"Opportunities, Research and Development at W. L. GORE & Associates""
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In 1958, Bill and Vieve Gore, the founders of W.L. Gore & Associates explored opportunities for fluorocarbon polymers, especially polytetrafluorethylene (ePTFE).  Today the enterprise is comprised of approximately 6000 associates in forty-five locations around the world.  These fluoropolymer products provide innovative solutions throughout industry in next generation electronics for medical products with high performance fabrics.  Our technologies and fluoropolymer expertise is used to create next generation cable assemblies, components for electronics industry, outer ware comfort and protection and medical products. 
 
The Medical Products Division is located in Flagstaff, Arizona and is responsible for engineering expanded PTFE products after much research and development in the fields of vascular, endovascular, wall defects, oral health, etc.  These materials have unique surfaces and microstructures that can be safely implanted in the human body.  These surfaces are engineered for specific functions in recruitment of cells, angiogenesis, and collagen deposition to provide understanding of the biological response to ePTFE.
 
One of the applications has been the surface modification of a two-sided ePTFE membrane to stimulate angiogenesis.  Angiogenesis around and adjacent to medical devices is desirable, especially in the field of biosensors, tissue engineering and genetic manipulation of cells.  We have modified one side of a two-sided ePTFE mesh that promotes angiogenesis and rapid influx of cells into its microstructure.  The results from this study have made possible the manufacture of a product that provide an early strong repair of wall defects in hernia surgery. 
 
Our successes in the field of endovascular surgery with stent grafts have resulted in a continued need for expertise in research and development.  As a result, there are numerous opportunities at Gore.  Gore’s hands-on innovation and team organizations have helped encompass the creation of thousands of life enhancing products.  The Gore culture welcomes different viewpoints and people from a variety of environments and backgrounds.  The unique lattice organization and core principals are catalysts to participation, communication and creativity.   
 
Janson Emmanual will be available for individual meetings after his seminar.