Euro BioMat 2011

Abstract

Dear Readers of Advanced Biomaterials, On 13th and 14th of April 2011, the first Euro BioMat European Symposium on Biomaterials and Related Areas took place in Jena, Germany. With a new format, the symposium Euro BioMat 2011 addressed the growing interest of colleagues from science and industry in the different aspects of biomaterials including the creation, characterization, testing and application of biomaterials, and closely related areas, such as biomimetics, biomineralization, and biopolymers. The organizers and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Materialkunde (DGM) felt a need to serve the European Biomaterials community beyond existing European and world biomaterials congresses with a compact two-day meeting. Jena is the ideal setting for the Euro Biomat, not only because of its geographic site in the very heart of Europe but also because it is a recognized location for biomedical engineering. The Euro BioMat started with plenary lectures from Marga Lensen (TU Berlin, Germany) and Thomas J. Webster (Brown University, USA) addressing micro- and nanotechnology at biointerfaces and for regenerative medicine, respectively. Since Tom Webster could not be at symposium in person, we witnessed a premiere at the Euro BioMat: Tom gave an excellent and inspiring keynote lecture from Providence in the US to Jena via mobile phone. On the second day of the Euro BioMat, Ivan Martin (University Hospital Basel) presented a plenary lecture about 3D-tissue engineering followed by a second plenary lecture from Willem J. van der Giessen (Erasmus University Medical Center, Netherlands) about latest developments in bioresorbable stents. The topics of the Euro BioMat 2011 included bioinspired materials, bio-nanomaterials, biointerfaces, dental materials, biomaterials/clinical applications, bio-based polymers, tissue engineering/regenerative medicine, antimicrobial biomaterials. A bit of statistics from the Euro BioMat 2011 symposium: 134 orals presentations and 75 posters were presented. 270 delegates from 33 countries participated in the symposium, among these a large number of early stage researchers. With one review, eight full papers, and one rapid communication this special issue of Advanced Biomaterials is a good cross-section of the work presented at the Euro BioMat 2011. Subjects covered in this special issue include the topographical influence on cell adhesion, fibroblasts-engineered spider silk protein interaction, modeling of wound healing processes, new injectable hydrogels for drug delivery, anisotropic physical properties of dental materials, and bio-sintering/bio-fusion of silica. The Euro BioMat 2011 would not have been possible without the support of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) in Bonn, Germany and the excellent organizational support of the DGM, especially Mrs. Anja Mangold. We are grateful to both organizations. The next Euro BioMat will be held in Jena in April 2013 and we are looking forward to welcome you at this symposium. I do hope you enjoy reading this issue of Advanced Biomaterials. Yours faithfully Klaus D. Jandt