M. Lisa Manning, associate professor of physics, is the new founding director of BioInspired Syracuse: Institute for Material and Living Systems. One of seven multidisciplinary research clusters on campus, the institute will support research into complex biological systems, and will develop and design programmable smart materials to address global challenges in health, medicine and materials innovation. Manning and Associate Director Dacheng Ren will oversee the merger of the University’s soft and living matter program and the Syracuse Biomaterials Institute into the BioInspired Institute over the next two years.