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Soft Matter and Biomaterials

Duke is home to a diverse science and engineering research community focusing on the areas of soft materials, polymers and biomaterials.

Ongoing interests include the molecular design of soft materials, nanomaterials, immune-active materials, scaffolds for tissue engineering and basic investigations into the complex mechanisms by which materials engage biology. Additional interests include the design of "smart" biomolecular nanostructures, characterization of soft-wet materials on surfaces and interfaces, biomolecular sensors and biointerfaces.

The Duke Soft Matter Center facilitates collaborations among faculty in engineering, medicine, chemistry, physics, biology, mathematics and cell biology.

From engineered tissues to delivery vehicles for genes and drugs to immune therapies

This research has led to the development of an incredible range of implantable biomedical devices over the past several decades, and it continues to be central to the introduction of new medical therapies ranging from engineered tissues to delivery vehicles for genes and drugs to immune therapies.


Labs and Groups

Externally Funded Centers


Faculty

Gaurav Arya

Gaurav Arya

Professor in the Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science

Matthew Becker

Matthew L Becker

Hugo L. Blomquist Distinguished Professor of Chemistry

L. Catherine Brinson

L. Catherine Brinson

Sharon C. and Harold L. Yoh, III Distinguished Professor

Patrick Charbonneau

Patrick Charbonneau

Professor of Chemistry

Chuan-Hua Chen

Chuan-Hua Chen

Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science

Ashutosh Chilkoti

Ashutosh Chilkoti

Alan L. Kaganov Distinguished Professor of Biomedical Engineering

Joel Collier

Joel Collier

Theodore Kennedy Professor of Biomedical Engineering

Stephen Craig

Stephen Lawrence Craig

William T. Miller Distinguished Professor of Chemistry

Ken Gall

Ken Gall

Professor in the Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science

Brenton Hoffman

Brenton D. Hoffman

James L. and Elizabeth M. Vincent Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering

David Needham

David Needham

Professor Emeritus in the Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science

Xiaoyue Ni

Xiaoyue Ni

Assistant Professor of the Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science

Sheila Patek

Sheila N Patek

Mrs. Alexander Hehmeyer Professor

Christine Payne

Christine K. Payne

Yoh Family Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science

Michael Rubinstein

Michael Rubinstein

Aleksandar S. Vesic Distinguished Professor

Christoph Schmidt

Christoph F. Schmidt

Hertha Sponer Distinguished Professor of Physics

Tatiana Segura

Tatiana Segura

Professor of Biomedical Engineering

Joshua Socolar

Joshua Socolar

Professor of Physics

Shyni Varghese

Shyni Varghese

Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science and Orthopaedics

Tuan Vo-Dinh

Tuan Vo-Dinh

R. Eugene and Susie E. Goodson Distinguished Professor of Biomedical Engineering

Mark Wiesner

Mark Wiesner

James B. Duke Distinguished Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Stefan Zauscher

Stefan Zauscher

Professor in the Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science