Peptides are functional modules of protein macromolecules that can be displayed apart from the whole protein to create biofunctional surfaces and interfaces, or can be re-assembled in new ways to create synthetic mimics of protein structures. Each of these routes are being employed to gain new insight into protein folding and to develop new, functional, biomolecular materials. Examples of work from our laboratory in this area using peptide-lipid conjugate molecules will be discussed relating to multi-functional surfaces, liposomal drug delivery, protein analogous micelles, DNA-binding peptide modules and anti-microbial peptides.

The National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network Computation initiative (NNIN/C) is a multi-university program, funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) to establish a national computing resource. This network is open to the academic and industrial research communities and provides hardware resources and simulation tools dedicated to nanoscience research. In this talk I will describe NNIN/C and its software resources, with a focus on biomedical applications. I will describe one particular application which computes transport properties of ion channels and point out some similarities between the physics of ion channels and that of transport in semiconductor heterostructures.

Deficient or excess vascularization is often associated with disease, and both states may occur simultaneously in different tissues (e.g., retina versus cardiac tissue in diabetes). Material systems capable of region-specific, sustained presentation of combinations or sequences of molecular drugs that regulate angiogenesis have been developed, and demonstrated to allow for local enhancement or repression of vascularization and tissue perfusion. These systems may find utility in the treatment of ischemic diseases (e.g., coronary artery disease), and provide a central technology for regulating the broad array of other processes dependent on angiogenesis (e.g., osteogenesis, tumorigenesis).

Two areas of research will be discussed that highlight the expanding role of electrochemistry in biomedicine and biotechnology: biofuel cells and regenerative medicine. An overview of each area will be given followed by specific examples from our laboratory and that of others. Perspectives on the technical challenges to commercialization of these technologies will be provided.

Advances in drug delivery and tissue engineering are revolutionizing medical therapies. New drug delivery technologies including novel polymers and intelligent microchips promise to create new treatments for cancer, heart disease and many other illnesses. Furthermore, by combining mammalian cells with synthetic polymers, new approaches for engineering tissues are being developed that may someday help repair tissues for patients with burns, damaged cartilage, paralysis and vascular disease.