Thomas J Webster

Title : The merging of artificial Intelligence and biomaterials: The future of personalized health solutions

Abstract:

Artificial intelligence (AI) has revolutionized many fields by identifying patterns and optimizing processes. Despite the use of AI across numerous industries, its use in biomaterials is relatively absent. Here, in this invited talk, a review of the promise for the use of AI in biomaterials will be presented with a focus on using AI to optimize tissue growth, inhibit infection, and limit inflammation based on biomaterial properties. Specifically, here, in vivo studies were used in which biomaterial properties (such as surface, mechanical, electrical, etc. properties) were systematically changed and correlated using AI to modulations in tissue growth, infection, and inflammation. In one application, AI was used to optimize biomaterial properties specifically for orthopedic applications in which an optimal set of properties was identified for promoting bone growth while inhibiting infection and inflammation. The AI optimized biomaterial was confirmed using well established in vivo assays. In this manner, this presentation represents one of the few in which AI was integrated into biomaterial design to create new and improved orthopedic materials.

Audience Take Away Notes:

• What is Artificial Intelligence (AI)
• How AI is being used in biomaterials to improve device performance
• What is the future for the use of AI in biomaterials and healthcare 

Biography:

Thomas J. Webster’s (H index: 113; Google Scholar) degrees are in chemical engineering from the University of Pittsburgh (B.S., 1995; USA) and in biomedical engineering from RPI (Ph.D., 2000; USA). He has served as a professor at Purdue (2000-2005), Brown (2005-2012), and Northeastern (2012-2021; serving as Chemical Engineering Department Chair from 2012 - 2019) Universities and has formed over a dozen companies who have numerous FDA approved medical products currently improving human health. He is currently helping those companies and serves as a professor at Hebei University of Technology, Saveetha University, Vellore Institute of Technology, UFPI, and others. Dr. Webster has numerous awards including: 2020, World Top 2% Scientist by Citations (PLOS); 2020, SCOPUS Highly Cited Research (Top 1% Materials Science and Mixed Fields); 2021, Clarivate Top 0.1% Most Influential Researchers (Pharmacology and Toxicology); 2022, Best Materials Science Scientist by Citations (Research.com); and is a fellow of over 8 societies. Prof. Webster has over 1,350 publications to his credit with over 53,000 citations.