Bio-engineered Materials Expert to Speak Nov. 8 and 9

Akron, Ohio, Nov. 6, 2007— Dr. Buddy Ratner, renowned researcher in bio-engineered materials, and director of University of Washington Engineered Biomaterials (UWEB) will speak at The University of Akron Thursday and Friday, Nov. 8 and 9.

Thursday's presentation will be “Biointerface Engineering for Healing and Reconstruction”; Friday's is "Foundation Ideas for Tissue Engineering: Application to Heart Muscle and Esophagus." Both will be at 2 p.m. in the Polymer Engineering Academic Center, 250 S. Forge St.

“Dr. Ratner is an incredible star in the world of bio-engineered materials — we are very fortunate to have him share his expertise,” says Dr. George R. Newkome, president of The University of Akron Research Foundation, vice president for research and dean of the graduate school.

UA has been heavily involved in biomedical engineering for more than 25 years, beginning as a research institute in 1980 and an academic department in 1984. It now offers undergraduate, master's and doctoral degrees in biomedical engineering, with specialties in biomechanics and instrumentation, and signals and imaging. Biomedical engineering faculty and students conduct research on campus and in collaboration with local researchers in health care and industry.

Ratner became director of UWEB in 1996. He is also the Darland Endowed Chair in Technology Commercialization and professor of bioengineering and chemical engineering at the University of Washington.

He has launched two companies and three others have resulted from his research. His research interests include biomaterials, tissue engineering, polymers, biocompatibility, surface analysis of organic materials, self assembly, nanobiotechnology, and RF-plasma thin film deposition. He has written more than 400 scholarly works and holds 17 patents.

Ratner was elected a member of the National Academy of Engineering (USA) in 2002 and president of the Tissue Engineering Society of North America in 2003. He is on the council of the Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine International Society and is an associate editor of the Journal of Biomedical Materials Research. He is on the advisory board of the journal Biointerphases, and is on the editorial boards of 10 other journals.

His presentation is part of the 2007 Bayer Lectureship in Polymer Engineering. For more information on the Bayer lectureship, visit uakron.edu/cpspe/dpe/web/Bayer07.pdf.

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