4A: PANEL: Breaking Into Women’s Health Research with Biomaterials Technologies

Due to the threat of antibiotic resistance, biofilms, and the risk of implant-associated infections, strategies for pathogen inactivation play an increasingly important role in biomaterials development. Antimicrobial biomaterials, drug delivery systems, and surfaces that eradicate biofilms and prevent biofilm formation can prevent implant failure, improve clinical outcomes, and reduce treatment costs. This session will cover topics related to designing and characterizing biomaterials to control bacterial, viral, and/or fungal responses. Topics relating to the study of biocompatibility of pathogen-resistant surfaces; the selection and use of in vitro and preclinical models of infection; understanding the roles of biomaterials, pathogens, and hosts in biomaterial-associated infections; and the use of the One Health approach to design biomaterials to combat infections that negatively impact human, animal, and environmental health are also invited.