Educational Programs in Cardiovascular Biomaterials

This unique graduate research opportunity in cardiovascular biomaterials is made possible by the Center for Cardiovascular Biomaterials, in conjunction with Case Western Reserve University, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, and the University of Cincinnati. The program is designed to address the need for collaboration among key areas of engineering and medical expertise and to allow students to capitalize upon the diverse strengths found across these institutions. Cross-disciplinary collaboration addresses specific issues in cardiovascular biomaterials and provides the philosophy that guides the education and training of graduate students. The Center for Cardiovascular Biomaterials recently was awarded a grant from the Whitaker Foundation to establish a graduate program in cardiovascular biomaterials. The Center has also received a major equipment award for $1,080,000 from the Ohio Board of Regents to purchase state-of-the-art instrumentation, including new facilities for scanning force microscopy, optical and confocal microscopy, flow cytometry, molecular modeling and simulation, cell culture, Langmuir-Blodgett films, and intravascular ultrasound imaging.

 

Enrollment Structure

Students may be enrolled in either the Department of Biomedical Engineering or Macromolecular Science at Case Western Reserve University, or in the interdepartmental Biomedical Engineering Program at University of Cincinnati. The Cleveland Clinic Foundation participates through a collaborative arrangement with CWRU.

Curriculum

Students will conduct research on existing funded research programs in the area of cardiovascular biomaterials under principal investigators at the respective institutions. The curriculum consists of challenging integrated-engineering and medical-science courses. In addition to fulfilling departmental requirements, students take medical science and engineering courses applicable to cardiovascular biomaterials.

Opportunities are available for interdisciplinary and inter-institutional collaborations as students gain access to the resources, facilities, and scientific and medical expertise of multiple institutions, made available through the Center. In addition, the Center is planning to hold an annual symposium where the participating graduate students will present their work. Included in this event will be external speakers invited to present topical overview lectures in the area of cardiovascular biomaterials. Integrated shared-use resources provide the expertise, state-of-the-art instrumentation, and facilities which are essential to innovative research in cardiovascular biomaterials . . .

Case Western Reserve University, the University of Cincinnati, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, and the Edison Biotechnology Center have made strong commitments to supporting cross-disciplinary research. Resources and facilities for the Center for Cardiovascular Biomaterials are shared across all three institutions.  

Areas of Research at Member Institutions

Case Western Reserve University:

Biocompatibility of Biomaterials

Structure and Properties of Biomaterials

Biopolymer and Biomaterial Interfaces

Surface Structure Analysis of Biomaterials & Cardiovascular Biomaterials

The Cleveland Clinic Foundation:

 

 

Biomedical Device Evaluation

Hemostasis and Thrombosis Laboratory

Universi1y of Cincinnati:

 

 

Cellular Dynamics

Cardiovascular Biomaterials

Each resource offers a well-defined research thrust area in cardiovascular biomaterials that is under the guidance of its resource Director. These resources provide the focus through which state-of-the-art facilities enable investigators to achieve major advances in biomedical materials research. Access to challenging collaborative research projects is made possible in the following areas:

Blood-materials interactions
Cell adhesion and function on biomaterials
Extracellular matrix
Protein-surface interactions
Biodegradation
Biosensors		Structure and function of biopolymers
Nanoscale imaging of cells and biopolymers
Biomolecular engineering of new biomaterials
Self-assembled monolayers and thin-film polymers
Bacterial adhesion

 

Associated Faculty Include:

Roger E. Marchant, Ph.D.
Principal Program Director
Assoc. Professor of Biomedical
Engineering and Macromolecular
Science, CWRU

James M. Anderson, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor of Pathology and
Biomedical Engineering, CWRU

Hiroaki Harasaki, M.D., Ph.D.
Program Co-Director of CCF Resource
Staff Physician, Department of Biomedical
Engineering, CCF; Adjunct Associate
Professor, CWRU

Kandice Kottke-Marchant, M.D., Ph.D.
Program Co-Director of CCF Resource
Staff Physician
Director of Coagulation Laboratory
CCF
Adjunct Assistant Professor
CWRU

Ronald W. Millard, Ph.D.
Program Director at UC
Professor of Pharmacology and
Cell Biophysics, UC

David L. Butler, Ph.D.
Head, Biomedical Engineering Program
Department of Aerospace Engineering, CWRU

Back to the CCB Homepage