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. 2022

Featured 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

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

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