Center: IUCRC Phase III University of Arkansas: Center for Membrane Applications, Science and Technology (MAST)

Membranes are used in a variety of industries such as the manufacture of drugs, production of food and beverages, treatment of drinking and wastewater and recovery of valuable chemical species from waste streams. The Center for Membrane Applications, Science and Technology (MAST) is collaborating with membrane manufacturers and users in these fields and others, to promote scientific knowledge and to develop new products that advance human health, prosperity and welfare.

By establishing multidisciplinary project teams with scientists from a range of industries as well as university researchers across four institutions, the MAST Center is addressing challenging real world technical issues that are of significant societal impact in the areas of healthcare and environmental sustainability. At the University of Arkansas, the MAST Center is working with industry to develop efficient processes to purify viruses and virus like particles for use in vaccines and gene therapy products.

Further, the MAST Center is working with local community colleges and schools to train a skilled workforce to support a developing strong local biotechnology industry.

The Center for Membrane Applications, Science and Technology (MAST) conducts industrially relevant research in six areas: (1) development and characterization of new membranes (2) development of green membrane manufacturing methods; (3) development of membrane processes for water treatment, (4) manufacture of products for the (4) biopharmaceutical industry, (5) pharmaceutical industry and (6) membrane applications in food and beverage industries. The Center works with industrial partners representing membrane users and manufacturers and faculty and students from four institutions in order to develop technological solutions to challenging separations.

In parallel, the Center trains students to be future leaders of technology development. At the University of Arkansas, the MAST Center has developed unique facilities to grow several viruses of commercial relevance for the development of purification processes for the biotechnology industry. The MAST Center is developing membranes and processes for efficient water recycle and reuse.

The Center is also addressing challenges in the dairy industry. The MAST Center is working with local industry and community colleges and schools to develop a trained workforce that will promote the growth of a recently established local biotechnology industry. At the same time the MAST Center is ensuring the establishment of a future broad-based workforce.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.