Research Spotlight
New bacterial species involved in tooth decay
Large study in children reveals Selenomonas sputigena as a key partner of Streptococcus in cavity formation
Highlighted by NIH Research Matters
Nanorobotic system presents new options for targeting fungal infections
A new way to precisely eradicate fungal infections in the mouth by using nanorobots guided by magnets.
Microbes that cause cavities can form superorganisms able to ‘crawl’ and spread on teeth
Cross-kingdom partnership between bacteria and fungi with unusual strength and resilience
Ren et al. PNAS. 2022Featured by NIH/NIDCR
Shapeshifting microrobots can brush and floss teeth
A hands-free system that automates the treatment and removal of tooth-decay-causing dental plaque
Oh & Babeer et al. ACS Nano. 2022
Featured by NIH/NIDCR
Microrobots for precision biofilm diagnostics and treatment
Paradigm-changing approach targets hard-to-reach anatomical spaces in an automated and tether-free manner
Babeer et al. J Dent Res. 2022
Polymicrobial aggregates in human saliva build oral biofilms
Natural consortia of microbes as "buds of growth" without orderly succession
Simon-Soro and Ren et al. mBio. 2022
Smart dental implants
Smart dental implant that resists bacterial growth and generates its own electricity through chewing and brushing
Dhall et al. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces. 2021Park et al. Adv Healthc Mater. 2020
Precision biofilm targeting
Nanoparticles that target oral biofilms without disrupting microbiota and host tissues
Liu et al. Nano Lett. 2021Huang et al. Biomaterials. 2021Naha et al. ACS Nano. 2019
Affordable anti-plaque therapeutics
Ways to prevent disease which are more efficacious, sustainable and low-cost
Singh, Ren & Shi et al. Plant Biotechnol J. 2021Yuan Liu et al. Biomaterials. 2016
How bacteria build their homes on human teeth
Biogeography of the polymicrobial community associated with dental caries
Kim et al. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 2020Kim et al. J Dent Res. 2020
Interrupting a cross-kingdom threat
The bacterial-fungal partnership that puts the disease-causing biofilm production into overdrive
Kim et al. mBio. 2021Wan et al. J Dent Res. 2021Hwang et al. PLoS Pathog. 2018
An army of microrobots can wipe out dental plaque
Microbe-killing robots for biofilm elimination
Hwang et al. Sci Robot. 2019
Targeting the sticky matter of plaque biofilms
Dismantling the pathogenic biofilm architecture by matrix-degrading enzymes
Ren et al. J Dent Res. 2019
Selected Publications
2023
Hajishengallis G., Lamont R.J., & Koo H., Oral polymicrobial communities: Assembly, function, and impact on diseases. Cell Host & Microbe, 31(4), 528-538 (2022).
Cho H., Ren Z., Divaris K., Roach J., Lin B.M., Liu C., Azcarate-Peril M.A., et al., Selenomonas sputigena acts as a pathobiont mediating spatial structure and biofilm virulence in early childhood caries. Nature Communications, 14(1), 2919 (2023).
Lamont R.J., Hajishengallis G., & Koo H., Social networking at the microbiome-host interface. Infection and Immunity, 91(9), e00124-23 (2023).
Huang Y., Liu Y., Pandey N.K., Shah S., Simon-Soro A., Hsu J.C., Ren Z., et al., Iron oxide nanozymes stabilize stannous fluoride for targeted biofilm killing and synergistic oral disease prevention. Nature Communications, 14(1), 6087 (2023).
Tran H.H., Watkins A., Oh M.J., Babeer A., Schaer T.P., Steager E., & Koo H., Targeting biofilm infections in humans using small scale robotics. Trends in Biotechnology. 42(4):479-495. (2023)
Koo H. & Stebe K., Dental Medicine and Engineering Unite to Transform Oral Health Innovations. Journal of Dental Research, 102(11), 1177-1179 (2023)
Xiang Z., Wakade R.S., Ribeiro A.A., Hu W., Bittinger K., Simon-Soro A., Kim D., et al., Human tooth as a fungal niche: Candida albicans traits in dental plaque isolates. mBio, 14(1), e02769-22 (2023)
Liu Y., Daniel S.G., Kim H.E., Koo H., Korostoff J., Teles F., Bittinger K., et al., Addition of cariogenic pathogens to complex oral microflora drives significant changes in biofilm compositions and functionalities. Microbiome, 11(1), 123 (2023)
2022
Huang Y., Hsu J.C., Koo H., & Cormode D.P., Repurposing ferumoxytol: Diagnostic and therapeutic applications of an FDA-approved nanoparticle. Theranostics, 12(2), 796 (2022).
Ren Z. and Jeckel H. et al., Interkingdom assemblages in human saliva display group-level surface mobility and disease-promoting emergent functions. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 119(41):e2209699119 (2022).
Oh M. and Babeer A. et al., Surface Topography-Adaptive Robotic Superstructures for Biofilm Removal and Pathogen Detection on Human Teeth. ACS Nano, 16(8): 11998–12012 (2022).
Babeer A. et al., Microrobotics for Precision Biofilm Diagnostics and Treatment. Journal of dental research, 220345221087149 (2022).
Simon-Soro A. & Ren Z. et al., Polymicrobial Aggregates in Human Saliva Build the Oral Biofilm. mBio 13(1), e00131-22 (2022).
2021
Simon-Soro, A. et al., Impact of the repurposed drug thonzonium bromide on host oral-gut microbiomes. NPJ Biofilms Microbiomes 7, 7 (2021).
Singh R., Ren Z. and Shi Y. et al., Affordable oral health care: dental biofilm disruption using chloroplast made enzymes with chewing gum delivery. Plant Biotechnology Journal 19(10), 2113-2125 (2021).
Liu Y. et al., 2021. Ferumoxytol nanoparticles target biofilms causing tooth decay in the human mouth. Nano Letters 21(22), 9442-9449 (2021).
Heimisdottir L. H. et al., Metabolomics Insights in Early Childhood Caries. Journal of Dental Research online ahead of print (2021).
Xiang, Z. et al. Potential implications of SARS-CoV-2 oral infection in the host microbiota. Journal of Oral Microbiology 13, 1853451 (2021).
Huang, Y. et al. Precision targeting of bacterial pathogen via bi-functional nanozyme activated by biofilm microenvironment. Biomaterials 268, 120581 (2021).
Rodrigues N.S. et al. Biomaterial and biofilm interactions with the pulp-dentin complex-on-a-chip. Journal of dental research 100.10: 1136-1143 (2021).
Wan, S. X. et al. Cross-kingdom cell-to-cell interactions in cariogenic biofilm initiation. Journal of Dental Research 100, 74-81 (2021).
Dhall A. et al. Bimodal Nanocomposite Platform with Antibiofilm and Self-Powering Functionalities for Biomedical Applications. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 13:40379-40391 (2021).
Kim H.E. et al. Intervening in symbiotic cross-kingdom biofilm interactions: A binding mechanism-based non-microbicidal approach. mBio 12:e00651-21 (2021).
Kim H.E. et al. Synergism of Streptococcus mutans and Candida albicans reinforces biofilm maturation and acidogenicity in saliva: an in vitro study. Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology 10:623980 (2021).
Zheng S et al. Implication of surface properties, bacterial motility, and hydrodynamic conditions on bacterial surface sensing and their initial adhesion. Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology 9:643722 (2021).
2020
Karygianni, L., Ren, Z., Koo, H. & Thurnheer, T. Biofilm matrixome: extracellular components in structured microbial communities. Trends in Microbiology 28, 668-681 (2020).
Sims Jr, K. R., He, B., Koo, H. & Benoit, D. S. Electrostatic Interactions enable nanoparticle delivery of the flavonoid myricetin. ACS Omega 5, 12649-12659 (2020).
Paula, A. J., Hwang, G. & Koo, H. Dynamics of bacterial population growth in biofilms resemble spatial and structural aspects of urbanization. Nature communications 11, 1–14 (2020).
Kim, D. et al. Spatial mapping of polymicrobial communities reveals a precise biogeography associated with human dental caries. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 117, 12375–12386 (2020).
Kim, D. & Koo, H. Spatial design of polymicrobial oral biofilm in its native disease state. Journal of Dental Research 99, 597–603 (2020).
Sims Jr, K. R. et al. Dual antibacterial drug-loaded nanoparticles synergistically improve treatment of Streptococcus mutans biofilms. Acta Biomaterialia 115, 418-431 (2020).
Cocco AR et al. Antibiofilm activity of a novel pit and fissure self-adhesive sealant modified with metallic containing monomers. Biofouling 36: 245-55 (2020).
Park MC et al. Human oral motion-powered smart dental implant (SDI) for in situ ambulatory photobiomodulation therapy. Advanced Healthcare Materials 2000658 (2020).
2019
Sims, K. R. et al. Enhanced design and formulation of nanoparticles for anti-biofilm drug delivery. Nanoscale 11, 219–236 (2019).
Ren, Z. et al. Dual-targeting approach degrades biofilm matrix and enhances bacterial killing. Journal of dental research 98, 322–330 (2019).
Parry-Nweye, E. et al. Electrochemical strategy for eradicating fluconazole-Tolerant Candida albicans using implantable titanium. ACS applied materials & interfaces 11, 40997–41008 (2019).
Palmer, S. R. et al. Streptococcus mutans yidC1 and yidC2 impact cell envelope biogenesis, the biofilm matrix, and biofilm biophysical properties. Journal of bacteriology 201, e00396-18 (2019).
Naha, P. C. et al. Dextran-coated iron oxide nanoparticles as biomimetic catalysts for localized and pH-activated biofilm disruption. ACS nano 13, 4960–4971 (2019).
Hwang, G. et al. Catalytic antimicrobial robots for biofilm eradication. Science Robotics 4, eaaw2388 (2019).
Ellepola, K. et al. Multi-omics analyses reveal synergistic carbohydrate metabolism in Streptococcus mutans-Candida albicans mixed-species biofilms. Infection and immunity 87, e00339-19 (2019).
de Cássia Negrini, T., Koo, H. & Arthur, R. A. Candida–bacterial biofilms and host–microbe interactions in oral diseases. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology 1197, 119–141 (2019).
2018
Xu, Z. et al. Converting organosulfur compounds to inorganic polysulfides against resistant bacterial infections. Nature communications 9, 1–13 (2018).
Xu, X. et al. Meeting report: a close look at oral biofilms and microbiomes. International journal of oral science 10, 1–5 (2018).
Xiao, J. et al. Candida albicans and early childhood caries: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Caries research 52, 102–112 (2018).
Xiao, J. et al. Association between oral Candida and bacteriome in children with severe ECC. Journal of dental research 97, 1468–1476 (2018).
Liu, Y. et al. Differential oxidative stress tolerance of Streptococcus mutans isolates affects competition in an ecological mixed‐species biofilm model. Environmental microbiology reports 10, 12–22 (2018).
Liu, Y. et al. Topical ferumoxytol nanoparticles disrupt biofilms and prevent tooth decay in vivo via intrinsic catalytic activity. Nature communications 9, 1–12 (2018).
Liu, Y., Ren, Z., Hwang, G. & Koo, H. Therapeutic strategies targeting cariogenic biofilm microenvironment. Advances in dental research 29, 86–92 (2018).
Lamont, R. J., Koo, H. & Hajishengallis, G. The oral microbiota: dynamic communities and host interactions. Nature Reviews Microbiology 16, 745–759 (2018).
Koo, H., Andes, D. R. & Krysan, D. J. Candida–streptococcal interactions in biofilm-associated oral diseases. PLoS Pathogens 14, e1007342 (2018).
Kim, D. et al. Bacterial-derived exopolysaccharides enhance antifungal drug tolerance in a cross-kingdom oral biofilm. The ISME journal 12, 1427–1442 (2018).
Jean, J. et al. Retrospective analysis of Candida-related conditions in infancy and early childhood caries. Pediatric dentistry 40, 131–135 (2018).
Cormode, D. P., Gao, L. & Koo, H. Emerging biomedical applications of enzyme-like catalytic nanomaterials. Trends in biotechnology 36, 15–29 (2018).
Bukhari, S., Kim, D., Liu, Y., Karabucak, B. & Koo, H. Novel endodontic disinfection approach using catalytic nanoparticles. Journal of endodontics 44, 806–812 (2018).
Bowen, W. H., Burne, R. A., Wu, H. & Koo, H. Oral biofilms: pathogens, matrix, and polymicrobial interactions in microenvironments. Trends in microbiology 26, 229–242 (2018).
2017
Xiao, J. et al. Biofilm three-dimensional architecture influences in situ pH distribution pattern on the human enamel surface. International journal of oral science 9, 74–79 (2017).
Wen, Z. T. et al. Streptococcus mutans displays altered stress responses while enhancing biofilm formation by Lactobacillus casei in mixed-species consortium. Frontiers in cellular and infection microbiology 7, 524 (2017).
Paula, A. J. & Koo, H. Nanosized building blocks for customizing novel antibiofilm approaches. Journal of dental research 96, 128–136 (2017).
Noronha, V. T. et al. Influence of surface silanization on the physicochemical stability of silver nanocoatings: a large length scale assessment. The Journal of Physical Chemistry C 121, 11300–11311 (2017).
Koo, H., Allan, R. N., Howlin, R. P., Stoodley, P. & Hall-Stoodley, L. Targeting microbial biofilms: current and prospective therapeutic strategies. Nature Reviews Microbiology 15, 740-755 (2017).
Kim, D. et al. Candida albicans stimulates Streptococcus mutans microcolony development via cross-kingdom biofilm-derived metabolites. Scientific Reports 7, 1–14 (2017).
Hwang, G. et al. Candida albicans mannans mediate Streptococcus mutans exoenzyme GtfB binding to modulate cross-kingdom biofilm development in vivo. PLoS pathogens 13, e1006407 (2017).
Hwang, G., Koltisko, B., Jin, X. & Koo, H. Nonleachable imidazolium-incorporated composite for disruption of bacterial clustering, exopolysaccharide-matrix assembly, and enhanced biofilm removal. ACS applied materials & interfaces 9, 38270–38280 (2017).
He, J. et al. RNA-seq reveals enhanced sugar metabolism in Streptococcus mutans co-cultured with Candida albicans within mixed-species biofilms. Frontiers in Microbiology 8, 1036 (2017).
Hajishengallis, E., Parsaei, Y., Klein, M. I. & Koo, H. Advances in the microbial etiology and pathogenesis of early childhood caries. Molecular oral microbiology 32, 24–34 (2017).
Glazier, V. E. et al. Genetic analysis of the Candida albicans biofilm transcription factor network using simple and complex haploinsufficiency. PLoS genetics 13, e1006948 (2017).
Gao, L. & Koo, H. Do catalytic nanoparticles offer an improved therapeutic strategy to combat dental biofilms? Nanomedicine, Longdon 12, 275-279 (2017).
Galvão, L. C. et al. Inactivation of the spxA1 or spxA2 gene of Streptococcus mutans decreases virulence in the rat caries model. Molecular oral microbiology 32, 142–153 (2017).
Ellepola, K., Liu, Y., Cao, T., Koo, H. & Seneviratne, C. J. Bacterial GtfB augments Candida albicans accumulation in cross-kingdom biofilms. Journal of dental research 96, 1129–1135 (2017).
2016
Zhou, J. et al. Characterization and optimization of pH-responsive polymer nanoparticles for drug delivery to oral biofilms. Journal of Materials Chemistry B 4, 3075–3085 (2016).
Xiao, J. et al. Candida albicans carriage in children with severe early childhood caries (S-ECC) and maternal relatedness. PloS one 11, e0164242 (2016).
Wang, Y. et al. Influence of degree-of-polymerization and linkage on the quantification of proanthocyanidins using 4-dimethylaminocinnamaldehyde (DMAC) assay. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry 64, 2190–2199 (2016).
Niepa, T. H. et al. Microbial nanoculture as an artificial microniche. Scientific reports 6, 30578 (2016).
Liu, Y. et al. Topical delivery of low-cost protein drug candidates made in chloroplasts for biofilm disruption and uptake by oral epithelial cells. Biomaterials 105, 156–166 (2016).
Koo, H. & Yamada, K. M. Dynamic cell–matrix interactions modulate microbial biofilm and tissue 3D microenvironments. Current opinion in cell biology 42, 102–112 (2016).
Hwang, G. et al. Simultaneous spatiotemporal mapping of in situ pH and bacterial activity within an intact 3D microcolony structure. Scientific reports 6, 32841 (2016).
He, J. et al. L-arginine modifies the exopolysaccharide matrix and thwarts Streptococcus mutans outgrowth within mixed-species oral biofilms. Journal of bacteriology 198, 2651–2661 (2016).
Hajishengallis, E., Forrest, C. B. & Koo, H. Early childhood caries: future perspectives in risk assessment. JDR clinical and translational research 1, 110 (2016).
Gao, L. et al. Nanocatalysts promote Streptococcus mutans biofilm matrix degradation and enhance bacterial killing to suppress dental caries in vivo. Biomaterials 101, 272–284 (2016).
Benoit, D. S. & Koo, H. Targeted, triggered drug delivery to tumor and biofilm microenvironments. Nanomedicine, Longdon 11, 873-9 (2016).