The University of Kentucky recently hosted Biomaterials Day, a regional conference sponsored by the Society for Biomaterials, UK College of Engineering and Bose Corporation. The conference was a collaborative effort among UK, Purdue University, and Case Western Reserve University to highlight cutting edge research in the field of biomaterials and showcase student work.

Keynote speaker William Wagner, Director of the McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh, lectured on his innovative work in cardiovascular engineering, such as the challenges of creating a patch that is mechanically able to replace or augment damaged heart tissue.

Students and postdoctoral scholars from six regional institutions gave oral or poster presentations on their research.

Martina Miteva, Vanderbilt University, received 2^nd place for her poster presentation, “A novel pH-responsive mixed micelle for siRNA delivery,” and Renay Su, Purdue University, earned 1^st place for her poster presentation on, “Characterization of Modular Resilin-based Proteins for Applications in Cartilage Engineering.”

In the oral presentations, Vanderbilt’s Shann Yu came in 2^nd place for his talk on, “Achieving Cancer Immunotherapy through RNA Interference in Tumor-Associated Macrophages via ‘Click,’ Mannosylated Polymeric Nanoparticles.” Samantha Meenach of the University of Kentucky won 1^st place with her discourse on, “Characterization and Optimization of Inhalable PEGylated Phospholipid Microparticles and Nanoparticles Containing Paclitaxel for Targeted Pulmonary Nanomedicine in Lung Cancer.”