This CAREER development project will establish the foundation for integration of research and education at the Department of Bioengineering of the University of Toledo towards developing cures for alleviating skeletal fragility. The proposal seeks to attain the following specific objectives: (1) to understand the molecular and supramolecular level deformation and fracture mechanisms in healthy bone, (2) to determine whether bone's mechanical function can be improved by modulating the size and the geometry of mineral nanocrystals, (3) to integrate this nanobiomechanical perspective with the existing undergraduate- and graduate-level biomechanics curricula, and (4) to realize the participation of undergraduates and high-school students from under-served populations in these research activities.
