Travel Support for Students, Post-Docs, and Young Faculty to Attend the Symposium on ?(Bio)Polymer-Directed Mineralization? at ACS meeting, Chicago, IL, March 25-27, 2007

University Of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia PA

Investigators

Abstract

DMR/BMAT-0714708 (Shu Yang, University of Pennsylvania) $4000 from BMAT ($2500) and POL ($1500) Travel Support for Students, Post-Docs, and Young Faculty to Attend the Symposium on "(Bio)Polymer-Directed Mineralization" at the ACS National Meeting, March 25-27, 2007. INTELLECTUAL MERIT: Mineralized biological tissues exhibit hierarchical organization on length scales ranging from nanometers to meters. These tissues are almost always composites involving biopolymer matrices and inorganic salts. They frequently possess remarkable structural, mechanical, and optical properties that provide an inspiration for new tough and lightweight engineered hybrid materials. Control of crystal nucleation and growth is critically important for a diverse range of applications, including catalysis, lightweight structural materials, biomedical devices, and optoelectronics. This symposium brings together a group of 20 invited international experts to share their recent results on such topics as * Lessons from nature - biomineralization mechanisms and structures * Synthesis and assembly of biological and synthetic polymer templates * Mineralization directed by biological or synthetic polymers * Polymer-mediated nanoparticle synthesis and organization * Mineralization on patterned polymer templates * Construction of porous inorganic solids from micro- to macro-scale * Optical, structural, and mechanical properties of (bio)minerals * Computer modeling of polymer controlled mineralization Research in there areas has implications not only for creation of new engineering materials but also for therapeutic applications in healing and repair of mammalian hard tissues. BROADER IMPACT: The symposium organizers will use all of the funds awarded to facilitate attendance by graduate students, postdoctorals, and younger faculty giving oral presentations who might otherwise not be able to attend. Priority will be given to students who will attend their first national ACS meeting and to those in groups underrepresented in science. All of these attendees will have access to the latest developments in the field of bioinspired composite materials.