The inaugural meeting agenda will include a summary of the science and technology roadmap created by the National Research Council to guide the Center, and discussion of potential R&D projects for the program's second year.

The CeBMR was established through the award of an initial $827,000 contract from the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command. The award is renewable for at least two years with increasing funding already provided by Congress to enable expansion of the program. This initiative will provide rapid and effective pathways for identification, development and utilization of biomaterial-based technologies and products for the military's most urgent healthcare needs on and off the battlefield.

One of the first technology platforms the CeBMR is supporting is a sprayable wound dressing designed to enable soldiers to treat their own small gunshot wounds, burns, abrasions or cuts, so that they may complete a three-day mission and rapidly return to duty. The sprayable dressing technology will then be expanded to provide pain relief, mitigate bleeding and reduce infection. Biocure, Inc. of Norcross, Ga., is developing this technology.

The CeBMR is unique among organizations active in the field because of its network of academic, military and industry leaders working to speed the introduction of biomaterial products to meet the military's requirements. This center is pursuing a "market focused" strategy of applied research, product development and commercialization of prototype products leveraged from industry and academia. When there are no existing enabling technologies that meet the military's requirements, the CeBMR will form research partne
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Contact: David Devore
devore@rutchem.rutgers.edu
732-445-0488
Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey
6-Oct-2004