Biomat _dBase: A Database on Biomaterials

Abstract

Biomaterial science provides a platform for the development of bio-artificial implants. Growth or development of engineered tissues for the purpose of repairing, restoring and enhancing the function of a damaged tissue or organ needs designed biomaterials. The most studied tissue engineering strategy consists on using cells growth factors and temporary three-dimensional (3D) porous scaffolds. 3D scaffolds play a very important role in the success of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. They provide structural support for cells to proliferate and maintain their differentiated phenotype and permit the convenient delivery of cells into the patients. Several features of scaffold can influence the cell growth and its functions. The artificial extracellular matrices can be produced from different biomaterials including ceramics, natural or synthetic polymers and composites. Recent discoveries and innovations in this emerging field adopt varieties of techniques ranging from biotechnology to material science and nanotechnology. The result is a huge amount of data. To maintain and keep updated, this would not be an easy task. New advances in computers and information technology help to create and organize the databases quite easy. Their contents can easily be accessed, managed and updated. A WWW interface benefits the users to search the different types of data based on the types of biomaterials, their abundance, structure and applications. This provides the scope and archive of information on this emerging field of biomaterials to the global scientific community. The database is freely accessible through http://dbbiomat.iitkgp.ernet.in.