Materials Inspired by Biology : 2003 MRS Spring Meeting Symposium Proceedings

Continued interest in the field of biologically inspired materials is strongly motivated by the fact that the nanoscale and microscale organization found in biological materials often leads to exceptional macroscopic materials properties. The ability to mimic these structures should lead to new synthetic materials with similarly remarkable behavior in both biomedical and materials arenas. This has led to an enormous amount of research in a variety of materials areas, including those aimed at: 1) unique ceramics or composites for use in biomaterials, magnetic and optical applications; 2) self-assembled biopolymeric systems for use in biomaterials and biosensor applications; and 3) colloidal and amphiphilic systems for application in biomedicine, nanotechnology and biosensors. Accordingly, this volume brings together a broad range of researchers whose interests span the full breadth of biology, and in addition, those who find different "inspiration" in biology itself. For some, that inspiration is in the creation of new materials that have important biological (especially biomedical) applications. For others, it is the imitation of the behavior of a biological material, molecule or process that is of interest. Finally, with increasing frequency, researchers are drawing inspiration from the synthetic pathways that biology uses, exploiting these pathways, and modifying them chemically or genetically to make entirely novel molecules and materials. Biologically inspired materials is a rapidly evolving arena of materials science research, and the work presented here reflects recent advances and new perspectives in the field. Topics include: tissue engineering and biomaterials; novel biomimeticand bioinspired polymers; biomineralization, colloidal and templated materials; and amThomas, J. L. is the author of 'Materials Inspired by Biology : 2003 MRS Spring Meeting Symposium Proceedings', published 2003 under ISBN 9781558997110 and ISBN 1558997113.