). The aim of this session is to inspire interdisciplinary collaboration between the fields of biomaterials and environmental health.

Manufacturing Dual Drugs Loading Liposomes Stimulated by Physical Activation

The drug delivery system using lipid nanoparticles is a method using biomaterials and is currently widely applied. It is used in many fields because its function also varies according to various types of lipids. These LNPs cannot carry many hydrophobic drugs in dual-drug delivery due to their structural characteristics.
In our study, we propose a method that can compensate for this drawback and deliver drugs more sensitively to the target. We give physical stimulation to LNPs to change the chemical properties of the head group. These changes enable more hydrophobic drug loading and more sensitive drug delivery according to environmental changes induced by breast cancer, a target cell.
This study makes it possible to treat cancer with more drugs, while reducing the amount of anticancer drugs that attack normal cells.

Nanomaterial Strategies for Immune Profiling

Profiling the immune system or complex systems at the single cell and analyte level is a helpful and necessary strategy to uncover important biomarkers that can lead to biological understanding driving the success or failure of various therapies. This session will explore research making an impact in this area, with a specific focus on nanotechnologies and other biomaterials approaches that help profile complex cellular phenotypes, patterns of cytokine expression, and cell or protein responses over time. Examples of these may include, but are not limited to: nanoparticles that bind to immune cells for phenotype characterization, in vivo biomaterials that recruit immune cells for ex vivo analyses, the use of interfacing biomaterial devices that enable investigation of immune cells or proteins.

Nanomaterials (SIG)

In this study, we show the effect of various LED wavelengths (blue, green, red and near infrared (NIR)) as physical regulators for gene delivery to stem cells by promoting nanomaterials behavior and regulating cell membrane permeability.
The size of nanoparticles produced with various LED wavelengths was evaluated in the colloidal state (agglomeration to single form). And physical stimulation of cell membranes using two type of LED wavelengths (blue and NIR) enhanced penetration of extracellular substances. The regulation of nanoparticle’s size and cell membrane permeability effectively increased the gene delivery to cells and protein expression by accelerating transfection process (cellular uptake, endosomal escape, PEI-gene dissociation).
LED effects on nanoparticles was confirmed using DLS, SEM, and Nanosight. In addition, cell membrane permeability was assessed by confocal laser microscopy, FACS and then transfection efficiency was demonstrated using confocal laser microscopy, FACS and Western blot.
Reduction of nanoparticles size by LED have potential value for stem cell therapy as LED-induced gene delivery system. Also, by increasing the cell membrane permeability, extracellular substances that cannot easily penetrate the cell membrane can be delivered effectively.

Nature Bioinspired Biomaterials and Strategies for TERM

Biologically derived polymers and composites offer excellent opportunities in the biomaterials field. This versatile class of materials includes biopolymers (polyhydroxy alkanoates, hyaluronic acid), polysaccharides (starch, chitin/chitosan, alginate) or proteins (collagen, fibrin, silk fibroin) enabling developing engineered systems with outstanding biological performance. The innovative use of its characteristics, taking advantage of the similar structure or composition with respect to biological tissues, enables designing high performance solutions for biocompatibility, biodegradability and bioactivity of biomaterials. Also the advanced areas of tissue engineering, drug delivery and smart/active/adaptative systems may benefit from the wealth of natural polymers existing in nature.

New Materials and Approaches to Enhance Current Cardiovascular Devices

While there are cardiovascular grafts commonly used clinically, there is a need for innovative biomaterials and approaches to improve these types of devices. For example, new regulations on fluoropolymers may impact the manufacture of ePTFE grafts. This session is interested in abstracts from researchers with innovative ideas relevant for different types of cardiovascular devices but also with a consideration of the potential for translation. This is also a chance to engage industry with the new research strategies being developed in the field.   

NSF-Funded Biomaterials Education Projects

This symposium will include program directors from the NSF Biomaterials (BMAT) program discussing opportunities and guidelines for educational outreach projects. Abstracts are invited from awardees of NSF CAREER, Professional Formation of Engineers: Research Initiation in Engineering Formation (PFE: RIEF), and EHR Core Research (ECR): Building Capacity in STEM Education Research (ECR: BCSER) grants to present outcomes from the educational and outreach activities of their awards. Abstracts on assessment tools, curriculum design, and education research funded through other mechanisms are also welcomed. 

Ophthalmic Biomaterials (SIG)

The Ophthalmic SIG of Society for Biomaterials  session focuses on biomaterials used in ocular applications. This will focus on the latest research in ocular biomaterials from basic science to clinical applications, with a special emphasis on translational research and the challenges associated with translating research to commercial applications. Research topics include, but are not limited to, biomaterials science, tissue engineering, drug delivery, cell-material interactions, and medical devices with ophthalmic applications. Diverse research topics and perspectives are strongly encouraged in this session. In particular, this session will showcase research from academia and industry, including ocular biomaterials currently being translated to the clinic.

Orthopaedic Biomaterials (SIG)

The Orthopaedic Biomaterials Special Interest Group is focusing on new technologies and materials advances in orthopaedic surgery. The three immediate goals of this emerging Special Interest Group are: 1) solicitation of new members for the Special Interest Group from current Society membership and from non-members actively engaged in research and development of improved materials for orthopaedics, 2) identification of key issues in orthopaedic materials that should be addressed within the Society, and 3) cooperation between Special Interest Group membership and the chairman of the Program Committee for the Annual Meeting to assist in the coordination of the scientific program.

Overcoming the Ill Effects of Aging Around the World

Recent research has identified anti-aging strategies that extend a healthy life span. Nanosystems that promote neuroprotection and neuroregeneration to address nervous system problems in older patients is a strategy of high interest.  Eliminating or modifying the accumulation of senescent cells in the elderly is another new strategy. This international symposium will feature biomaterials research from around the world that is focussed on overcoming age-related diseases.  Drug delivery, tissue engineering or immune modulation approaches with applications to the nervous system, or musculoskeletal or inflammatory diseases are sought. These include neural targeted nanoparticles, bioactive hydrogels, and aged neural tissue testing platforms. Localized delivery of anti-aging drugs evaluated in aging animal models that down-regulate inflammaging will be highlighted. This symposium is co-organized by the European Society for Biomaterials and together we have aspirations to accelerate international scientific exchange and stimulate international collaboration.

Oxygen Imaging Assessment of Beta Cell Replacement Devices

This symposium will feature electron paramagnetic resonance oxygen imaging (EPROI) assessment of beta cell replacement devices aimed to cure type-1 diabetes (T1D). Various strategies to address the oxygen needs of beta cells have been devised in the field and therefore it is important to address three-dimensional noninvasive oxygen assessment of these devices. The symposium will cover educational topics detailing the principles and methods to acquire oxygen images as well as assessment of beta cell replacement devices in vitro and in vivo in small animals using EPROI. 

Pediatric Drug Delivery and Device Design

Children represent a small proportion of the sick population, and although this is fortunate, the market for pediatric drug formulations and medical devices to treat pediatric patients is small.  Additionally, the pediatric population as a whole (0-17 years) is heterogeneous with differing dosing and drug delivery requirements depending on the age and developmental and clinical state of the patient.  A special session within the Society for Biomaterials is highlighting this great need and also great opportunity for our research community to contribute to the development and manufacture of innovative advances for the treatment of pediatric patients.  We are currently accepting abstracts, so please share your advances in pediatric drug delivery and device design.  We have already contacted Dr. Anne Zajicek, former Director of the NICHD and current NIH Deputy Associate Director of the Office of Clinical Research, and she has offered to be our keynote speaker for the 2023 session. 

Peptides as Therapeutics and Biomaterials

Peptides are chemically defined and possess a wide range of biofunctions including ligand binding, proteolytic susceptibility, and self-assembly. Owing to these features, peptide-based biomaterials show wide range of capacities to encapsulate payload, to engage cellular receptors, respond to stimuli and surrounding environments, and modulate cell functions as drug or immune antigens. These unique advantages, along with an outstanding safety profile, make peptide-based biomaterials very attractive in a variety of biomedical applications including stimuli-responsive biomaterials, drug delivery, tissue regeneration, and immune modulation. This session will cover all aspects of peptide-based therapeutics and biomaterials ranging from fundamental concepts of self-assembly to therapeutic applications. We will feature recent advances in the development of biomaterials including, but not limited to, peptides acting as bioactive components, peptides functioning as targeting ligands, and peptides serving as scaffold building blocks. We will highlight applications including biomedical imaging, disease diagnosis and treatment, tissue regenerations, and immune modulations.

Reduction of Nanoparticle's Size and Acceleration of Cell Membrane Permeability by LED Irradiation

In this study, we show the effect of various LED wavelengths (blue, green, red and near infrared (NIR)) as physical regulators for gene delivery to stem cells by promoting nanomaterials behavior and regulating cell membrane permeability.
The size of nanoparticles produced with various LED wavelengths was evaluated in the colloidal state (agglomeration to single form). And physical stimulation of cell membranes using two type of LED wavelengths (blue and NIR) enhanced penetration of extracellular substances. The regulation of nanoparticle’s size and cell membrane permeability effectively increased the gene delivery to cells and protein expression by accelerating transfection process (cellular uptake, endosomal escape, PEI-gene dissociation).
LED effects on nanoparticles was confirmed using DLS, SEM, and Nanosight. In addition, cell membrane permeability was assessed by confocal laser microscopy, FACS and then transfection efficiency was demonstrated using confocal laser microscopy, FACS and Western blot.
Reduction of nanoparticles size by LED have potential value for stem cell therapy as LED-induced gene delivery system. Also, by increasing the cell membrane permeability, extracellular substances that cannot easily penetrate the cell membrane can be delivered effectively.

Sex as a Biological Variable in Biomaterials Research

Sex differences exist in both health and disease, yet our mechanistic knowledge of the underlying sex-specific molecular and cellular mechanisms involved remain poorly characterized. In terms of biomaterials, the effects of sex on processes such as fibrosis, wound healing, tissue regeneration, and immune rejection, are only now beginning to be appreciated. In this session, we seek to highlight the latest research in biomaterials-based technologies that enable sex-specific understanding of biological mechanisms in health and disease. Topics in this session include (and are not limited to) using biomaterials to design sex-specific cellular microenvironments, understand sex-specific disease pathologies and immune responses, and and develop sex-specific drug delivery and tissue engineered approaches. Incorporating sex as a biological variable in biomaterials research may enable the improved understanding of sex differences in health and disease and provide a path toward sex-specific therapies to help benefit diverse patient populations.

SFB-PRA (Postdoctoral Recognition Award)

The goal of this 3rd SFB PRA is to recognize excellence in future leaders of biomaterials in academia and industry by awarding the top abstracts submitted by SFB postdoctoral trainees. Finalists will be chosen to present at the PRA competition during the 2023 SFB Annual Meeting based on the scientific merit of the abstract and CV. The top 3 award recipients will be selected upon the quality and presentation of their work judged by the award committee assembled by selected faculty, industry representatives and members of the Young Scientist Group.

Smart Biomaterials

Smart biomaterials (i.e., targeted, stimuli-, bio-responsive, autonomous) are those that change one or more of their properties in response to a stimulus. These biomaterial systems have great potential for the efficient delivery of therapeutics, increasing therapeutic activity, while decreasing toxicity and other adverse effects like drug resistance. This session will describe the state-of-the-art on the design, development, and application of smart biomaterials in different areas of medicine including tissue engineering, drug delivery, medical devices, tissue regeneration, antimicrobial, remineralization, self-healing, and immune engineering.

Stimuli-Responsive Biomaterials

Materials that respond to environmental stimuli, such as heat, light, pH, or biological signals, provide unique tools for environmentally-responsive and/or temporal changes in biomaterial properties over time. These materials have broad potential applications in drug delivery, cell-responsive materials, tissue engineering, and medical device implantation. This session will highlight recent advances in designing and characterizing stimulus-responsive biomaterials.

Tissue Engineering (SIG)

Tissue Engineering SIG is a forum to exchange information, further knowledge, and promote greater awareness regarding all aspects of the use of biomaterials to engineering tissue substitutes or to promote tissue regeneration. Of primary interest and relevance to TE SIG is the use of appropriate materials (synthetic and natural) with cells (either native or from a donor source) and/or biological response modifiers (e.g., growth factors, cytokines and other recombinant products) to replace tissue and organ functions. Particular emphasis is placed on the development of materials to better incorporate, protect, and deliver both the cells and biological response modifiers to help promote the healing and regenerative processes. The group is committed to forging interactions among basic scientists, applied scientists, engineers, clinicians, industrial members, professional societies in related fields, and regulatory groups in its efforts to expand and effectively utilize the shared knowledge base in this multidisciplinary field.

Translational Tissue Engineering Therapies in Preclinical Models of Injury and Trauma

A major goal of tissue engineering is to induce and precisely guide regeneration in vivo through the use of engineered biomaterials. The complex nature of living systems suggests the need for translational therapies that are interdisciplinary, often leveraging the fields of engineering, medicine, developmental biology, and stem cell science. This session seeks to highlight recent efforts to demonstrate the functional benefits of biomaterials for tissue engineering in preclinical in vivo models of injury, trauma, and disease. Specifically, we invite abstracts on research that highlights therapies further along the translational spectrum that elicit longer-term functional benefits (e.g., behavioral and/or anatomical) and transcend initial short-term metrics of retention, feasibility, and safety.

Underrepresented Voices in Biomaterials Science and Engineering

The purpose of this session is to highlight the research conducted by biomaterials scientists and engineers from historically excluded groups and marginalized communities, including but not limited to Black/African American, Hispanic/Latinx, and Native/Indigenous groups. Our session will consist of one invited keynote speaker and 10 short talks from submitted abstracts to our session. Note participation may require two presentations of your abstract submission.

Understanding Biomaterial Behavior is Key to Use of Digital Twins in Biomedical Research 

 Despite advances in research, the success rate for new treatments in clinical trials has not advanced in 20 years. The transition from success in animal models to success in humans remains the bottleneck as the human systems cannot be replicated in an animal model. However, in recent years multiscale digital twins of human organs and body systems have demonstrated the possibility to replace animals as the foundation of biomedical research. When developed through open mechanisms such as the Living Heart Project, they hold the promise of systematically growing in fidelity over time, allowing animals to be required as a safety screen prior to human testing. Uses include development of implanted devices, wearable sensors, drug and delivery systems and even complete organ regeneration. New and novel biological materials will be needed with greater flexibility and biocompatibility, as evidenced by the encouragement of the USFDA for more research and better community coordination.

 

The 6 Types of Sessions

How Does an Idea Become a Session?