WHAT SUBJECTS ARE IMPORTANT TO BIOMATERIALS SCIENCE?
• Toxicology A biomaterial should not be toxic, unless it is specifically engineered for such requirements (for example, a “smart bomb” drug delivery system that targets cancer cells and destroys them). Since the nontoxic requirement is the norm, toxicology for biomaterials has evolved into a sophisticated science. It deals with the substances that migrate out of biomaterials. For example, for polymers, many low-molecular-weight “leachables” exhibit some level of physiologic activity and cell toxicity. It is reasonable to say that a biomaterial should not give off anything from its mass unless it is specifically designed to do so. Toxicology also deals with methods to evaluate how well this design criterion is met when a new biomaterial is under development. • Biocompatibility The understanding and measurement of biocompatibility is unique to biomaterials science. Unfortunately, we do not have precise definitions or accurate measurements of biocompatibility. More often than not, biocom
