Biofilms at interfaces

Oral microbiology

In any environment, macromolecules and micro-organisms have a strong tendency to associate with surfaces and form adherent microbial communities, so-called biofilms, which are now recognized as the cause of most infectious diseases. Our goal is to understand the mechanisms by which oral bacteria acquire virulence in biofilms and to identify key points of intervention in this process. We anticipate that our results will contribute to the development of future anti-microbials that target disease-inducing properties in biofilms instead of specific microorganisms.

Saliva reserach

Our main focus is the study of salivary pellicles i.e., the film of nanometric dimensions that forms immediately upon contact of saliva with almost any type of surface. Pellicles play an important role in the maintenance of oral health, they protect and lubricate oral surfaces. Our aim is a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying salivary lubrication. Another focus is the mechanisms underlying the protection offered by salivary pellicles against dental erosion and how this can be improved by complementing acidic beverages with anti-erosive compounds.

Biotherapeutics

Bacterial proteases are a driving force for the inflammatory responses involved in both periodontitis and cardiovascular disease. Our aim is to develop advanced technological tools based on an array of biomarkers (bacterial proteases and inflammatory mediators) to aid the identification of individuals at risk of severe alveolar bone loss disease prediction and treatment of periodontal disease and associated inflammatory disorders.