Preface

This book presents innovative solutions and strategies for tackling acute and chronic problems and conditions of the oro-dental and cranio-maxillo-facial complex and beyond. Moving and/or implementing bench-top research, development, and innovation (R&D&I) to market and/or clinical practice (i.e., translation) is a lengthy and tedious process, often requiring years. As such, this book addresses the field(s) of biomimetics, bio-design, and bio-inspiration, relatively new areas of science and R&D&I where researchers look to mimic (or rather emulate) aspects of nature to help solve human problems and presents biomimicry in a simplified and practical manner to the interested reader. Back in 1903, the Wright brothers (1867–1948) were inspired by the wings of eagles to create a powered airplane and succeeded in the first-ever human flight. Today, *biomimicry* can be considered the most advanced process of applying cellular and biological principles that underlie morphology, structures, and functionality of physiological entities to design and formulate or fabricate humanmade solutions for persistent challenges. *Biomimetics - Bridging the Gap* presents biomimicry processes as either problem- or solution-based. That is, either from design to bio or from bio to design, bridging the aforementioned "gap"; a paradigm shift, perhaps. Over the past decades, R&D&I scientists (in medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, engineering, aerospace, architecture, electronics, and optics, among other fields), found renewed attraction in wonders of nature, not limited to eagle wings, lotus leaves, spider's silk and webs, fireflies, humpback whales, mother-of-pearl, lotus leaves, blue butterfly wings, Gecko's feet, and so on, as design models to help formulate or engineer optimal therapeutic solutions and devices. Intriguingly, this interest found and established ground in contemporary chemistry and materials science as well as in R&D&I fields incorporating nanobiotechnology, drug delivery, cell and gene therapy, tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, and nano-dentistry. Evidently, biomimicry has been proposed to help understand the structural and functional (physico-chemico-mechanical) properties of various biological components like cytokines, proteins, amino acids, and phospholipids to help develop numerous innovative nanotechnologies as the basis for clinical solutions. Layer-by-layer self-assembled and carbohydrate-, protein-, or peptide-functionalized lipid- or metal-based nanoparticles and nanocapsules are fine examples. Briefly, the term "*biomimetics*" originated from the Greek "*bios*" (life) and "*mimesis*" (to imitate), where, from ancient times, and for the betterment of humankind and quality of life, it is well known to adapt ideas and inspirations from nature and the surrounding environmental natural phenomena and various creatures like birds, animals, plants, and insects. Today, don't we also often tend to look for inspiration around us, or perhaps for useful information in a book, or in a famous quote or even through looking back to what some of the popular philosophers once thought and spoke? Yet, what about nature? Isn't nature with us, here, every day and a *vital* element of almost every detail of our human life? So, what lessons can be learned … to live better? This book addresses questions such as: How does biomimicry differ from bio-design and

bio-inspiration? Further, can we really, still, practically transfer nature's *lessons*, *designs*, and *inspirations* to technologies helpful or useful to humans? What is the *original* frame of reference?

These are the highlights of this book, taking the reader on a journey to the interesting world of biomimetics. This volume touches upon various technological themes to better understand how to *mimic* nature practically. It examines the design and characterization of natural and synthetic materials and the effect of biomimetic composites and coatings, 3D micro-architecture, and bio-stimulation for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. It includes a chapter on bio-inspired tissular engineering for regenerative oral, dental, and maxilla-facial solutions, with a special focus on methodologies and processes to guide the design of new ideas and creation of novel materials, functions, devices, and therapies. Another chapter tackles the issue of biomimetics for health care, highlighting some of the most relevant, impactful, and recent innovations inspired by nature. Other chapters cover a wide spectrum of topics, such as the different aspects of the development of composites for bone tissue engineering, 3D scaffolds, and hydroxyapatite coatings with enhanced performance and bioactivity, including investigations and discussions of material surface–cell interactions and visco-elastic mechanical equivalent models. Additionally, there is a chapter on bio-simulation for inducting, via non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation, forced resonance mechanical oscillations into virus particles as a potential anti-viral modality.

This book includes four sections on various perspectives of biomimicry in medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, and materials engineering. Section 1, "Introduction to Biomimicry", provides an overview of biomimicry, from its historical basis to modern and contemporary practice. In other words, describing the journey from the drawing pad/notebook to laboratory bench-top to clinical bedside. The section begins with a chapter discussing bio-inspired tissular engineering strategies for regenerative oral, dental, and cranio-maxilla-facial clinical solutions, with subsequent chapters discussing the role and potential impact of biomimicry and bio-inspired innovations on our health, wellbeing, longevity, and quality of life. Throughout, the section presents methodologies and processes to aid in the bio-design of novel ideas and formulation of innovative materials, functions, devices, and therapies.

Section 2, "Biomimetic Tissue Engineering", dives into the design and processing details pertinent to biomaterials, where the design and characterization of natural and synthetic soft polymeric materials with biomimetic 3D microarchitecture for tissue engineering and medical applications are discussed. Then, details of novel biomaterial composites and hybrids for bone tissue engineering and osteogenesis are provided. Accordingly, it can be stated that bio-design is used in the design of artificial devices, structures, and systems in the field of bioengineering. A R&D&I sub-field that takes nature as an example and aims to make sustainable, safe, stable, functional, and durable end products. Contemplating the recent trends, the chapter includes a discussion of recent examples to raise awareness of bio-inspired and bioengineered materials.

Section 3, "Biomimetics at the Nanoscale," presents various aspects of the design, characterization, evaluation, and application of biomimetic polymers, composites, and coatings. A chapter is dedicated to assessing the incorporation or addition of fluorapatite into hydroxy-apatite coatings of prosthetics. It also discusses implementation pre-clinically. Another chapter presents the bio-simulation of inducting forced resonance mechanical oscillations (acoustic-mechanical oscillations) to virus particles by illumination using non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation. The author assumes that the viral particle is spherical in shape and then studies and analyzes the microwave signals (achieving maximal energy transfer from the microwave radiation to acoustic oscillations to the particle) theoretically and discusses the prospects of the work as a *liable* anti-virus modality. Indeed, the author suggests that this technique is feasible to compete with virus epidemics, either for the sterilization of spaces or for future therapeutic applications.

Section 4, "Biomimetic Mechanicobiology", deals with the behavior of biomaterials and investigates the strain (induced) associated with the applied stress to understand both creep and stress relaxation behavior of loaded polymeric components. Herein, via establishing the so-called mechanical equivalent models from the simple elastic element (spring with a modulus of elasticity E), simple viscous element (damper or dashpot with fluid viscosity η) to the Maxwell model, Voigt model, modified Maxwell model, modified Voigt model, and Maxwell–Voigt model, the induced strain allied with the applied force on a polymeric material is investigated and carefully discussed.

This book also proposes new examples and theoretical models for biomimetic systems and presents various applications of biomimetic materials, strategies, and solutions. *Biomimetics - Bridging the Gap* is aimed at the researcher (engineer, physicist, chemist, and biologist) interested in bio-design, bio-inspiration, bio-mineralization, biochemistry, bio-kinetics, and biomimetic solutions. It is also relevant to pharmacists, doctors, dentists, and surgeons.

*"Biomimicry is innovation inspired by nature … is … the conscious emulation of life's genius."*

– Janine M. Benyus; author who coined the term "biomimicry".

**Dr. Ziyad S. Haidar, DDS, Cert Implantol, MSc OMFS, FRCS (C), FICD, FICS, MBA, Ph.D.** Professor, BioMAT'X (HAiDAR R&D&I/I+D+i LAB), Centro de Investigación e Innovación Biomédica (CiiB), Faculties of Dentistry and Medicine (*Cross-Appointment*), Universidad de los Andes, Las Condes, Santiago de Chile

Section 1
