The UF Society for Biomaterials (SFB) hosted its Fifth Annual Biomaterials Day on March 11. This year’s theme was “Medical Advancement through Innovative Engineering.” This student-organized event featured a variety of sessions including academic presentations by an excellent array of researchers, student presentations, and an industry information session with regional biomaterials companies.

Students from the University of Florida and other regional universities competed in both poster and oral presentations to practice for national conferences and open a dialogue with their peers about their research. Biomaterials Day featured an industry information session attended by regional companies including UF BME’s industry partners Exactech and Axogen to help students who are looking for alternatives to academic careers or internships and co-ops in industry.

The keynote address was given by Dr. Steven Little, chair, department of chemical and petroleum engineering, from the University of Pittsburg who presented his research on harnessing and modeling controlled release to make medicine that imitates life.

Biomaterials Day 2016 also had an array of plenary talks given by:

•    Barbara Boyan, dean, School of Engineering, Virginia Commonwealth University

•    Kevin Healy, professor, Departments of Bioengineering and Materials Science & Engineering, University of California-Berkeley

•    Candan Tamerler, Wesley G Cramer Associate Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Kansas

•    Adam Katz, associate professor, Department of Surgery, UF College of Medicine

The talks covered a wide array of topics ranging from the use of surface features to regulate musculoskeletal behavior for bone implants and self-organized bio-nano interfaces to research about the commercialization of adipose-derived cell therapies and the use of microphysiological systems for high-content drug screening.

Daniel Stewart, UF BME Ph.D. student, won best oral presentation at the event. His talk was titled, “Viscoelastic Characterization of Brain Tissue Surrogates.” Daniel conducts research with UF BME affiliate faculty, Dr. Chelsey Simmons.

The UF SFB promotes student research, education and professional development in biomaterials. The goal is to inspire students with significant research being performed on biomaterials and to allow them to network with their peers, faculty, speakers and potential industry employers.