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General Sessions:

A General Session is on a topic that is familiar to the general membership. Abstracts reflect the most current research in that field.

• Surface Modification and Characterization of Biomaterials
• Polysaccharide-Based Biomaterials
• Ophthalmologic Biomaterials
• Toll-like Receptor Interaction with Biomaterial Implants
• Tissue Engineered Products for Clinical Applications
• Urological Tissue Engineering and Biomaterials
• D rug/biomedical Device Combination Products
• Advances in Drug Delivery
• Protein Adsorption on Microdevice
• Biomaterials and Microscale Technologies for Biomedical Applications
• High Throughput Screening Methodologies for Biomaterials
• Nanoparticles for Drug Delivery and Imaging
• Protein Polymers and DNA Based Nanostructures
• Special Interest Groups

• Surface Modification and Characterization of Biomaterials
  The modification of the outermost surface of biomaterial constructs continues to drive the evolution of implant functionality. Such treatments include those that regulate the elution of therapies, reduce the inflammatory response, resist thrombus or biofilm formation, and those that induce specific biological responses such as cell anchoring and tissue in-growth. Development of ever more sophisticated treatments demands the ability to characterize ever subtler structures within the top nanometers of a surface. Today's new surface characterization methods permit the biomaterial scientist to probe the orientation and structure of proteins and other molecular features with ever greater detail. Presenters are encouraged to highlight developments in such characterization methods as Electron Spectroscopy for Chemical Analysis (ESCA), Time-Of-Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (TOF-SIMS), scanning probe microscopies (AFM, SNOM), Near Edge Absorption for Fine Structure (NEXAFS), Sum Frequency Generation (SFG), Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR), etc.
  
• Polysaccharide-Based Biomaterials
  Polysaccharide-based biomaterials have wide-ranging applications, including use as tissue engineering scaffolds, drug delivery vehicles, and tissue bulking agents. This class of materials includes numerous molecules such as hyaluronic acid, alginate, chondroitin sulfate, dextrans, and chitosan. Polysaccharides have been used to generate coatings, films, hydrogels, microspheres, and sponges; their chemical modification has allowed for numerous crosslinking methods and combination with a wide variety of other molecules to create composite biomaterials. Furthermore, polysaccharide-based biomaterials can be inherently bioactive, regulating cell behavior and initiating specific intracellular signaling cascades. This session cuts across multiple biomaterial-related disciplines to provide a forum for investigators to present their recent developments in the synthesis, characterization, and application of polysaccharide-based biomaterials.
  
• Ophthalmologic Biomaterials
  Ophthalmologic biomaterials continue to evolve to meet the needs of patients and surgeons. Current challenges include the development of materials that can be implanted through smaller incisions, restore accommodation and filter UV and blue light while avoiding complications such as posterior capsular opacification and calcification. The treatment of diseases such as glaucoma, retinal diseases, and cataract represent growing opportunities for ophthalmic drug delivery. Devices intended to deliver drugs to the various segments of the eye must address challenges such as drug metabolism, overcoming the blood-aqueous and blood-retina barriers and ultimately improve the ocular penetration of drugs.
  
  This session will highlight the latest research dealing with materials used for ophthalmologic devices. Such topics include new materials for devices such as foldable, accommodating or injectable IOLs, contact lenses, glaucoma shunts and viscosurgical devices. Topics may also include drug delivery strategies for glaucoma, chronic dry eye and age related macular degeneration as well as approaches to alleviating pathological complications such as posterior capsular opacification, implant calcification and infection.
• Toll-like Receptor Interaction with Biomaterial Implants
  As made clear in the 2006 SFB immunology panel, traditional concepts that innate immunity mechanisms do not interact with those of adaptive immunity and that only protein derivatives can act as epitopes are no longer valid. Complement components C3b and C3d--cases in point--not only interact with non-protein, but link innate and adaptive responses. It is also becoming evident that adaptive response cells such as dendritic cells can translate innate response signals to other adaptive immune cells via toll-like receptors. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) exist in both the plasma and nuclear membranes of at least two antigen presenting cells
  
• Tissue Engineered Products for Clinical Applications
  Abstracts for this session are being solicited by the Program Chair; the session title is self explanatory
  
• Urological Tissue Engineering and Biomaterials
  The aim of this session is to introduce the attendees of the biomaterials community to the current clinical needs and issues associated with reconstruction and tissue engineering of the urinary tract. The scope, however, will not be limited to research on tissue engineering, but include various biomaterials and devices used for the treatment of urological complications such as urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse. Submission of abstracts from both academic and industry laboratories is encouraged for discussion and exchange of ideas on the topics of: bladder / urethra tissue engineering scaffold materials, stem-cell therapy, biologically-derived and synthetic biomaterials for incontinence and female prolapse treatments, biomechanical evaluation of urological tissues, etc.
  
• Drug/biomedical Device Combination Products
  Abstracts for this session are being solicited by the Program Chair; the session title is self explanatory
  
• Advances in Drug Delivery
  This session will highlight recent advances in the field of drug delivery and focus on novel materials and methods to rationally produce biomaterials for the controlled delivery of therapeutics. Topics will emphasize innovative materials and devices for various routes of delivery such as transdermal, implantable, and oral drug delivery systems.
  
• Protein Adsorption on Microdevice
  Abstracts for this session are being solicited by the Program Chair; the session title is self explanatory
  
• Biomaterials and Microscale Technologies for Biomedical Applications
  Micro- and nanoscale technologies are useful for a number of biomedical applications since they can be used to fabricate small features at a low cost and in a reproducible manner. Novel biomaterials have been instrumental in advancing the functionality of these microscale technologies. For example, novel photocrosslinkable materials and polymers are instrumental in the development of microscale devices for tissue engineering and lab-on-a-chip applications. In addition, microscale technologies such as microfluidics and molding technologies have led to the generation of new, custom-designed biomaterials with desired chemical or structural properties. This session aims to present the state-of-the-art research in the merger of micro- and nanoscale technologies with novel biomaterials in applications related to surface patterning, drug delivery, diagnostic or screening tools, microdevice fabrication, microfluidics, micro- and nanomaterials synthesis and tissue engineering.
  
• High Throughput Screening Methodologies for Biomaterials
  Abstracts for this session are being solicited by the Program Chair; the session title is self explanatory
  
• Nanoparticles for Drug Delivery and Imaging
  Abstracts for this session are being solicited by the Program Chair; the session title is self explanatory
  
• Protein Polymers and DNA Based Nanostructures
  Abstracts for this session are being solicited by the Program Chair; the session title is self explanatory
  
• Special Interest Groups
  Any abstract submitted for "Special Interest Groups" review will be forwarded to the appropriate SIG for possible acceptance in their general session.