Sharon Gerecht Receives 2026 Florence R. Sabin Award
Gerecht was recognized for her trailblazing stem cell and vascular bioengineering research and her steadfast mentorship to young scientists
Biomaterials Science
Designing soft materials, nanomaterials, immune-active materials and scaffolds for tissue engineering
Duke BME is home to a diverse and longstanding research community focusing on the area of biomaterials, the discipline of studying and designing non-living materials and devices that interface with physiological systems.
Ongoing interests include the molecular design of soft materials, nanomaterials, immune-active materials, scaffolds for tissue engineering, and basic investigations into the complex mechanisms by which materials engage biology. Our work in this area is highly multidisciplinary, combining materials science, cell biology, clinical science, immunology, stem cell biology, genome science, and others.
Research in the broad field of Biomaterials has led to the development of an incredible range of implantable biomedical devices over the past several decades, and it continues to be central to the introduction of new medical therapies ranging from engineered tissues to delivery vehicles for genes and drugs, to immune therapies.
Key Research Areas
- Drug & Gene Delivery
- Biopolymers
Our Collaborators
Duke BME’s biomaterials researchers are broadly interactive with departments throughout the university including Duke University Medical Center clinical departments, the Duke University School of Medicine departments of Cell Biology and Immunology, the Duke Department of Chemistry, and others.
Recent Biomaterials News
Oral GLP-1s Without Fasting or Reduced Efficacy
New oral drug delivery approach protects peptide-based drugs like GLP-1s from destruction in the stomach.
How to Heal a Broken Heart
Nenad Bursac is growing beating human heart tissue in his lab to test emerging heart repair treatments such as gene therapy.
Duke Researchers Study Immune System Response to Chemotherapy for Colorectal Cancer
John Hickey is helping the Duke Cancer Institute (DCI) launch a first-of-its-kind study that could bring new hope to patients living with advanced colorectal cancer.
Congenital Heart Disease Mutation Linked to Kidney Damage
Discovering the link between congenital heart disease and kidney problems could improve outcomes for patients with the disease
Cameron Kim Receives ASEE Biomedical Engineering Teaching Award
Kim was recognized for his leadership in the field of engineering education
Associated Faculty
Ashutosh Chilkoti, Ph.D.
Alan L. Kaganov Distinguished Professor of Biomedical Engineering
Joel Collier
Associate Dean for Doctoral Education, Theodore Kennedy Professor of BME
Ken Gall
Professor in the Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science
Sharon Gerecht
Chair of Biomedical Engineering, Paul M. Gross Distinguished Professor
Charlie Gersbach
John W. Strohbehn Distinguished Professor of Biomedical Engineering
Dr Brent Hoffman, Ph.D.
Associate Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering
David Katz, Ph.D.
Nello L. Teer, Jr. Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Biomedical Engineering, in the Edmund T. Pratt, Jr. School of Engineering
Cameron M Kim
Associate Director of Undergraduate Studies, Assistant Professor of the Practice in the Department of BME
Jason F Luck
Assistant Professor of the Practice in the Department of Biomedical Engineering
Dr Mike Lynch, M.D., Ph.D.
Director of Master’s Studies, W. H. Gardner, Jr. Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering
Robert A. Malkin
Professor of the Practice Emeritus in the Department of Biomedical Engineering
Samira Musah, Ph.D.
Alfred M. Hunt Faculty Scholar Assistant Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering
Barry Myers, M.D., Ph.D.
Coulter Program Director, Professor of Biomedical Engineering
Wanda Krassowska Neu
Professor Emeritus of Biomedical Engineering
Kathy Nightingale, Ph.D.
Director of Graduate Studies, Theo Pilkington Distinguished Professor of BME
Mark L. Palmeri
Professor of the Practice in the Department of Biomedical Engineering
Michael Rubinstein, Ph.D.
Aleksandar S. Vesic Distinguished Professor
Tatiana Segura
Robert Plonsey Distinguished Professor of Biomedical Engineering
Cynthia Ann Toth
Joseph A.C. Wadsworth Distinguished Professor of Ophthalmology
George Truskey, Ph.D.
Associate Chair for Education, R. Eugene and Susie E. Goodson Distinguished Professor of Biomedical Engineering
Shyni Varghese
Adjunct Professor in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery
Tuan Vo-Dinh, Ph.D.
R. Eugene and Susie E. Goodson Distinguished Professor of Biomedical Engineering
Patrick D. Wolf
Associate Professor Emeritus of Biomedical Engineering
Junjie Yao, Ph.D.
Jeffrey N. Vinik Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering
Lingchong You, Ph.D.
James L. Meriam Distinguished Professor of Biomedical Engineering
Other Research Specialties
Explore additional specialty research areas in Duke BME and throughout the Pratt School of Engineering.