BioPACIFIC MIP

The NSF BioPACIFIC MIP (DMR-1933487) operates a one of a kind user facility dedicated to creating a nexus for synthetic biology and materials to revolutionize high-performance polymers. Users are uniquely able to elucidate biomaterial structure and function to achieve materials-by-design, construct new bio-derived functional monomers from living organisms, access novel sequence-specific materials (e.g. peptoids), synthesize stimuli-responsive “smart” biomaterials, scale-up biomaterial production, and incorporate state-of-the-art field-theoretic simulation and machine learning algorithms. The bulk of the platform activity is devoted to the design and development of unique automated materials synthesis and characterization capabilities with the realization that these tools address a major gap in the US mid-scale and large-scale instrumentation portfolio available to engineers and scientists in this country. In all cases, this platform is made possible by the unique and collective expertise of the BioPACIFIC MIP faculty and staff. BioPACIFIC MIP facilities are open to all US scientists via a reviewed User Proposal process.