Adhesive biomaterials and biomechanics/biomaterials science research group
The adhesive biomaterials and biomechanics/biomaterials science research group is based within the Basic Sciences research theme at Manchester.
Staff
| Name | Job title | Email address |
|---|---|---|
| David Watts | Professor of Biomaterials Science, Head of Research Group: Adhesive Biomaterials and Biomechanics | david.watts@manchester.ac.uk |
| Nick Silikas | Senior Lecturer in Dental Biomaterials | nick.silikas@manchester.ac.uk |
| Xiaohui Chen | Lecturer in Dental Biomaterials Science | xiaohui.chen@manchester.ac.uk |
Collaborators
| Name | Job title | Email address |
|---|---|---|
| Julian Satterthwaite | Professor of Restorative Dentistry | julian.satterthwaite@manchester.ac.uk |
| Hugh Devlin | Professor of Restorative Dentistry | hugh.devlin@manchester.ac.uk |
| Alison Qualtrough | Senior Lecturer/Honorary Consultant in Restorative Dentistry | alison.qualtrough@manchester.ac.uk |
About our research
This area covers many biomaterials for operative dentistry, prosthodontics, endodontics, orthodontics, and oral surgery, plus research on orthopaedic bone cements. Special interests include photo-polymerization phenomena, adhesion, visco-elastic behaviour, surface analysis, X-ray microtomography and a wide range of composite biomaterial behaviour.
The Biomaterials Science laboratories are well equipped with modern instrumentation for research in this field. They are at the centre of our large University campus with access to many other special instruments and expertise in, for example, photon science, chemistry, cell biology and materials science.
Multiple techniques are used, such as experimental and computational biomechanics and imaging or spectroscopic probes of their underlying micro/nano- scale structure and time-dependent properties. This allows an enhanced mechanistic understanding of reasons for their clinical success or failure. Furthermore, areas such as implant surface characteristics, bioglass formation and properties and dentine occlusion have also been of interest.
The group has a major commitment to postgraduate education and research, with a steady-state population of 12 or more candidates for MPhil and PhD degrees working in its laboratories.
Since 1998, Dental Materials – Journal for Oral and Craniofacial Biomaterials Sciences [Elsevier] has been edited within this group. Dental Materials is consistently ranked in the top four research journals in dentistry out of more than 80 in terms of impact factor.
Active collaborations exist with research departments of the worldwide dental biomaterials industry and with overseas academic colleagues, particularly in Germany, Brazil, the USA, Greece, Austria, Switzerland, Ireland, Italy, Canada and Japan. The Dental Biomaterials Group is recognised as a centre of excellence in research and this has led to various collaborations as part of a visiting researcher, in particular in connection with the Science Without Borders scheme from Brazil.
Here in Manchester, many clinical colleagues have research interests in oral biomaterials. Hence, laboratory studies and clinical practice are mutually related, especially for PhD (Clin) students.
Dental Biomaterials is a well-established group. In the last ten years alone, well over 200 papers have been published in peer reviewed international journals. More than 20 PhD students have graduated from more than ten countries.
Current postgraduate research students
- Hanan Alsunbul
- Khold Alahdal
- Ruwaida Alshali
- Ala'a Al-Haddad
- Eman Abuhajar
- Rabia Salah-Ud-Din
- Suhad Al-Nasrawi
- Alvaro Munoz Schiemann
- Mira Mahir
- Warat Leelapornpisid
- Peter Youle
- Rebecca Day
- Matthew Murphy
- Abdulaziz Alhotan
- Mohammed Alkatheeri
- Rasha Alamoush
- Nada Alharbi
- Khaleel Al-Khalaf