BioMatrix Engineering and Regenerative Medicine (BERM) Center (Pilot University-Wide Interdisciplinary Research Center)

Co-Directors: Timothy M. Wick, PhD, Department of Biomedical Engineering; Joanne Murphy-Ullrich, PhD, Department of Pathology

Established: 2006

Mission

The BERM Center’s mission is to promote excellence in research and education in tissue regeneration and repair by development of scientific expertise in the biology of the cellular microenvironment, adult stem cells and their niches, nanostructured matrix scaffolds, development of 3-D tissue constructs, and bioreactors and translation of these approaches to novel therapies, cell-based treatments, tissue replacement products and technologies. The Center’s emphasis on translation of regenerative medicine technologies to practice and industry will attract researchers, industry and investors to develop novel therapies, tissue replacement products and technologies.

Background

Tissue engineering and regenerative medicine are areas of national investment as evidenced by publication of “2020: A New Vision - A Future for Regenerative Medicine” by HHS and recent funding opportunities from NIH, NSF and foundations. A number of recent events now place UAB in an excellent position to develop robust, campus-wide programs in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine and to achieve national prominence in these areas. Allocation of more than 45,000 square feet in the Shelby Building to interdisciplinary research in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine has facilitated recruitment of new faculty in Engineering, Dentistry, Pathology and Orthopaedics. Research programs and core facilities in Center for Metabolic Bone Disease, the Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Disease Center, and the Schools of Dentistry, Engineering, Medicine, and Natural Sciences and Mathematics provide critical mass to establish strength in the Center. The Center will build on the depth and breadth of UAB multidisciplinary expertise in cell-scaffold interactions, nanostructured scaffold development, bioreactor technology, biomechanics, computational modeling, tissue repair, and associated clinical and translational research. Existing strength in matrix biology will provide a sophisticated scientific platform to develop and evaluate biologic and synthetic matrix scaffolds and 3-D tissues. These events converge to present an exciting opportunity for UAB to develop world-class research and training programs in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.

Center Activities

The objectives of the BERM Center are to facilitate the development of new expertise, funded research, and training programs to develop constructs to replace or repair both soft and mineralized tissues. The BERM Center will provide core facilities, training opportunities, and the intellectual environment to support new research and education programs that enable UAB to develop national prominence in basic and applied research to develop the next generation of tissue-engineered constructs and regenerative medicine technologies. The Center will develop training programs in intellectual property development and entrepreneurship to facilitate translation of BERM Center research results and new technologies to novel therapies and commercial products. The specific goals of the BERM Center are to: 1) organize researchers through development of core facilities, symposia, and workshops that support the Center’s mission; 2) develop a technology and entrepreneurship training program; and 3) provide leadership for multidisciplinary programmatic funding from NSF and NIH in nano-structured scaffolds for tissue regeneration. Center members will come from the Schools of Engineering, Medicine, Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Dentistry, and Business. They will possess expertise in these fields and related sub-disciplines, and compete successfully for extramural funding from NIH, NSF, DARPA, and private foundations and industry. The BERM Center will develop new products, technologies, therapies, and spin-off companies that will enhance the scientific reputation of UAB, provide new training venues, and lead to the development of novel technologies and therapies to enhance the health of citizens of Alabama and the nation.

BERM Center Seminars and Scientific Symposia

The BERM Center sponsors monthly seminars from visiting and UAB scientists. It recently hosted a Scientific Symposium featuring four internationally-known speakers from academia, NIH, and the biotech industry.

Pilot and Feasibility grant program

The BERM Center offers pilot grants to encourage investigators to consider developing new projects in areas relevant to the BERM Center mission. The BERM Center is particularly interested in supporting research proposals that foster interactions between multiple UAB investigators. Interdisciplinary approaches are encouraged. This program supported one application in the amount of $30,000 in 2007. Applications for 2008 are currently being reviewed for funding.

BERM Shared Core Facilities

The following new and existing cores will be developed and supported by the BERM Center with the goal of providing essential services and scientific expertise to UAB investigators pursuing research in tissue engineering. The administrative support of the BERM Center will provide centralized financial operation of these cores as well as review of core performance.

• The 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 and tissue imaging, and tissue morphometry. It is partially supported by the RPKD P30 Core Center and additional funds from the BERM will provide instrumentation enhancements and user training support.
• The Nano-matrix Scaffold Core develops matrices derived from ECM proteins, synthetic materials or combinations with novel micro and nano-architecture that may include attachment, mitogenic or growth factors for tissue growth to UAB investigators.
• The Cell and Molecular Analysis of Biomaterials Core provides in vitro testing of cellular responses to biomaterials and a facility for live animal imaging of biomaterials.
• The Biomechanics Core measures biomechanical properties of tissues, biomimetic matrices, and tissue-engineered constructs. It evaluates tissue-implant characteristics from retrieval sections and mechanical characterization of mouse bones and evaluates 3-D matrix stiffness at the nano and micron level.

For additional information:

Timothy M. Wick, PhD
Professor and Chair, Department of Biomedical Engineering
Co-Director, BioMatrix Engineering and Regenerative Medicine Center
tmwick@uab.edu

Joanne E. Murphy-Ullrich, PhD
Professor of Pathology
Co-Director, BioMatrix Engineering and Regenerative Medicine Center
murphy@uab.edu

Web Site: www.eng.uab.edu/BERM

Approved by: Joanne Murphy-Ullrich, PhD, Co-Director

Date: April 29, 2008

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