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The Network of Excellence for Functional Biomaterials, NFB, is a multidisciplinary research center which hosts over sixty biologists, chemists, scientists, engineers, and clinicians. It is based at the National University of Ireland, Galway and is directed by Professor Abhay Pandit. NFB specialises in the development of biomaterials platforms with focus on clinical targets in the areas of musculoskeletal and cardiovascular reconstruction, neural regeneration, soft tissue repair and ophthalmic applications, and is continuously developing functional biomaterials for innovative therapeutic solutions. Functionality for these forms is achieved through custom chemistries which facilitate the attachment of surface tethered moieties or encapsulated therapeutic factors including drugs, genes, cells, growth factors, hormones and other active agents to specific target sites. While the NFB was initially established in 2003, the centre was incorporated into a Strategic Research Cluster (SRC) in 2007 with funding from Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) to establish collaborative partnerships with national and international universities and industries. NFB is continuously developing new technologies for use in gene delivery and drug delivery using a wide range of clinically relevant materials including naturally occurring biopolymers such as collagen, elastin, hyaluronic acid and chitosan; synthetic polymers, such as polyethylene glycol (PEG), poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA), poly(lactic acid) (PLA), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), polydioxanone (PDO), polycaprolactone (PCL); as well as metals, alloys, and ceramics. NFB’s researchers employ a range of nanotechnologies and micro-fabrication technologies (bottom-up or top-down) to create complex structures with topographical cues to be used as scaffolds for tissue engineering applications. State of the art facilities are available to evaluate the bulk, surface and biological properties of the produced biomaterials. ==Clinical targets== Research activities include prototype development of biomaterials from nano- to micro-scale to deliver therapeutics and diagnostics platforms. Biomaterial platforms at NFB include: scaffolds with instructive biophysical signals, functional nanoparticles, hyper-branched polymers and cell-sheet technologies. The focus is on the use of biomaterials to address key clinical targets as follows: 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Network of Excellence for Functional Biomaterials」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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