This Web site (the "Site") is owned and operated by Pittsburgh Tissue Engineering Initiative, Inc., ("PTEI", "we", "us", or "our"). Your use of this Site is governed at all times by the following Terms of Use and the PTEI Privacy Statement, as they may be amended from time to time (the "Agreement"). By accessing and continuing to use this Site, you agree to be bound by these Terms of Use and the accompanying Privacy Statement. If you decide you cannot abide by both policies, please discontinue your use of this Site.

In our experience, it has become an undeniable fact that Internet users, and the public generally, have become increasingly concerned that they are not being fully informed with regard to the collection and use of their personal information. The intent of our Site is to inform you about many collaborative and individual opportunities in the field of tissue engineering. The intent of this document is to:

1. Inform you of our commitment to you to make your exploration of our Site a safe and secure experience;
   
2. Inform you of our privacy policy and our intended use of information provided by you (or agreement NOT to use information provided by you in certain ways);
   
3. Inform you about the legal limitations we place on the Site; and
   
4. Gain your understanding and agreement that you will comply with our "Netiquette" and legal rules concerning use of the Site.
   

In essence and in fact, we are contracting with you and you with us (should you accept) to honor these "Netiquette" and legal Terms of Use for our mutual benefit.

THIS SITE IS NOT A MEDICAL ADVICE SITE. NO PERSONAL MEDICAL INFORMATION SHOULD BE TRANSMITTED TO OR THROUGH THIS SITE. IF YOU ARE IN NEED OF MEDICAL ATTENTION, OR HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT YOUR HEALTH, YOU SHOULD CONTACT YOUR DOCTOR OR OTHER MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL.

ALL INFORMATION PROVIDED TO PTEI FOR THE "TE DIRECTORY" ON THIS SITE - WILL BE POSTED TO A PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE "SEARCHABLE DATABASE" THAT IS VIEWABLE THROUGH THIS SITE. THIS INCLUDES YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION. THE PTEI SITE AND THE “TE DIRECTORY” IS NOT INTENDED OR DESIGNED TO ATTRACT USERS UNDER THE AGE OF EIGHTEEN. WE DO NOT COLLECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE DATA FROM ANYPERSON WE KNOW TO BE UNDER THE AGE OF EIGHTEEN AND INSTRUCT USERS UNDER THE AGE OF EIGHTEEN NOT TO SEND US ANY INFORMATION FOR COLLECTION ON THE SITE.  YOU SHOULD NOT REGISTER WITH THE "TE DIRECTORY" FOR THE "SEARCHABLE DATABASE" ON THIS SITE IF YOU ARE A MINOR UNDER THE AGE OF EIGHTEEN. PTEI WILL NOT KNOWINGLY POST INFORMATION TO THIS PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE DATABASE FROM MINORS. PTEI DISCLAIMS ANY LIABILITY FOR POSTING INFORMATION THAT IS PROVIDED TO US WITH A FALSE AND/OR FRAUDULENT REPRESENTATION.

Data posted to this website will be housed on a server in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  Users from outside the United States are advised that United States privacy laws may be different than the laws that apply in your home country. If you post information to this website, you must first consent and agree that your information will be used and processed in accordance with United States law.

If PTEI is requested by law enforcement officials or judicial authorities to provide information on individual users, PTEI may, without your consent, provide such information. In matters involving claims of personal or public safety or in litigation where the data is pertinent, PTEI may use or disclose your personal information without your consent or court process.

We are the owner of data you supply to us.  In the event that PTEI and some of our assets are sold or transferred or used as security, the information collected on our websites, including this one, may be transferred to third parties as part of that transaction. PTEI may also provide information or provide access to information to any of our affiliated businesses or to our business partners.

PTEI recognizes you may be concerned about the security of your personal information, and we are committed to employing reasonable technology in order to protect the security of our website. Even with such technology, no website is 100% secure. We will take reasonable measures which we believe are appropriate to protect your information from loss, misuse, alteration or destruction, and, where possible, will ask that any third parties to whom we may transfer your information take comparable steps to protect that security.

If you use this site, you are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your access information and password and for restricting access to your computer, and you agree to accept responsibility for all activities that occur under your password.

1. License to Use the Site; Restrictions.

We hereby grant you a non-exclusive, personal, non-transferable, revocable license to use the Site in accordance with these Terms of Use; we reserve the right to terminate or suspend this license at our sole discretion without notice. To the extent allowable under applicable law, You may download and print Site content, including these Terms of Use, to your personal computing device. See Section 11. WE DO NOT, AND CANNOT, WARRANTY OR REPRESENT THAT THE INFORMATION ON THIS SITE IS THE MOST CURRENT INFORMATION ON THE SUBJECT OR TOPIC.

2. Privacy.

Our Privacy Statement is a part of this Agreement and its terms are incorporated by this reference. Please read it now by clicking on the Privacy Statement link. The policy explains how certain information about you is collected and may be used. If you do not agree with the Privacy Policy, you should discontinue your use of the Site.

3. No Obligation for Submission of Comments, Ideas, and Other Information.

From time to time, the Site may afford you the opportunity to submit comments, ideas, and other information that is to be shared with PTEI or other Users of the Site. You understand and agree, by sending Submission to us, that such Submissions shall not be subject to any obligation on our part, including, without limitation, any obligation of compensation, confidentiality, or retention and that PTEI shall not be liable for any use or disclosure (including publication in any medium) of any Submissions.

4. Links to Third-Party Web Sites.

As a convenience to you, the Site may provide live (external) links to other Internet Web sites or banner advertisements that are not under our control ("Third-Party Web sites"). The products and/or information on such Third-Party Web sites are promoted and sold by any such third party and not by us. If you click on a link or banner ad for more information about a product or service offered by one of these Third-Party Web sites, a new browser window may open, and you may be transported to one of these Third-party Web sites. Your visit to these Third-Party Web sites, and any transactions or information gathering you engage in at such Web sites, are subject to the Terms of Use of such Third-Party Web sites, not the Terms of Use of this Site. Any links on this Site to Third-Party Web sites do not imply a business or other relationship, or an endorsement of such sites by us, unless specifically stated herein, and no such Third-Party or Web site is authorized to make any representation or warranty on our behalf. You agree that in no event shall PTEI be held liable in any manner for providing a link or reference to another Site.

5. No Warranties; As Is

THE SITE, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION ALL CONTENT AND SERVICES PROVIDED IN THE SITE, ARE PROVIDED TO YOU "AS IS" AND "WITH ALL FAULTS", AND YOU ASSUME THE ENTIRE RISK AS TO THE RESULTS AND THE PERFORMANCE OF THE SITE. WE HEREBY DISCLAIM AND YOU AGREE TO WAIVE ALL WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND WITH REGARD TO THE SITE OR ANY CONTENT OR SERVICES PROVIDED ON THE SITE. EITHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, NEGLIGENCE, INTERFERENCE WITH YOUR ENJOYMENT OF THE SITE OR AGAINST INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY INFRINGEMENT. WE DO NOT GIVE ANY WARRANTIES OR UNDERTAKE ANY DUTIES WITH REGARD TO: THE AVAILABILITY OF THE SITE AT ANY PARTICULAR TIME, FUNCTIONALITY, TIMELINESS OF SERVICES, ACCURACY OR CURRENCY OF CONTENT, PRESENCE OF VIRUSES OR OTHERWISE.

6. No Incidental, Consequential or Other Special Damages.

TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW AND REGARDLESS OF THE FORM OR CAUSE OF ACTION OR THE ALLEGED BASIS OF THE CLAIM, YOU AGREE THAT WE WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, INDIRECT, PUNITIVE, SPECIAL, OR OTHER DAMAGES WHATSOEVER, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF PROFITS, BUSINESS INTERRUPTION, OR LOSS OF INFORMATION, AND THE LIKE, ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS THESE TERMS OF USE, EVEN IF WE HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES AND EVEN IF THE REMEDIES OTHERWISE PROVIDED UNDER THESE TERMS OF USE, AT LAW, OR IN EQUITY, FAIL OF THEIR ESSENTIAL PURPOSE.

7. Limitation of Liability and Exclusive Remedy.

TO THE FULLEST EXTEND PERMITTED BY LAW, YOU AGREE THAT YOUR SOLE REMEDY FOR ANY BREACH OF THESE TERMS OF USE OR OTHER ALLEGED LIABILITY TO YOU BY US WILL BE THE CORRECTION, IF TECHNICALLY POSSIBLE, OR THE REMOVAL OF THE PART OF THE SITE THAT GAVE RISE TO DAMAGES INCURRED BY YOU. YOU AGREE THAT THIS LIMITATION OF LIABILITY WILL APPLY EVEN IF ANY REMEDY FAILS OF ITS ESSENTIAL PURPOSE. IN THE EVENT A COURT OF COMPETENT JURISDICTION DETERMINES THAT WE ARE LIABLE FOR SITE-RELATED DAMAGES OF ANY KIND, YOU AGREE THAT SUCH DAMAGES SHALL NOT EXCEED FIFTY DOLLARS (US$50).

8. Your Representations & Warranties.

User represents and warrants to PTEI that (a) all information provided by User is truthful, accurate and complete; (b) User shall comply with all Terms of Use, including, without limitation, the provisions of Section 9, Prohibited Uses and Section 10, Indemnification.

9. Prohibited Uses.

User is solely responsible for any and all acts and omissions that occur under User's account, and User agrees not to engage in unacceptable use of the Site or any Service provided, including any "Discussion Board" or e-mail, which includes, without limitation, use of same to: (a) disseminate, store or transmit unsolicited messages, chain letters or unsolicited commercial e-mail; (b) disseminate or transmit material that, to a reasonable person may be abusive, obscene, pornographic, defamatory, harassing, grossly offensive, vulgar, threatening or malicious; (c) disseminate, store or transmit files, graphics, software or other materials that actually or potentially infringes the copyright, trademark, patent, trade secret or other intellectual property right of any person; (d) create a false identity or to otherwise attempt to mislead any person or PTEI as to the identity or origin of any communication; (e) interfere, disrupt or attempt to gain unauthorized access to other accounts on the Service or any other computer network; (f) disseminate, store or transmit viruses, Trojan horses or any other malicious code or program; or (g) engage in any other activity deemed by PTEI to be in conflict with the spirit or intent of these Terms of Use.

10. Indemnification.

User agrees to indemnify, hold harmless and defend PTEI, its, affiliates, directors, officers, employees and agents from and against any action, cause, claim, damage, debt, demand or liability, including reasonable costs and attorney's fees, asserted by any person arising out of or relating to: (a) these Terms of Use; (b) User's use of the Web Site and/or services or information provided therein, including any data or work transmitted or received by User; and (c) any unacceptable use of the Web Site , including, without limitation, any statement, data or content made, transmitted or republished by User which is prohibited as unacceptable at Section 9.

11. Claims of Copyright Infringement or Legal Impropriety.

While we disclaim any warranties or liability for Intellectual Property infringement to the fullest extent provided by law, we do not wish to encourage such activity on our Site. We rely on our Users to bring alleged instances of copyright infringement or other legal improprieties to our attention. Anyone who believes that his or her work has been reproduced in such a way that constitutes copyright infringement or other legal violation may contact webmaster@ptei.org. Claims of copyright infringement or other alleged violations of intellectual property rights and documentary proof thereof should be sent by registered or overnight mail to Administrative Director, PTEI, 100 Technology Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15219. Claimant's documentary proof must contain proof of claimant's ownership rights, details of the alleged misuse of such property, contact information of such claimant and/or their legal representative, including full name, address, e-mail (if available), address, telephone and fax numbers.

12. Termination.

This Agreement is effective upon User's acceptance as set forth herein and shall continue in full force until terminated. All temporary usage licenses granted to User expire on termination. User may terminate this Agreement for any reason by ceasing to use the Site. PTEI reserves the right, in its sole discretion and without notice, at any time and for any reason, to: (a) remove or disable access to all or any portion of the Site; (b) suspend User's access to or use of all or any portion of the Site; and (c) terminate this Agreement.

13. Pennsylvania Law Governs; Exclusive Allegheny County Jurisdiction.

These Terms of Use and any dispute arising hereunder will be governed and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Pennsylvania, U.S.A., without giving effect to the principles of its conflict of law provisions. You consent to the jurisdiction of and venue in the state or federal courts in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, U.S.A., in all disputes arising out of or relating to this Agreement.

14. Severability; No Waiver; Entire Agreement.

If any provision of these Terms of Use is found by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid or unenforceable, the parties agree that the remaining provisions of the Agreement shall remain in full force and effect, provided that the allocation of risks described herein is given effect to the fullest extent possible. Our failure to act with respect to a breach by you or others does not constitute a waiver of our right to act with respect to subsequent or similar breaches. These Terms of Use, including any notices and disclosures in the Site, constitute the entire agreement between you and us.

15. Survival.

The applicable Terms of Use, including paragraphs shall survive any termination or expiration hereof.

16. Changes to Terms of Use.

The provisions of these Terms of Use may change from time to time. When you visit the Site, you are bound by the version of this Agreement that is in effect at the time of your visit. We may provide notice of such changes by highlighting them in the Terms of Use section of our Site, and you agree to check for such amendments. If you cannot agree with such revised terms, signify this by discontinuing use of the Site.

BY ACCESSING AND CONTINUING TO USE THIS SITE YOU REPRESENT YOUR UNDERSTANDING AND AGREEMENT TO THE FORGOING TERMS OF USE AND ACCOMPANYING PRIVACY POLICY. DO NOT PROCEED IF YOU DO NOT AGREE TO BE BOUND BY BOTH POLICIES.

Please forward any questions or comments to:

Pittsburgh Tissue Engineering Initiative, Inc.
100 Technology Drive
Pittsburgh, PA 15219
Attn: webmaster@ptei.org