Biomaterials (BMAT)

The Biomaterials program supports foundational materials research that emphasizes novel biomaterials design, development, and discovery of new phenomena.

While primarily focusing on biomaterials design and properties, the program additionally supports foundational biomaterials research that provides platforms and pipelines for biotechnology developments.

The program supports research in the following topic areas:

• Foundational research that accelerates the discovery and use of biomaterials.

• Integration of experiments and theory to discover, design, and characterize biomaterials.

• Designing and advancing biomaterials while tailoring them for advanced biotechnologies.

Within the key topics above, the program supports research involving the following biomaterials:

• Engineered living materials.

• Dynamic, responsive and smart biomaterial systems that incorporate functionality over time and length scales.

• Biological, biomimetic, bioinspired and bio-enabled materials.

• Interactions of synthetic materials with biological systems to inform biomaterials advances.

• Fungal, plant-based and biomineralized materials.

• Biomaterials with targeted properties.

The program supports projects that are usually interdisciplinary. Supported projects may encompass scales from the nanoscopic to the bulk scale. Supported projects may involve the following:

• Design, preparation, characterization, and modification.

• Studies of structure-property relationships and interfacial behavior.

• Combinations of experiment, theory, machine learning, and artificial intelligence to advance biomaterials development.

Supported projects may include in vitro demonstrations of biological compatibility and efficacy. However, the program can support only limited in vivo studies.

Tissue engineering, drug/gene delivery, and molecular biophysics projects that do not focus on foundational biomaterials development and characterization are not of interest to the BMAT program. 

Projects with an emphasis on device design and fabrication are generally more appropriate for programs in the NSF Directorate for Engineering.

Principal Investigators unsure of program fit for their projects should send a one-page white paper for feedback to the BMAT program directors via the email alias listed below.