ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

 I would like to express my deepest gratitude to my advisor and committee

chairman, Dr. Anthony Brennan, for his understanding, advice, and support during my

time at the University of Florida. I would also like to thank the other members of my

supervisory committee, Dr. Christopher Batich, and Dr. Ronald Baney, for their counsel

and accommodation during this process. I am especially grateful to Dr. Laurie Gower,

for agreeing to be a substitute member of my committee at such late notice.

 The members of Dr. Brennan's research group have been a great source of advice,

experience and camaraderie over the past two years. Specifically I would like to thank

Jeanne Macdonald for taking responsibility of the lab and serving as group mentor and

general well of knowledge. Licheng Zhao and Jeremy Mehlem both were valuable

sources of experience and information. I would like to thank Adam Feinberg for his

expertise with the AFM, SEM, and computer issues, as well as for his friendship. Chuck

Seegert provided the wafers and the nuclear form method for this study, including a

wealth of information on statistics, cell methods, and staining protocols.

 Amy Gibson and Leslie Wilson provided the modulus data and the formulations

for the modified elastomer samples. Their hard work and flexibility are greatly

appreciated. Other members of the Brennan research group, Clay Bohn, Brian Hatcher,

and Nikhil Kothurkar, have been an invaluable source of friendship and support. Paul

Martin was always accommodating with regard to cell culture techniques and advice that

was crucial to the completion of this work. I would also like to thank many other