Dr. Aaron Slepkov has been appointed the new Canada Research Chair in Physics of Biomaterials at Trent University, among the chairs announced today by the Honourable Gary Goodyear, minister of State (Science and Technology).

For Professor Slepkov, innovation for innovation’s sake is not enough. “You might be the first to show that something is possible,” challenges Prof. Slepkov, “but can you show that it is useful?"

Biomaterials are natural or synthetic materials that are increasingly being used in medical devices or to supplement or replace living tissues. Prof. Slepkov is aiming to probe deeper into biomaterials than ever before, to study closely their physical, chemical, and biological properties, using ultrafast laser microscopy to “fingerprint” different chemicals, making it possible to simultaneously view the structure and chemical composition of biomaterials such as fats, starch, cellulose, bone, cells, and tissues.

Prof. Slepkov will receive $500,000 over five years for his development and use of state-of-the-art microscopy techniques that will allow for rapid three-dimensional imaging of the structure and dynamics of biomaterials, vital for biomedicine and advanced materials science, while opening up new applications of the technology in other fields.

The five-year funding will enable the building of a state-of-the art imaging facility at Trent, with equipment being built by the students themselves under Prof. Slepkov’s guidance. “This is a great opportunity for undergraduate and graduate students to be involved in building lasers and microscopes, and to experiment with these tools to characterize organic molecules and biomaterials,” said Prof. Slepkov.

Prof. Slepkov believes that Trent’s interdisciplinary thrust will not only make the most efficient use of the new technology, but will also open up new applications for it that have not yet been considered, in particular by Trent’s Biomaterials research program and even beyond.

“There are so many different ways in which this kind of technique can be applied outside of the field of bio-medicine: in material science, in geosciences, or even in paleobiology. If we’re looking 15 years down the road, I believe it will find a permanent niche in many of these areas. Trent University’s dedication to transformative interdisciplinary research makes it an exciting place for conducting this type of research,” said Prof. Slepkov.

Innovation has been the central theme of Dr. Aaron Slepkov’s post-graduate work over the past five years, from the cutting-edge photonics research he was engaged in during his postdoctoral work at Cornell University, to the applied work he did at the National Research Council (NRC) with state-of-the-art imaging technology. This focus on the practical application of research is an approach Prof. Slepkov intends to bring to his work at Trent University.

Trent University’s proportionate number of Canada Research Chairs is exceptionally large for a University of its size. Trent’s 10 chair holders advance teaching and learning through their leading edge explorations in diverse disciplines. www.trentu.ca/research

Posted on Wednesday, October 12, 2011.