Bakgrunn
Dental implants have become an indispensable part of modern dental care, demonstrating a clear benefit for the masticatory efficiency and quality of life for patients suffering from tooth loss [1]. Due to favourable welfare conditions, a growing ageing population and effective treatment, the number of placed dental implants is rising globally. Nevertheless, peri-implant diseases affect a significant number of patients with dental implant, which has been related to poor soft tissue integration to the transmucosal component of dental implants [2]. Therefore, there is a need for multifunctional surface modification strategies that can orchestrate uneventful peri-implant wound healing by simultaneously resisting bacterial colonisation, dampening excessive inflammation and supporting fast integration of the implant in the surrounding tissues.
Plant polyphenols possess a myriad of functional properties being antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial, and thus, surface coatings based on these molecules have attracted increasing interest as cell-adhesive surface functionalisation strategies for anti-infective implant materials [3]. Among plant polyphenols, tannic acid (TA) is a particularly interesting candidate due to its availability and reported antibiofilm effect on several bacterial species associated with implant infections [4-6]. Complementing the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potential of TA with bioactive polypeptides with capacity to promote cell proliferation and reparative cellular processes occurring during tissue regeneration presents a very promising strategy to promote uneventful wound healing and soft tissue integration of dental implants.
Problemstilling
The main objective of the project is to develop hybrid nanocoatings that combine the anti-inflammatory properties of tannic acid with the reparative potential of bioactive polypeptides. The mechanism of action of the developed hybrid coatings will be tested in terms of their effect on cell behaviour of human gingival fibroblasts and mesenchymal stromal cells. The early events of peri-implant wound healing response on the coated surfaces will be investigated in detail with a combination of confocal microscopy and biological assays, with specific focus on the influence of protein conditioning film adsorption on the bioactivity of the surface-bound functional biomolecules.
Mål og metode
This project will introduce the student to working with in vitro cell culturing techniques and biochemical and molecular biology techniques to understand the behaviour of human primary cells in contact with modified biomaterial surfaces in the presence and absence of bacterially induced inflammation.
Specific techniques used in the project:
- coating deposition and characterisation quartz-crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring
- cell culture of developed hybrid nanocoatings and analysis of cell function using cell viability, proliferation and cytotoxicity assays, including genotoxicity assay
- analysis of secreted protein levels using ELISA and multiplex immunoassays
- gene expression analysis using qPCR
- confocal microscopy and fluorescent staining techniques
Studentens arbeidsoppgaver
The student will be trained in all the necessary laboratory methods and techniques, including health and safety protocols, and will be involved in all stages of the research, from planning to executing the research experiments using the abovementioned methodology. In addition, the student will be instructed in critical interpretation of the obtained results and relevant research literature. The student will also learn how to report research results to the relevant international research community (project meetings, international conferences, scientific publication) and write a research article based on the obtained results to be published an international peer-reviewed scientific journal in the field of biomaterials science.
Om forskningsmiljøet
We are part of the Department of Biomaterials, where most of the experimental work will be performed. Our research interests focus on the development and characterisation of biomaterials and modified biomaterial surfaces to control biological response towards these materials when implanted in the body. Department of Biomaterials is a young and very international research group with an ambitious and multidisciplinary research focus. When choosing this project, the student will be integrated within our interdisciplinary research group working on a larger NFR-funded research project LUTHER focusing on developing multifunctional implant surface modifications to reducing infection risk associated with dental implants. In addition to the project supervisors, team LUTHER consists of two PhD students at the Department of Biomaterials and one technician at Oral Research Laboratory, as well as three international collaborators.
We have long experience in supervising students from bachelor to PhD level and always do our best to create a friendly and supporting working environment, where students can focus on developing their analytical and practical research skills. Currently, we co-supervise two PhD students (Agnieszka Rogala and Enrique Oreja), both of whom work as part of LUTHER project.
Kontaktpersoner
Referanser
1. Buser D, Sennerby L, De Bruyn H. Modern implant dentistry based on osseointegration: 50 years of progress, current trends and open questions. Periodontol 2000 2017;73:7-21.
2. Guo T, Gulati K, Arora H, Han P, Fournier B, Ivanovski S. Race to invade: understanding soft tissue integration at the transmucosal region of titanium dental implants. Dent Mater 2021;37:816-831.
3. Sileika TS, Barrett DG, Zhang R, Lau KHA, Messersmith PB. Colorless multifunctional coatings inspired by polyphenols found in tea, chocolate, and wine. Angew Chem Int Ed 2013;52:10766-10770.
4. Jagani S, Chelikani R, Kim D-S. Effects of phenol and natural phenolic compounds on biofilm formation by Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Biofouling 2009;25:321-324.
5. Sendamangalam V, Choi OK, Kim D, Seo Y. The anti-biofouling effect of polyphenols against Streptococcus mutans. Biofouling 2011;27:13-19.
6. Payne DE, Martin NR, Parzych KR, Rickard AH, Underwood A, Boles BR. Tannic acid inhibits Staphylococcus aureus surface colonization in an IsaA-dependent manner. Infect Immun 2013;81:496-504.