Exploiting Biological Concepts and Strategies in Functional Synthetic Materials

Biological organisms evolve within specific environmental constraints, giving rise to elegant and efficient strategies for fabricating materials that often outperform man-made materials of similar composition. A main goal of the interdisciplinary field of bioinspired materials is to unlock the secrets of this process - the composition, processing, self-assembly, hierarchical organization and properties of biological materials - and use this information to synthesize and engineer novel functional materials for a variety of practical applications. Bioinspired concepts are becoming increasingly integrated into materials and devices intended for the consumer, industrial, medical, military and energy sectors. The 2014 Gordon Conference on Bioinspired Materials seeks to capture the excitement of this burgeoning field by offering a cutting-edge scientific program delivered by roster of distinguished invited speakers and discussion leaders who will address the key issues in the field. Planned sessions include DNA and Protein Assemblies, Peptide Self-Assembly, Polypeptides and Engineered Proteins, Glycomimetics, Immunomaterials, Catechols/Catecholamines/Polyphenols, Zwitterionic Polymers, Structure and Mechanics of Biological Materials and Mineralized/Hybrid Materials, and Noncovalent and Adaptive Materials. Invited speakers and discussion leaders represent a variety of scientific disciplines, including biology, biochemistry, chemistry, physics, materials science, mechanical engineering and bioengineering. The conference is intended to promote cross-disciplinary fertilization of new ideas in this emerging field and will create a cohesive community by promoting interactions between junior scientists with prominent senior investigators.