The field of biomaterials encompasses the design, synthesis and study of natural or synthetic materials to either detect disease or repair, restore or replace lost function. While biomaterials have been around since the beginning of medicine, knowledge of how the body interacts with implanted materials has grown exponentially. This, in turn, has transformed the field from one where any surgically available materials were used indiscriminately to precise selection of biocompatible materials.
Recent advances have moved beyond passive biomaterials that are walled off by the body to ones that actively participate in the body's efforts to repair itself. Such biomimetic and bioactive materials are designed to more accurately interact with the body's natural structures and functions, from macro to micro to nano and molecular levels.
Materials-related research in the Department of Biomedical Engineering focuses on four main areas:
Nanomedicine – Creation of nano and micro platforms that deliver therapeutic payloads and respond to delivery stimulus. Applications include imaging agents, vaccines and immunotherapies.
Biomedical Devices – Using structure/function relationships and bio-inspired approaches to develop new categories of biomaterials that better sense and/or mimic their biological environment and are capable of changing to meet the clinical need.
Drug Delivery – Developing a better understanding of therapeutic delivery to create clinically relevant delivery profiles, in situ reloading and targeted delivery. Applications include cancer, cardiovascular disease, infectious disease, inflammation and ophthalmological diseases.
Tissue Engineering – Combining stem cell and biomolecule delivery approaches to create tissues in vitro and promote their integration and repair in vivo. Applications include cardiovascular, orthopedic and neural tissues.
Affiliated Labs and Centers
Faculty
Abhinav Acharya, PhD
Associate ProfessorBiomedical EngineeringCase School of EngineeringSchool of MedicineMemberCancer Imaging ProgramCase Comprehensive Cancer CenterEmail: axa1826@case.edu
Suneel S. Apte
Associate ProfessorDepartment of Molecular MedicineSchool of MedicineMemberMolecular Oncology ProgramCase Comprehensive Cancer CenterEmail: aptes@ccf.org
Phone: 216.445.3278
James P. Basilion, PhD
ProfessorDepartment of Biomedical EngineeringDepartment of RadiologyCase School of Engineering, School of MedicineCo-LeaderCancer Imaging ProgramCase Comprehensive Cancer CenterEmail: james.basilion@case.edu
Phone: 216.983.3264
Jeffrey Capadona, PhD
Vice Provost for InnovationDonell Institute ProfessorDepartment of Biomedical EngineeringCase School of Engineering, School of MedicinePrincipal InvestigatorDepartment of Biomedical EngineeringCapadona LabSenior Research Career ScientistLouis Stokes Cleveland Department of Veterans Affairs Medical CenterEmail: jeffrey.capadona@case.edu
Phone: 216.368.5486
Steven Eppell, PhD
Associate ProfessorDepartment of Biomedical EngineeringCase School of EngineeringSchool of MedicineDirectorNanoscale Orthopedic Biomaterials Laboratory - NOBLEmail: steven.eppell@case.edu
Phone: 216.368.4067
Efstathios (Stathis) Karathanasis, PhD
Associate ChairDepartment of Biomedical EngineeringSchool of MedicineProfessorDepartment of Biomedical EngineeringCase School of Engineering, School of MedicineMemberCancer Imaging ProgramCase Comprehensive Cancer CenterEmail: efstathios.karathanasis@case.edu
Phone: 216.368.4617
Zheng-Rong Lu, PhD
ProfessorDepartment of Biomedical EngineeringCase School of Engineering, School of MedicineM. Frank Rudy and Margaret Domiter Rudy Professor of Biomedical EngineeringMemberCancer Imaging ProgramCase Comprehensive Cancer CenterEmail: zheng-rong.lu@case.edu
Phone: 216.368.0187
Miklos Gratzl, PhD
Associate ProfessorDepartment of Biomedical EngineeringCase School of Engineering, School of MedicineEmail: miklos.gratzl@case.edu
Phone: 216.368.6589
James Seckler, PhD
Research Assistant ProfessorDepartment of Biomedical EngineeringSchool of MedicineEmail: james.seckler@case.edu
Phone: 216.375.2528
Anirban Sen Gupta, PhD
ProfessorDepartment of Biomedical EngineeringCase School of Engineering, School of MedicineMemberCancer Imaging ProgramCase Comprehensive Cancer CenterEmail: anirban.sengupta@case.edu
Phone: 216.368.4564
Sam Senyo, PhD
Associate ProfessorDepartment of Biomedical EngineeringCase School of EngineeringSchool of MedicineEmail: sam.senyo@case.edu
Andrew Shoffstall, PhD
Associate ChairCase School of EngineeringInterim Faculty DirectorSears think[box]Associate ProfessorDepartment of Biomedical EngineeringCase School of EngineeringSchool of MedicineEmail: andrew.shoffstall@case.edu
Phone: 216.368.1213
Horst A. von Recum, PhD
Executive Vice ChairCase School of EngineeringProfessorDepartment of Biomedical EngineeringCase School of EngineeringSchool of MedicineMemberCancer Imaging ProgramCase Comprehensive Cancer CenterEmail: horst.vonrecum@case.edu
Phone: 216.368.5513
Mei Zhang, PhD
Assistant ProfessorDepartment of Biomedical EngineeringCase School of EngineeringMemberImmune Oncology ProgramCase Comprehensive Cancer CenterEmail: mei.zhang2@case.edu
Phone: 216.844.3098
Associated Faculty
Name | Title | Contact Information |
---|---|---|
Akkus, Ozan |
Associate Professor |
Case Western Reserve University Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Phone: 216.368.4175 Fax: .216.368.4969 Email: ozan.akkus@case.edu |
Baskaran, Harihara |
Associate Professor |
Case School of Engineering Chemical Engineering Phone: 216.368.1029 Fax: .216.368.3016 Email: harihara@case.edu |
Caplan, Arnold |
Professor |
Case Western Reserve University Department of Biology, Mail Phone: 216.368.3562 Fax: .216.368.4077 Email: arnold.caplan@case.edu |
Derwin, Kathleen |
Assistant Professor |
Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine BME, Molecular Medicine Phone: 216.445.5982 Fax: .216.444.9198 Email: derwink@ccf.org |
Exner, Agata A. |
Associate Professor |
University Hospitals Department of Radiology Phone: 216.844.3544 Fax: 216.844.5922 Email: agata.exner@case.edu |
Graham, Linda M. |
Professor |
Cleveland Clinic Foundation Department of Vascular Surgery Phone: 216.445.3298 Fax: 216.444.9198 Email: grahaml@ccf.org |
Gurkan, Umut |
Assistant Professor |
Case Western Reserve University Department of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Phone: 216.368.6447 Email: umut.gurkan@case.edu |
Kottke-Marchant, Kandice |
Professor |
Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine Clinical Pathology Phone: 216.444.2484 Fax: 216.445.9444 Email: marchak@ccf.org |
Landis, William J. |
Adjunct Professor |
University Of Akron Goodyear Polymer Center Phone: 330.972.8483 Fax: 330.972.5290 Email: wlandis@uakron.edu |
Muschler, George F. |
Professor |
Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine Orthopaedics, Molecular Medicine Phone: 216.444.5338 Fax: 216.445.6574 Email: muschlg@ccf.org |
Rimnac, Clare |
Professor |
Case School of Engineering Mechanical Aerospace Engineering Phone: 216.368.6442 Fax: 216.368.3007 Email: clare.rimnac@case.edu |
Rowan, Stuart J. |
Professor |
Case School of Engineering Macromolecular Science and Engineering, EMAC Phone: 216.368.4242 Fax: 216.368.4202 Email: stuart.rowan@case.edu |
Zborowski, Maciej |
Associate Professor |
Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine BME, Molecular Medicine Phone: 216.445.9330 Fax: 216.444.9198 Email: zborowm@ccf.org |
Ziats, Nicholas P. |
Associate Professor |
University Hospitals Pathology Phone: 216.368.5176 Fax: 216.844.8004 Email: nicholas.ziats@case.edu |