The Institute of Biomaterials (Head: Prof. AR Boccaccini) was established in 2009 within the Department of Materials Science and Engineering of FAU. The research activities involve the investigation of a range of bioactive glass compositions for applications in bone tissue engineering, vascularization strategies, soft tissue repair and for drug delivery. In addition, bioactive glass coatings and composites are being developed for medical and dental applications, including antibacterial coatings. The institute facilities for biomaterials processing, melting and sintering, freeze drying, electrophoretic deposition, biofabrication and 3D bioprinting, cell encapsulation, scaffold manufacturing, electrospinning, microstructural analysis, e.g. SEM and TEM, and surface characterisation, e.g. wetting angle measurement, surface roughness determination and spectroscopy techniques. The Institute of Biomaterials has recently inaugurated (July 2016) a brand new building with state-of-the-art, modern cell biology laboratories including a S2 laboratory. Researchers at the Institute of Biomaterials have also access to in vivo models in collaboration with the Faculty of Medicine at FAU.