There is a strong need for new materials to address current limitations in wound healing and in the translational aspects of wound healing. Progress in this area is limited by the void of information at the molecular level addressing cell-material interactions, at the tissue level addressing the evolution of implantable scaffolds, and at the organ level addressing the development of new intervention methods to enhance healing. This thrust aims to create novel experimental techniques and materials engineered from the nanoscale to the macroscale to overcome these challenges and enhance the healing of tissues including bone, cartilage, and skin. By tackling the steps between materials development and implantation, this research thrust is generating design rules and predictive models to determine the viability of a material in enhancing wound healing.

The thrust is committed to reducing health disparities by working with local hospitals and forming community-based partnerships that are designed to help better treat historically underserved populations. By increasing the standard of care for these groups, biomaterials can be used to resolve systemic inequalities in healthcare.

 

Thrust members: