Partnerships for Research and Education in Materials (PREM)

We have established a research and educational partnership between the MRSEC at Harvard University, the University of New Mexico (UNM), the Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute (SIPI) and the Albuquerque Public Schools (APS).
The partnership integrates alliances with local educational institutions, focusing on education and training of minority students, teacher-education, team-based research, and professional development at all levels to result in substantive institutional and infrastructure development. This systematic approach will have an enormous impact by achieving the goals of the PREM in the short term, while guaranteeing an enduring legacy for the NSF investment in the form of an active, multi-faceted, biomaterials education and research program in the State of New Mexico.
While research in biomaterials has long been a strength of the Harvard MRSEC, this strength has recently been amplified by addition of new faculty to the Division of Engineering and Applied Science, including Prof. David Mooney, a leader in the field of tissue engineering, and Prof. Kevin Kit Parker, an assistant professor with exceptional talents in the area of cell biomechanics. Likewise UNM has made research into biomaterials technologies a priority with the addition of new faculty and with the establishment this summer of the Center for Biomedical Engineering (CBME, G.P. Lopez, Director). In 2005, UNM hired Canavan, Edwards and Petsev, and in 2006, Dirk joined the faculty as well. Each of these new faculty members brings significant new strength to UNM in the area of biomaterials. A primary focus of the CBME is to enhance research and education in the area of nano-biomaterials, a natural growth area for UNM and for the State of New Mexico. Unlike most states, New Mexico does not yet have a formalized education program in biomedical / bioengineering.
We view the CBME, a research center that will focus on creating a critical mass of research activity in biomaterials and biomicrosystems, as an important first step toward achieving the goal of bringing educational opportunities in this important burgeoning area of technology to New Mexico. This approach is particularly attractive in a state with limited resources and limited options for the creation of new faculty slots. If we are successful, the CBME will represent one of a very few significant academic programs in biomedical engineering and biomaterials at a US Minority Serving Institution. We feel strongly that a partnership with the Harvard MRSEC, a true leader in biomaterials research and in the education of successful professionals, especially academics, will greatly improve the chances for long-lasting impact and success of biomaterials related programs in New Mexico. This partnership will provide an opportunity for minority participants at UNM to gain critical breadth in experience through visits to Harvard and through continuing interaction with Harvard researchers. The impact of this program will be further enhanced by development of partnerships with the Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute (SIPI) and the Albuquerque Public School (APS) System. UNM has a long history of success in working with these institutions, and in the education of minority scientists and engineers in general.
The success of our biomaterials programs, together with the commitment of the current team to minority education, will have a significant impact on the introduction of minorities into materials research at a national level. Role of Harvard MRSEC. Below we outline in detail how researchers at Harvard University will be involved in all aspects of this project including:

• collaborative research to develop new biomaterials technology, both at UNM and at Harvard;
• collaborative development of new educational tools for use in classroom visits and other outreach activities to the general public;
• collaborative research training of undergraduates, graduate students and postdocs;
• collaborative professional development of graduate students, postdocs and faculty members.

Research Highlight

The precise control of fluid transport in microchannels is of paramount importance for the successful design and operation of fluidic devices. Using miniature diodes embedded in the walls of fluidic microchannels in combination with AC field is a very simple and convenient tool to manipulate the flows in microchannels.
Mixing. Due to the low Reynolds number of microflows, mixing of components is a real challenge. Using properly oriented diodes allows to generate a vortex fluid motion by simply turning on a properly connected AC field source as shown in the figure.
Separation. Using diodes and a combination of AC and DC fields in a loop-shaped channel allows complete decoupling of the fluid electroosmosis from the analyte electrophoresis. Balancing the electrophoretic and convective forces on the different analytes allows for a very easy and efficient separation in the lower part of the loop in the picture.

Selected Publications

1. S.T. Chang, V.N. Paunov, D.N. Petsev and O.D. Velev. Nature Materials 6 (2007) p. 235