Our work
The Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering Research Department at UCL Eastman Dental Institute is dedicated to advancing oral health through innovative research and development in biomaterials and tissue engineering. Our mission is to:
- Pioneer Cutting-Edge Research: Conduct groundbreaking studies to develop novel biomaterials and tissue engineering solutions that enhance dental and orofacial treatments and patient outcomes.
- Foster Interdisciplinary Collaboration: Collaborate with experts across various fields to integrate advanced technologies and methodologies, driving forward the frontiers of dental science.
- Educate and Inspire: Provide exceptional education and training to the next generation of dental professionals and researchers, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to lead in the field.
- Promote Sustainable Practices: Develop eco-friendly and sustainable biomaterials that contribute to a healthier planet while improving oral health care.
- Enhance Patient Care: Translate research findings into practical applications that improve the quality of life for patients through innovative dental treatments and therapies.
Together, we strive to transform the future of dental medicine through excellence in research, education, and patient care.
Developing new biomaterials technology and tissue engineering and regenerative medicine approaches:
Work is being carried out across all materials groups from polymers, through composites to metals, to both synthesise new materials and also process into appropriate architecture. There is also an underlying interest in the use and/or repurposing of (waste) materials for sustainability/circular economy implications. New regenerative medicine technologies draw on combinations of cell, gene and small molecular therapies, and we aim to exploit and optimise these parameters to develop game-changing modalities. All of this knowledge is applied to a wide range of clinical challenges and commercial opportunities. Additive manufacturing offers significant opportunities for improvement of oral health. We are investigating the technology for a multitude of uses, including development of light curable and degradable resins that can be 3D printed to give custom-fit bone implants. We are also using it for more fundamental studies to allow 3D printing of cells to make organoid models. These can be used for regeneration of tissues such as nerve tissue and allow screening of new therapies. Other 3D models include culturing of whole teeth to assess new materials suitable for minimally invasive tooth restoration and enhanced regeneration.
Understanding the response of materials, cells and tissues to physical and biochemical environments:
Fundamental research is being carried out into determination of the properties of materials and tissues using a wide range of probe methodologies. At the Eastman we have research strengths in mechanical testing, microscopy methods, including SEM, TEM, AFM, confocal, fluorescence and chemical imaging. Moreover, the biocompatibility assessment of these novel materials are achieved using extensive cell culture techniques as well as other biological profiling techniques such as PCR, western blotting, and surface marker expression. All of this fundamental knowledge feeds back into our applied and translational strategies.
Staff
Head of Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering
BSc(hons), PhD, FIMMM, CEng, FRSC, Csci
My research is focused on degradable materials to regenerate hard and soft tissues lost through disease or trauma. My work takes a multiprobe approach to understand structure-property relationships to optimise the endpoint requirements.
Recent paper: U-M. Li, J.C. Knowles et al (2024) “Neural Tissue-Like, not Supraphysiological, Electrical Conductivity Stimulates Neuronal Lineage Specification through Calcium Signalling and Epigenetic Modification” Advanced Science, Vol.11, 2400586.
Associate Professor in Biomaterials and Allied Subjects
BEng, MSc, PhD, CEng, CSci, MIChemE
Biomaterials and composites for matrix engineering and biotechnology, and translational Science including advanced drug delivery systems, (bio)pharmaceutics and novel dosage design forms.
Recent paper: Sharifulden NSAN, Barrios Silva LV, Mandakhbayar NE, Shin SJ, Kim HW, Knowles JC, Nguyen LTB, Chau DYS. The biological and therapeutic assessment of a P(3HB-co-4HB)-bioactive glass-graphene composite biomaterial for tissue regeneration. J Biomed Mater Res B Appl Biomater. 2024 Ju;112(7):e35441
Research focuses on biodegradable materials for tissue regeneration, drug delivery systems, and thermo-responsive polymer-based carriers for large-scale stem cell expansion and harvesting, bridging the gap between academia and industry to advance regenerative medicine.
Recent paper: Tan, Naiwen; Sabalic-Schoener, Maja; Nguyen, Linh; D’Aiuto, Francesco; (2023) β-Tricalcium Phosphate-Loaded Chitosan-Based Thermosensitive Hydrogel for Periodontal Regeneration. Polymers, 15 (20)
Interested in the development of new structural and functional materials, with emphasis on molecularly imprinted nanomaterials as synthetic antibodies, enzymes and receptors for therapeutic, research and diagnostic applications.
Recent paper: X. Ma, Y. Tian, R. Yang, H. Wang, L. W. Allahou, J. Chang, G. Williams, J. C. Knowles, and A. Poma* (2024) “Nanotechnology in healthcare, and its safety and environmental risks.” Journal of Nanobiotechnology, Vol. 22, 715.
Areas of interest: (i) Therapeutic, Adhesive, Remineralising, Antibacterial Composites for Tooth and Vertebral Repair (ii) Drug-Releasing Degradable Calcium Phosphate Cements and Composites for Bone Repair.
Recent paper: Alkhouri, N., Xia, W., Ashley, P., Young, A. (2024). Resin tags formation by modified Renewal MI formulations in a carious dentine model. Front. Oral Health 5:1420541. doi:10.3389/froh.2024.1420541
Facilities
The BTE Department offers a wide range of materials and cell characterisation facilities. Staff are happy to discuss collaborative research measurements with both internal and external users. For further information, contact Professor Jonathan Knowles. Facilities include:
ATR FTIR
Differential Scanning Calorimetry
Dynamic Mechanical Analysis
Quasi Static mechanical testing
Fatigue Testing
Goniometry/contact angle measurement
High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC)
Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry ICP-OES
Ion Chromatography
Quartz Crystal Microgravimetry (QCM)
Spincoating and thin-film manufacturing
Electrospinning
Micro- and nano-particle fabrication and characterisation
Chicken chorioallantoic membrane assay and egg incubation
Full mammalian/human/stem cell culture facilities
Multi-format absorbance/fluorescence/luminescence plate readers
3D printers (FDM, DLP, SLA, SLS)
UV-Visible Spectroscopy
X-Ray Diffraction
Leica DMIRB Inverted Fluorescence Microscope
Tucsen 3D mapping camera
High resolution and colocalised Raman And AFM Mapping with TERS capability
Real-time quantitative PCR and allele discrimination
Scanning Electron Microscope
Transmission Electron Microscope
Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy
2- and 3D image analysis packages
All current PhD projects
Project titles:
- 3D Bioprinting for custom-fit maxillofacial implants using new degradable polymers
- Bioprinting of functional tissue constructs in 3D: Use of hydrogels for assembly of complex tissues
- Degradable microcarriers for stem cell expansion and formation of new hard tissue organoids
- Degradable glass fibres for the regeneration of muscle and ligament
- Repair of nerve tissue injuries using degradable glass fibres as guidance cues.
- Synthesis of nanoparticles for cancer dual and controlled drug release for cancer therapy
- Development of phosphate-based sol-gel glasses for therapeutic use
Supervisor: Professor Jonathan Knowles
Project titles:
- Self-adhesive, re-mineralising, antibacterial dental restorative materials, dental restoration, methacrylate, calcium phosphate, antibacterial release/action.
- Replacement of PMMA bone cement with a modified dental composite polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), bone cement, dental composite, strength, and antibacterial.
- Degradable composite bone cement development, calcium phosphate, degradable polymers, bone cement, and drug release.
Supervisor: Professor Anne Young
Project titles:
- Thermo-responsive Electrospun Dressing for the Treatment of Melanoma
Supervisor: Dr Linh Nguyen - Injectable Hydrogel for Alveolar Bone Loss
Supervisor: Dr Linh Nguyen - Beta-TCP Loaded Chitosan-based Thermosensitive Hydrogel for Enhancing the Effect of Periodontal Granulation Tissue-Derived Stem Cells Released in the Periodontal Regenerative Therapy
Supervisor: Professor Francesco D'Aiuto / Dr Linh Nguyen - Regenerative Potential of Tissue-Specific Cell-Based Therapies for Alveolar Ridge Preservation. A Randomised Controlled Clinical Trial
Supervisor: Professor Francesco D'Aiuto / Dr Linh Nguyen
Project titles:
- Development of synthetic quorum quenchers for oral and extraoral biofilm inhibition and eradication
- Advanced precision nanoparticle-based for oral and head & neck malignancies
- Non-viral gene delivery approaches for functional tissue regeneration [in co-supervision with Dr Pratik Gurnani (UCL School of Pharmacy)]
- Smart sustainable matrices for oral, bone and skin tissue engineering applications (in collaboration with ReOvum)
- Immunomodulation and inflammation regulation at the nanoscale
- “GREENIFICATION” of synthetic antibodies
- Scalable manufacturing and analysis approaches of synthetic antibodies [in collaboration with Dr Gyorgy Szekely (Chemical Engineering, KAUST)
Primary supervisor: Dr Alessandro Poma
Project titles:
- Immortality in a bag: a liquid nitrogen-free, animal-free, and DMSO-free alternative to enhanced cell storage
- Development of a desiccation-tolerant human (stem) cell for biomedical and clinical applications
- A novel hydrogel formulation for the enhancement of dental implant integration
- Directed differentiation of human cells using modified and modulated biomimetic scaffolds
- Novel v(egg)etarian biomaterials for soft/hard tissue repair and regeneration
- Development of a 3D model of periodontitis: implications for drug development and clinical translation
- Advanced matrices for guided alveolar bone reconstruction (in co-supervision with Prof Francesco D'Aiuto (Eastman Dental Hospital)]
- New-Approach Methodologies (NAMs) and Non-Animal Technologies (NATs) in biomaterial development and bioprocessing
- Nanoparticle-incorporated sustainable packaging, and health-and home-care materials (in collaboration with Metalchemy)
Primary supervisor: Dr David Chau
Project titles:
- The influence of implant-abutment corrosion products on cell metabolic pathways, implant abutment, dental implants, corrosion, peri-implantitis, and bone loss.
Supervisor: Dr Lambis Petridis / Professor Jonathan Knowles - Antimicrobial coatings for intraoral prostheses intraoral prostheses, Candida, MRSA, antibacterial, coatings.
Supervisor: Dr Lambis Petridis
In collaboration with the Prosthodontics Department and the Microbial Disease Team
Spotlight on
Novel filling materials
Professor Young's team seeks to optimise formulations that will be able to be placed directly onto disease-affected dental caries without anaesthetic, drilling or the bonding steps currently required.
Peri implant bone loss
Working to improve implant success by studying the release of corrosion products from the implant-abutment complex which may contribute to the disruption of bone metabolism.
The Discoveries Centre
Following the receipt of a prestigious H2020 TEAMING grant in 2016, we have been working with UCL and Portuguese colleagues to improve the field of regenerative and precision medicine in Portugal.
