CNMB Core Facilities

Bioceramics and Biopolymers Materials Processing Core Facilities:

• 1.2 kW and 6 kW microwave-plasma chemical vapor deposition (CVD) systems for synthesis of Nano-laminated diamond thin films.
• Magnetron Sputter Deposition System with 1 RF and 2 DC 3” magnetrons
• Pulsed Laser Deposition Facility for Bioceramics
• Sol-Gel Synthesis Facility for Ceramic Nanoparticles, Coatings, and Bulk  Nanophase Bioceramics
• Electrospinning of Biopolymers
• 3-D Rapid Prototyping Facility for porous biomaterials

Biomaterials Characterization Core Facilities:

• Atomic Force Microscopy
• Thin film X-ray Diffractometer
• Raman and Photoluminescence Spectroscopy
• Nanoindentation Facility
• Fourier Transform Infrared Microscope
• Scanning Electron and Transmission Electron Microscopy
• Scratch Adhesion Tester and Nano-tribometer with 3-D Optical Profilometer
• Ortho-POD Wear Tester and Instron universal testing machines

FRET Microscopy and Imaging Facility

FRET Microscopy and Imaging Facility provides facilities for visualization and quantitative measurement of inter- and intramolecular interactions in living cells in real time, quantitative cell & tissue imaging, and tissue morphometry.

Biomechanics Core

Biomechanics Core provides state-of-the-art equipment and trained personnel to facilitate mechanical testing and measurement of mechanical properties of biological and man-made materials, structures, and constructs, from ultra-low (mN) to impact (kN) force levels.

Cell and Molecular Analysis of Biomaterials Core

Cell and Molecular Analysis of Biomaterials Core: will provide in vitro and in vivo testing of a wide range of biomaterials including metals, calcium phosphates and synthetic and biologic polymers.  In vitro assays offered include testing of cell proliferation, cell adhesion, survival, cell morphology, toxicity, and cell-type specific differentiation along designated lineages. In addition to these services, a live animal imaging facility is currently being established in order to monitor the performance of materials implanted into rodent models. Intravital microscopy of implanted materials is expected to provide insight into processes such as scaffold degradation, vascularization of implants and tissue remodeling around the implant site.

Characterization of Multiscale Biomaterials and their Interaction with Cells Core Facilities

The goal of our shared facility characterization effort is to develop and apply new spectroscopic capabilities for characterization of multiscale biomaterials as well as their interaction with cells and dynamics of cell activity by Raman, fluorescence, laser atomic fluorescence (LAF), near field imaging microscopy, AFM, and evanescent wave cavity ring down (e-CRDS) spectroscopies.