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Biomaterials, Tissue Engineering & Imaging
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DESCRIPTION
The primary goal of the group is to develop novel strategies to repair, regenerate and image damaged or diseased tissues. The success of this effort requires a multidisciplinary approach, hence, the group combines the disciplines of cellular and molecular biology, material science, imaging and medicine; diverse expertise but a shared mission.
Major interests include basic fundamental science and translation research:
- Development of novel porous, injectable, acellular and cellular scaffolds (polymers, calcium phosphates, carriers for drug delivery and novel dental restorative materials) for maxillofacial and orthopaedic application,
- Stem cell technology (primary cells, development of co-culture models, biologically viable scaffolds)
- Development of novel pre-vascularized biomimetic scaffolds for tissue engineering
- Optimization and development of high resolution imaging techniques (e.g. confocal, multi-photon fluorescence) to identify cell and cell-,matrix components in tissue engineered constructs and disease diagnosis.
- Development of novel non-invasive opto-diagnostic instrumentation, ranging from carious dentine detection to cancer diagnosis via confocal micro-endoscopy and micro-vascularopathy
- Restoration of damaged dental tissues using minimal intervention techniques and materials
- Measurement and development of preventative methods for tooth wear and dental erosion, including in-situ models. Innovation and translation of developed systems from concept to clinic.
Associated research programmes
Associated staff research interests
Interests:
Aetiology (gastric and dietary) measurement and prevention of tooth wear.
Tel:
020 7188 5390
Fax:
020 7188 1792
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Interests:
Composites for hard and soft tissue replacement.
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Interests:
Damage evolution in brittle materials; scaffolds for tissue engineering; and catastrophe preparedness
Tel:
020 7188 1164
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During the past decade, I have been working in the field of high resolution microscopy and spectroscopy and its potential application in bio-imaging and medical diagnosis. My current research interests span from the characterisation of the near field effect of gold/silver nanoparticles on fluorescence emission, to the development of novel non-invasive optical tools for disease diagnosis. My current areas of research are: Mapping abnormal protein interactions in breast tissue carcinoma using Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging Microscopy (FLIM) and Forster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET): We label relevant protein pairs with fluorescent molecules of different colours using highly specific antibodies. The level of their interaction is mapped across the tumour by monitoring the degree of energy transfer between the two fluorophores. We developed an automated platform which allows us to characterise a high number of patients with different tumour types for potential cross correlation with clinical data. Cancer diagnosis using Raman Spectroscopy: We are developing an automated instrument which can record chemical maps of tissue sections in tissue micro arrays (TMA). New analytical algorithms are being derived using principal component analysis (PCA) in order to build a simple and reliable model for cancer diagnosis. Chemical profile for individual patients will be cross-correlated with their clinical data in order to understand the chemical difference between cancers of different grades. High throughput optical proteomic: As part of a large King's based consortium, we are developing both high-throughput and high-content platforms which will unable us to map the genome-wide protein interaction space (proteome) of human cells. Proteins are tagged using the green fluorescent protein (GFP) and the red fluorescent protein (RFP) using virus infection. This ambitious project requires the development of novel fast detection electronics for accurate time correlated single photon counting (TCSPC) in order to resolve FRET from thousands of different adjacent protein pairs. Surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) and plasmon enhanced fluorescence imaging: High-throughput fluorescence imaging systems are limited by the rate of emission of current fluorescence molecules, limiting the pace of research in bio-imaging. By using the unique properties of gold and silver nanoparticle, we are engineering substrates which exhibit fluorescence and Raman signal enhancement. We are also modelling the interaction between ordered arrays of such nanoparticles with fluorescence molecules in close proximity to understand to which extent the fluorescence lifetime and the radiative and non-radiative rate of local fluorophores are modified. Apertureless scanning near-field optical microscopy (a-SNOM): The field enhancement at the apex of a sharp gold/silver tip can be used to dramatically increase the lateral and vertical resolution of optical microscopy. We have built such instrument and are now characterising the gain in resolution and signal from small clusters of quantum dots.
Tel:
020 7188 5388
Fax:
020 7188 1823
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Interests:
Dental Practice & Policy
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Tel:
+44 (0)207 188 4341
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Interests:
Tissue engineering; stem cell approaches for tissue regeneration; biocompatibility of materials.
Tel:
020 7188 1819
Fax:
02071881823
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Interests:
Anaerobic adhesives; analysis of failure; statistical analysis of complex linked datasets.
Tel:
020 7188 1822
Fax:
020 7188 1823
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Interests:
Biomaterials; dental implants; quality of life, Rehabilitation of head and neck cancer patients.
Tel:
020 7188 7478
Fax:
02071887486
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Interests:
Toothwear (gastrointestinal reflux disease); clinical trials.
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Interests:
Oral diagnostics and biomaterials research, developing in-vivo imaging including confocal optics.
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Adhesives research and cements for crown and bridge applications.
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Tel: +44 (0)20 7188 1856
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Restorative Dentistry
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- Biomechanics of tooth and implant-supported prostheses using finite element method (FEM).
- 3D image-based simulations for dental and craniofacial structures.
- Testing and developing 3D-synthetic scaffold for preserving and augmenting jaw bone.
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Interests:
Diagnosis of caries and toothwear; operative dentistry; adhesive materials interfaces; confocal microscopy.
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Interests:
Applying spectrophotometry in colour technology to determine skin shades for various populations.
Tel:
020 3299 3584
Fax:
0203 299 3775
Email:
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CONTACTS FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
Lucy Di_silvio
Email
Website