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International Symposium on Biointerface Science
New Bern River Convention Center
New Bern, NC, USA
May 12-14, 2005
Sponsored by Army Research Office, Pratt School of Engineering, Office of Provost, Duke University

The International Symposium on Biointerface Science (ISBS) is the first international meeting dedicated solely to the fundamentals of biomaterials interface science. Researchers in this field investigate the interface between biological and artificial surfaces — the interaction between nature’s soft-wet materials and engineered hard-dry materials.

Biointerface science emerges at the intersection of materials and surface science, molecular and cell biology, engineering, and medicine. The frontiers of this field have been developed rapidly, established by engineers across the globe. Duke University’s Center for Biologically Inspired Materials and Material Systems (CBIMMS) organized the ISBS with a twofold purpose: to map the contours of biointerface science, and to establish lines of communication and collaboration between scientists and engineers working at the very edges of that map.

Participants will include research program managers and leaders from industry as well as graduate and postdoctoral students. Discussion will be divided among three sections:

1) Nanoscale Biohybrid Materials Synthesis and Processing - The symposium will address recent advances in polymerization techniques for the synthesis of smart polymers, concurrent advances in biological synthesis of stimulus responsive polypeptides and their marriage: the creation of unique, hybrid materials.

2) Biointerface Science - ISBS will explore leading edge research into methods for immobilizing polymers and biomolecules at surfaces using surface-initiated polymerization, self-assembly, and post-translational modifications of biomolecules. Of special interest will be the experimental tools and theoretical models used to describe bio-interface phenomena with physical concepts, and the development of rules that allow predictive, model-driven research.

3) Integration and Manufacturing - Investigators will discuss how to integrate “soft-wet” material with “hard-dry” material on-chip to create the next generation of hybrid devices — including sensors, lab-on-chip devices, and self-reporting drug delivery devices that use the on-chip integration techniques pioneered in the opto-electronics area of research.

International Symposium on Surface and Colloid Chemistry Applied to Nanoscience
Lund University, Sweden
November 18-19, 2004
Satellite Symposium: Cell-Protein-Surface Interactions, November 17
Sponsored by Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research and its COLINTECH programme

Nanoscience and nanotechnology are today identified as new interdisciplinary research areas that include research areas as disparate as molecular biology and microelectronics. Formation and function of nanostructures are to a large extent controlled by surface and colloid science phenomena. The Symposium aims to discuss how we can control and characterize self-assembly processes to build nanostructures with increasingly complex structure and function.

The program will include invited lectures, oral presentations and posters.

Sessions include:
- Surface and colloid chemistry in nanotechnology
- Interfacial engineering using polymers, lipids and surfactants
- Mesoporous materials
- Colloidal self-assembly
- Nanosized and nanostructured particles

For more information, please see http://www.ykoll.fkem1.lu.se.

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Special Topics Short Course:
Supramolecular Assemblies
Instructor: Visiting Professor Alberto Ciferri
M/W/F, 11:55 AM-12:45 PM, September 8-27, 2004
Duke University, Room 205-C, Gross Chemistry Building
Sponsored by the Department of Chemistry

Course Number: CHEM 339.06
A series of 9 lectures concentrating on supramolecular assemblies and the fundamental aspects of molecular recognition underlying polymer nanotechnology. No required text. Class lecture notes to be distributed and readings will be from the primary literature. Graded pass/fail. 1 graduate unit credit. Limit 5. Interested graduate students should enroll through ACES as usual.

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Responsible Conduct in Research Workshop
May 11-12, 2004
Duke University, Room 304 Teer Building
Co-hosted by CBIMMS and the Medical Imaging Training Program

8:30-5:00 on May 11 and 8:30-1:00 on May 12.

Professors Elizabeth Myers from Weill Medical College of Cornell University and Stephanie Bird from MIT conducted the workshop. The following topics in case-based lecture and discussion were included:

• Introduction


• Study Design


• Research Subjects


• Data Integrity


• Publication Practices and Authorship


• Peer Review and Conflict of Interest


• Advisors and Mentoring

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National Society of Black Engineers National Conference
March 17-21, 2004
Dallas, Texas
CBIMMS was an exhibitor at the NSBE Career/College Fair.

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Applied Workshop on Dip Pen Nanolithography
February 23, 2004
Duke University, Hudson Hall Room 222 and Shared Materials Instrumentation Facility (SMIF) LSRC Room A06
Presenters: Jason Haaheim and Ray Eby, NanoInk, Inc.

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2003 Society of Women Engineers National Conference
October 9-11, 2003
Birmingham, Alabama
CBIMMS was an exibitor at this conference.

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Metro Atlanta Area Graduate School and Career Fair
CBIMMS was an exibitor at this conference.<>

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Workshop: Mechanics of Materials Interfaces
May 21-22, 2003
Sponsored by the Army Research Office, Solid Mechanics Branch and CBIMMS

Download Workshop Abstracts

This workshop provided an opportunity for faculty and investigators to identify critical issues related to material interfaces including crack propagation/mitigation/self-healing, soft-wet/hard-dry interfaces, and active/passive (smart) material interfaces with an obvious emphasis on identifying research directions with significant Army relevance.

Major engineering thrusts of interest including modeling, characterization, and design. The mechanics of material interfaces is a rich area of engineering and scientific study with a direct benefit to a broad spectrum of technology areas, such as coatings, polymer composites, lubrication, adhesives, biomedical implants, microelectronics, MEMS, and nanoscience. For the engineer, tailoring surface properties, and hence interfaces, involves controlling surface energy, lubricity, biocompatibility, adhesion, topography, and structure. However, the advent of new engineering materials from such areas as biology and nanoscience bring new challenges and opportunities. The potential exists to design composite materials that can withstand increased levels of impact, can control or stop the propagation of cracks through their interior, and possibly self-heal, repairing damage.