Research strategy and laboratory-based focus areas
The Department Research, led by Prof. Dr. med. dent. Michael M. Bornstein, comprises research projects in the dental clinics and laboratories. In a combined effort from dentists and scientists, we address challenges in dental medicine and work on new solutions to enhance patients’ dental health. Scientific approaches and findings are integrated into training of students, early stage researchers, and established dentists to continuously push the boundaries of evidence-based dentistry. With tight links between clinicians and basic scientists, and in collaboration with industrial partners and research groups in and outside Basel, we work closely together to enable an interdisciplinary, holistic approach for translational research.
We pursue scientific aims in four strategic research topics:
(1) Public Oral Health & Economy: Focus on socioeconomic aspects, prevention, and advancement of oral health in conjunction with general wellbeing.
(2) Oral Ecology & Microbiome: Focus on mammalian and bacterial cells within the oral cavity, gaining an in-depth-understanding on the crosstalk between oral health and systemic diseases.
(3) Dental Materials & Technology: Focus on digital workflow to provide new solutions for technical processes, and material development and characterization.
(4) Smart Oral Health & Personalized Dental Medicine: Focus on diagnostics and analysis of large data sets with use of artificial intelligence (AI) and innovative tools.
The three laboratory-based focus areas — Biomaterials & Technology, Oral Implantology, and Oral Microbiology — are the main pillars of the research at UZB and facilitate planning, execution and analysis of experimental work. The Department Research features state-of-the-art laboratories to advance new technologies for dental material development and characterization, innovative mammalian cell cultures, and microbiome research.
Oral Implantology Lab
In this lab, we develop predictive in vitro models to gain fundamental knowledge on cell-material interactions, and cell fate decision in response to environmental cues. We use a cell-molecular toolkit of biomaterials and different cell types to engineer 3-dimensional systems.
Our group is focused on molecular mechanisms governing oral biofilm formation, with a particular emphasis on selectively inhibiting pathogens while preserving commensal microorganisms. We investigate the potential of natural compounds with strong antibacterial and antibiofilm properties in preventing the proliferation of cariogenic bacteria and mitigating the virulence of dental biofilm.
The Biomaterials and Technology group focuses on developing evidence-based dental treatment concepts that are preventive, simple, safe and economic. We specialize in the characterization of ceramic and resin materials, optimize digital technologies and explore cell-material interactions in close collaboration with the Oral Implantology and Oral Microbiology group.
Clinical research conducted at the clinical departments aims to advance knowledge in dental medicine and ultimately improve oral and overall health of patients. The large cohort of 40’000 patients at UZB with over 80’000 treatments a year, as well as dental check-up at schools involving 14’000 children enables patient-centred studies. Skilled personnel and long-time experience of dentists in their respective field of specialization provide an excellent basis for the high quality of research conducted at the clinical departments.
