This is the first of a series of presentations which we will publish irregularly. This new dimension in the literature will be of considerable interest to the many academicians involved in the teaching of biomedical sciences.-Ed.Biomaterials is an interdisciplinary field which deals with the science and engineering aspects of materials for use in dentistry and surgery. The emphasis of the research at Northwestern University is in dental materials and materials for use in orthopaedic surgery. The graduate program in Biological Materials is designed to educate and train scientists for careers in research and education in the applications of materials science and engineering for dentistry and medicine. Current research programs include the development of new dental amalgams, alloy development for dental castings, polymers and com-