University of Washington Engineered Biomaterials, (UWEB) was founded as a National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center in September, 1996, with Dr. Buddy D. Ratner as the Director. It continues to this day as a university and industry consortium partnership.
The premise of our center is based on improving a critical component of the medical device industry: biomaterials that heal. Dr. Ratner and the other UWEB leaders focused their research at UWEB on making “heal-able” synthetic materials for medical applications. The body would recognize these materials rather than seal them off as “foreign.” The physiologically normal healing of biomaterials could significantly improve the quality of life for millions.
Our objective is to exploit specific biological recognition mechanisms in order to develop a new generation of biomaterials for medical implants that will heal in the body in a facile, physiologically normal manner. UWEB brings together a cross-disciplinary team of materials scientists, molecular biologists, biomolecular engineers, biomaterials researchers, bioengineers and physicians, as well as industry leaders in the biomaterials field. The team is driven by sharply focused hypotheses addressing the reasons for poor healing in existing materials and the requirements for triggering normal healing.
The combined resources (people, facilities, equipment) in this consortium create the synergy needed to bring our goal to fruition. The UWEB consortium aims to develop a seamless partnership between academic researchers, students and industry, featuring scientific exploration, materials engineering, manufacturing strategies, pre-clinical testing and advanced education.
Commitment to education has been key to UWEB’s mission. Over the years UWEB developed innovative undergraduate, graduate, and post-doc programs, seminar series, a heart health education program, and many “K-Gray” outreach activities as well as an undergraduate engineering research journal.
The success of UWEB was guaranteed from its beginning. The work at UWEB has always been highly interdiciplinary, involving scientists and researchers in engineering, microbiology, dermatology, chemical engineering, nanotechnology, biology, dermatology, dentistry, biomechanical engineering, and medicine. Students come, eager to become part of our highly reputable center. They are given hands-on research training, and leave as highly desirable employees for industrial companies as well as research institutions. The first industrial consortium meeting was held in November 1996 for more than 20 new member companies, and since that time industry has come to look to UWEB for important technology transfer.
The number of UWEB students, investigators, and staff has grown tremendously and we now reside in the William H. Foege North Building for Bioengineering, located at the corner of 15th. Ave NE and Pacific St, where we occupy the 3rd floor laboratories and offices.
UWEB: A partnership between academia and industry.
- professors, students and companies focusing on robust, manufacturable biomaterials that are specifically recognized by biological systems and that enhance the healing and integration of those materials upon implantation;
- an investment in the basic biology of wound healing to provide the information needed for rational engineering of healing biomaterials;
- control of the macrophage by receptor interactions to promote healing and integration;
- a new engineering based upon nanoassembly and molecular orientation of specific receptor units;
- a novel “delivery” mode for peptides and receptors offering high reactivity and inhibition of non-specific reactions via tight surface structure control;
- a new materials science emphasizing molecular design, molecular engineering and optimized surfaces;_
- a closer partnership between academia and industry with protection of IP for our industry partners;
- a paradigm shift in how biomaterials work and how we control healing. We, the bioengineers, will take charge of directing healing to meet specific needs;
- a modern, interdisciplinary curriculum to train a new generation of students needed to populate a new biomaterials industry;
- a focus on enhancing ethnic and cultural diversity within the science and engineering communities.
Where To Find Us:
Wm. H. Foege Building
3rd Floor North
3720 15th Ave NE
Seattle, WA. 98195-5061
