McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine faculty member Steven Little, PhD, Assistant Professor and Bicentennial Alumni Faculty Fellow, Departments of Chemical Engineering, Bioengineering, Immunology, has been elected as the chair of the Drug Delivery Special Interest Group of the Society for Biomaterials. Dr. Little will serve the 2011-2013 term of office. The Society's Special Interest Groups provide a forum for networking and new ideas within a focused environment.
The Drug Delivery Special Interest Group deals with the science and technology of controlled release of active agents from delivery systems. Controlled drug release is achieved by the use of diffusion, chemical reactions, dissolutions, or osmosis, used either singly or in combination. While the vast majority of such delivery devices are based on polymers, controlled release can also be achieved by the use of mechanical pumps. In a broader sense, controlled release also involves control over the site of action of the active agent, using the active agent using pro-drugs, targetable water soluble polymers or various microparticulate systems. Relevant aspects of toxicology, bioavailability, pharmacokinetics, and biocompatibility are also included.
The Society for Biomaterials is a professional society which promotes advances in biomedical materials research and development by encouragement of cooperative educational programs, clinical applications, and professional standards in the biomaterials field. Biomaterials scientists and engineers study cells, their components, complex tissues and organs, and their interactions with natural and synthetic materials and implanted prosthetic devices, as well as develop and characterize the materials used to measure, restore, and improve physiologic function, and enhance survival and quality of life.
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