1. Crossing the Boundaries

The future of science lies in breaking the down barriers between fields to solve global challenges of our time. ‘Interdisciplinarity’ is the mantra to solve the grand global challenges that no single discipline can address on its own. Scientists from various backgrounds are coming together to transcend the boundaries of their respective disciplines. The most exciting research is happening at the intersections, where various scientific disciplines meet. The field of biomaterials science is one of the finest examples of a truly interdisciplinary research field. This chapter introduces the readers to key definitions of the scientific terms that a non-specialist needs to know, before appreciating the major developments that have taken place over the last few decades. The relevance of this important interdisciplinary field of science is illustrated by citing a few biomaterials-based solutions to treat human diseases.