Three principal research streams are embedded within this theme:

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and antimicrobial materials

The emergence and spread of AMR is a global health threat. To address this challenge, we are trying to better understand the mechanisms by which microbes become resistant, particularly:

• when in polymicrobial communities;
• to identify novel antimicrobials;
• to improve antimicrobial prescribing through improved infection diagnosis; and
• to develop anti-infective materials for medical devices that negate the need to use antimicrobials.

Next-generation materials

Our research combines materials processing and surface engineering to address biomedical and engineering challenges.

Current research activities exploit surface topography and mechanical stiffness to develop cell-instructive materials for implants and tissue engineering scaffolds, together with the exploration of top-down approaches to develop biomimetic ceramic composites with enhanced properties for use in dental, orthopaedic and other engineering applications.

Oral microbe-systemic disease link

Some of the microbes that inhabit the oral cavity have the capacity to cause disease at sites away from the mouth. This includes severe heart disease (e.g. atherosclerosis, infective endocarditis) and neurodegenerative conditions (e.g. Alzheimer’s disease).

We are trying to better understand the mechanisms by which the microbes can cause these diseases, so that novel therapies or dental interventions to combat the disease can be developed.

Mysmile

Current study investigating whether improving oral health can slow memory loss.