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Metal-Organic Framework Platforms for Macromolecules Delivery
Enzymes encapsulated within a metal–organic framework (MOF) nanocage remain compact and stabilized under physiological conditions, shielding their bioactivity from external degradation. Upon exposure to a pH stimulus, the framework undergoes a structural swelling transition, opening the cage cavities and triggering controlled release of the enzyme cargo. This stimuli-responsive MOF platform offers a programmable approach to intracellular protein delivery, with potential applications in therapeutic protein therapy and targeted drug release.
* A patent application was filed.
Smart Dental Implant system
Osseointegrated dental implants have become a routine component of daily dental practice. A significant body of evidence indicates that the accumulation of bacterial biofilms (dental plaque) at the soft tissue-implant interface and the subsequent local inflammatory response seems to be key in the pathogenesis of peri-implant mucositis. Thus, we propose to develop an ambulatory photo-biomodulation therapy using a seamless, human oral motion-powered Smart Dental Implant (SDI) that can prevent the formation of biofilms on implants (and restorative components) and reduce cell inflammation as well as regenerate tissue to minimize the occurrence of implant failures.
* International patent applications were issued.
Bimodal nanocomposite platform with antibiofilm and self-powering functionalities
Advances in microelectronics and nanofabrication have led to the development of various implantable biomaterials. However, biofilm-associated infection on medical devices still remains a major hurdle that substantially undermines the clinical applicability and advancement of biomaterial systems. We attempt to utilize piezoelectric barium titanate (BTO)-based materials as anti-infectious implantable medical devices in the human body.
Bacterial-fungal interaction
Biofilm formation is a key virulence factor responsible for various infectious diseases. Particularly, interactions between a fungus, Candida albicans, and a bacterium, Streptococcus mutans, have been known to play important roles in the pathogenesis of dental caries. Enhanced understanding of these interactions may accelerate progress toward devising new and effective therapies to disrupt this cross-kingdom biofilm associated with an important childhood oral disease.
Host-material-pathogen interactions
The precise spatiotemporal control and manipulation of fluid dynamics on a small scale granted by Lab-on-a-Chip devices provide a new biomedical research realm as a substitute for in vivo studies of host-pathogen interactions. While there has been a rise in the use of various medical devices/implants for human use, the applicability of microfluidic models that integrate such functional biomaterials is currently limited. We introduce a novel dental implant-on-a-chip model to better understand host-material-pathogen interactions in the context of peri-implant diseases.
Dynamic biofilm experimental platform
While several biofilm experimental models exist, they often have limited replications of spatiotemporal dynamics surrounding biofilms. For a better understanding of dynamic and complex biofilm development, we present a customizable platform compatible with off-the-shelf well plates that can monitor microbial adhesion, growth, and associated parameters under various relevant scenarios by taking advantage of 3D printing.
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