Professor Ratner is Professor of Bioengineering and Chemical Engineering at the University of Washington and Director of UWEB21 (University of Washington Engineered Biomaterials for the 21st Century). Dr. Ratner is an Investigator at NESAC/BIO, collaborating on UWEB21 research projects involving surface analysis. He also serves as a consultant to Core and Collaborative projects in the areas of surface analysis, surface modification, molecular recognition, and polymer chemistry and head ups research on non-fouling surfaces. Dr. Ratner's research interests include: biomaterials that induce healing, tissue engineering, synthesis and characterization of polymeric biomaterials, surface analysis, and plasma deposition of thin films.

Dr. Ratner received his his Ph.D. from Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn in 1972. He was NESAC/BIO's founder, and its Director from 1984 until 1996.