The Purdue Board of Trustees has approved the promotion of Sherry Voytik-Harbin to Associate Professor with tenure effective August 14, 2006. Dr. Voytik-Harbin's research in tissue engineering focuses on the Extra-Cellular Matrix (ECM), the three-dimensional microenvironment of fluids, fibrils, and other components that surround the cells in our bodies. While the two-dimensional response of cells is well studied and known, such reactions are dramatically different from the three-dimensional behavior in living organisms. Understanding this behavior is extremely important, since it could hold the key to improved repair and regeneration of damaged tissues, biomaterials, and even control of functions such as cell death. An in-depth profile of Dr. Voytik-Harbin can be found here.