2010 Panel on the biomaterials grand challenges

Abstract

In 2009, the National Academy for Engineering issued the Grand Challenges for Engineering in the 21st Century comprised of 14 technical challenges that must be addressed to build a healthy, profitable, sustainable, and secure global community (http://www.engineeringchallenges.org). Although crucial, none of the NEA Grand Challenges adequately addressed the challenges that face the biomaterials community. In response to the NAE Grand Challenges, Monty Reichert of Duke University organized a panel entitled Grand Challenges in Biomaterials at the at the 2010 Society for Biomaterials Annual Meeting in Seattle. Six members of the National Academies-Buddy Ratner, James Anderson, Allan Hoffman, Art Coury, Cato Laurencin, and David Tirrell-were asked to propose a grand challenge to the audience that, if met, would significantly impact the future of biomaterials and medical devices. Successfully meeting these challenges will speed the 60-plus year transition from commodity, off-the-shelf biomaterials to bioengineered chemistries, and biomaterial devices that will significantly advance our ability to address patient needs and also to create new market opportunities.

FIGURE 1

Panel for the Biomaterials Grand Challenge, 2010 Society for Biomaterials annual meeting, Seattle, WA. Left to right: Art Coury, Allan Hoffman, Jim Anderson, Buddy Ratner (panel moderator), Cato Laurencin, David Tirrell, and panel organizer Monty Reichert. [Color figure can be viewed in the online issue, which is available at wileyonlinelibrary.com.]

FIGURE 2

Scanning electron micrographs of sphere-templated porous structures (6S) where all pores are the same size and ~35 μm. The inset shows a macroscopic section of this material to illustrate the pore uniformity throughout the structure.

FIGURE 3

Vascularity as measured by endothelial staining for pHEMA sphere-templated porous structures (6S) implanted subcutaneously for one month in mice (data taken from Ref. 2).

FIGURE 4

Big Mac the activated macrophage. [Color figure can be viewed in the online issue, which is available at wileyonlinelibrary. com.]

FIGURE 5

Multiple cell types involved in the paracrine and juxtacrine signaling of wound healing and the foreign body response.

FIGURE 6

Light absorption versus T for a solution of a temperature-responsive “smart” polymer, such as polyNIPAAm. [Color figure can be viewed in the online issue, which is available at wileyonlinelibrary. com.]

FIGURE 7

Variety of polymeric scaffolds used by the Laurencin laboratory to build different tissue types. [Color figure can be viewed in the online issue, which is available at wileyonlinelibrary.com.]

FIGURE 8

The ABCDEFG domain of maitotoxin, a linear, polycyclic, multidomain neurotoxin. [Color figure can be viewed in the online issue, which is available at wileyonlinelibrary.com.]

FIGURE 9

Six examples of the cooperative and collective cell motions that comprise gastrulation. [Color figure can be viewed in the online issue, which is available at wileyonlinelibrary.com.]