Applied Clinical and Materials Sciences
Dentine tubules
Applied Clinical and Materials Sciences (ACMS) encompasses a wide range of oral health and disease related research, from conceptual development through to clinical evaluation, and aims to directly impact healthcare delivery. The research is of high quality and internationally renowned, focusing on innovative approaches to translational research in oral health. Three groups make up ACMS:
The Clinical Trials Unit led by Professor Nicola West is the leading dedicated Trials Unit for dental research in the UK undertaking both laboratory and clinically based studies. Research focuses on the evaluation of pain relief from dentine hypersensitivity, prevention of plaque regrowth and gingivitis, the aetiology of toothwear, tooth bleaching, stain removal, stain prevention, oral anaesthesia, implantology, regenerative soft and hard tissue techniques and peri-implantitis. Ethically approved clinical studies performed to Good Clincial Practice involving healthy participants enable The Unit to thrive, conducting research of international standing.
ACMS has a strong tradition of integration of basic science research with clinical dentistry, and the more fundamental research projects are informed and guided by clinical problems and needs. The Oral Nanoscience group led by Dr Michele Barbour is primarily a basic science research group. Interests in this area include nanostructured dental materials, surface modification and functionalization of biomedical implants, interfacial interactions of dental hard tissues and properties of restorative and orthodontic materials.
The Biomaterials Engineering group (bioMEG) is led by Dr Bo Su and mainly works in the area of synthesis and processing of materials for biomedical applications. The focus of this Group is on both basic research to improve scientific understanding of materials processing and applied research on engineering solutions for clinical needs. The broad and multidisciplinary research is aimed at developing materials with controllable hierarchical structures at different length scales and predictable properties. Ultimately, the goal is to fabricate new materials and structures that mimic their natural analogues.