ABSTRACT
Humans have always been fascinated by the phenomenological events, both biological and physical in nature, that are revealed to us by our environment. Our innate curiosity drives us to study these observations and understand the fundamental basis of the mechanisms involved. Practical outcomes are the development of predictive capabilities of occurrence and the control of these events and their subsequent consequences; our safety and comfort being major incentives. Furthermore, we wish to design processes that mimic the beneficial aspects associated with their natural counterparts. Experience has taught us that these natural processes are complex and durable and that adaptability with multifunctionality is a must for biological systems to survive. Evolution, aiding these living systems to adapt to new environmental challenges, occurs at the molecular scale. Our need to be molecular scientists and engineers is thus apparent. Knowledge of the molecular building blocks used in the architectural configurations of both living and nonliving systems, along with an understanding of their design and the processes used for implementation, is essential for control and utilization. The ability to mimic demonstrates a sufficient knowledge base to design systems requiring controlled functionality. To perfect this approach, a series of sensor/reporter systems must be available. A particularly attractive feature of living systems is their unique ability to diagnose and repair localized damages through a continuously distributed sensor
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network with inter-and intracellular communication capabilities. Mimicry of these networks is an integral component of many emerging research thrust areas, in particular, tissue engineering. Significant emphasis has been toward the development of intelligent membranes, specifically using sensor/reporter technology. A successful approach has been to couple transformation and separation technologies with detection and control systems.
