Merits at the Department of Biomaterials

We are currently involved in four funded H2020 EU and four nationally funded projects. Here is a small summary:

We are participating in BiomatDB, which is funded by the European Union under the Horizon 2020 Framework Program as a Coordination and Support Action (CSA) Grant.  The goal is to create a database of biomaterials that provides detailed information on their physicochemical, biological, and toxicological properties, and is accessible to end users such as researchers, companies, and clinicians, to evaluate their biological and clinical usefulness in areas beyond their intended primary applications. The project has 14 partners and has received  5 million EUR in funding.

The  EXCITE  and EXCITE² projects are  European infrastructure initiatives for scientists working to unravel the secrets of materials using some of the world’s best electron and X-ray imaging facilities. The EXCITE Network makes leading-edge research facilities accessible to all scientists. The project is coordinated by the University of Utrecht, with other partners at UiO, including Luca Menegon and Håvard Haugen. EXCITE² was kick-off April 2024.

SPOTMEL is a Research Council of Norway-funded project developing advanced 3D models of uveal melanoma to improve preclinical cancer research. The project combines tumour spheroid biology, contrast-enhanced nano-CT imaging and artificial intelligence to visualise and quantify tumour structure in three dimensions. By integrating biomaterials, imaging technology and deep-learning-based analysis, SPOTMEL aims to establish more predictive, reproducible and ethically robust models for studying uveal melanoma and evaluating future therapeutic strategies.

LIMES — Life on Metal Surfaces — is an NFR/INTPART-funded international collaboration led by the University of Oslo with partners in Nigeria, Japan and South Korea. The project focuses on bacterial biofilms on metal implant surfaces and brings together biomaterials science, microbiology, medicine and engineering to better understand and prevent implant-associated infections. Through research-based education, researcher exchange, workshops and consortium meetings, LIMES aims to strengthen global competence, innovation and technology transfer in the field of biomedical materials and implant infection prevention.

SHIELD — Strategies for Healing Implant-associated Infections and Enhancing Longevity in Devices — is a Horizon Europe MSCA Doctoral Network focused on improving the prevention and treatment of implant-associated infections. The project brings together universities, hospitals and industrial partners to train a new generation of researchers in biomaterials, microbiology, clinical translation and medical-device development. Through coordinated doctoral projects, SHIELD aims to develop and evaluate antimicrobial strategies, bioactive implant surfaces, infection models, and translational pathways to improve the long-term performance and safety of dental, orthopaedic, and other medical implants.

MISFAITH is an RCN-funded project led by Håvard J. Haugen. MISFAITH aims to develop a dynamic multispecies biofilm model to simulate and test 3 novel methods for addressing the challenges associated with biomaterial-induced infections. Success in MISFAITH will have a significant impact on the dental biomaterials field, as it would shift current treatment procedures toward regenerative outcomes, resulting in better treatments, higher patient satisfaction, and reduced antibiotic use. Therefore, if successful, the project outcomes will have an enormous social impact and potential for patient welfare. Partners, IBV, UIO, University of Southern California, Kansas University and Bar-Ilan University

Furthermore, the department collaborates closely with academics from universities in the US, UK, Germany, Italy, Spain, and France. On average, in the past ten years, we have published around 25 papers and produced 2 Ph.D.s a year (as seen below). Several of our researchers have long experience working with industrial partners (Dentsply Sirona and Straumann). For example, researchers at the department have conducted extensive industrial developments of new dental implant surfaces.

List of all externally funded projects

A recent list of publications

Dissertations at the Department of Biomaterials

2026

• Angela De Lauretis - Decontamination of Titanium Dental Implant Surfaces: Mechanical and Chemical Strategies Targeting Salivary Proteins

2025

• Torben Hildebrand - Optimising Contrast-Enhanced Micro-CT Techniques for Comprehensive Visualisation of Dental Structures.
• Badra Hussain - Managing peri-implant and periodontal surface-bacterial infections through different biomaterials strategies
• Agnes Rogala - Tannic acid-based functionalisation of titanium surfaces for improved tissue integration and reduced infection risk
• Arooj Munir - 3D scaffold free artificial bone model: differentiation and evaluation of primary human osteoblast to osteocyte-like cells in extracellular matrix

2024

• Øystein Øvrebø - The Development of Peptide Enhanced Hyaluronic Acid-gels For Periodontal Regeneration
• Maria Schröder - 3D in vitro models as tool for studying tissue repair and remodelling of soft and hard tissues
• Minh Thieu- The dynamics of bone augmentation with a TiO2 graft material: Studies in challenging pre-clinical models

2023

• Paweł Kałłas - Bacterial and Host Response to Nanostructured Surfaces
• Yang Yang - The effect of irisin on orthodontic tooth movement and human cells in tooth-supporting apparatus
• Tianxiang Geng - Ameloblastin and its Implications in Cancer Pathogenesis

2021

• Maryam Rahmati - In vivo evaluation of biomaterials for bone regeneration applications using advanced imaging techniques
• Florian Weber - Development of multifunctional polyphenolic coatings for improved peri-implant healing
• Maria H. Pham -  Cellular responses to fluoride-modified titanium surfaces

2020

• Anne Klemm - Doped TiO₂ bone scaffolds - corrosion resistance combined with high compressive strength
• Sigrid Haugen - A study of adiponectin and adiponectin receptor agonist ADP355 on bone and orthodontic tooth movement
• Aman S Chahal - From inert to active: biofunctionalised PEG hydrogels to guide stem cell behaviour

2019

• Manuel Schweikle - Characterisation of mineralised synthetic hydrogel scaffolds for bone repair
• Gaute Floer Johnsen - Contralateral premolars: validation of symmetry

2018

• Maziar G Shabestari - Bone marrow lesions in osteoarthritis: role of angiogenesis and bone turnover
• Øystein Stakkestad - The role of ameloblastin in mesenchymal tissues

2017

• David Wiedmer - TiO₂ dark catalysis in biomedical applications
• Sebastian Geissler - Surface functionalization of dental implants for improved biological response and reduced infection risk

2016

• Rivan Sidaly - The role of hypoxia on the formation of dental enamel: a clinical, an experimental animal, and a cell study
• Anders Verket - On-surface coatings of titanium-based bone graft materials
• Benjamin Müller - Bone-mimetic TiO₂ scaffolds with improved corrosion resistance
• Oscar Villa - Wound healing promoting agents in oral and periodontal surgical procedures

2015

• Helen Pullisaar - Bioinspired ceramic TiO₂ scaffolds for bone tissue engineering

2014

• Rui Xing - Enhanced soft tissue integration through abutment surface modification

2013

• Matthias J Frank - Bioactive coating for titanium-based bone anchored implants
• Martin S Walter - Surface bioactivation of titanium-zirconium dental implants
• Hanna Tiainen - Ceramic TiO₂ scaffolds for bone repair

2012

• Christiane Petzold - UV-induced functionalization of titanium surfaces with a polyunsaturated fatty acid for improved performance of temporary bone fixation devices
• Johan Caspar Wohlfahrt - On the use of titanium-based materials as non-resorbable bone substitutes

2011

• Elisabeth Aurstad Riksen - Effects of epigenetic and environmental factors on biomineralization
• Margareth V Tamburstuen - Ameloblastin in mesenchymal cells A study on expression, regulation and putative function of ameloblastin in bone-related cells

2010

• Sebastien Taxt-Lamolle - Surface structure, chemistry, and bio-performance of titanium implants modified by hydrofluoric acid
• Roya Sabetrasekh - Bone cell growth in artificial scaffolds; the importance of 3D growth, scaffold architecture and surface chemistry
   

Awards

• Ingvild was awarded for best presentation for “Clinical Innovations in Implant Dentistry” at the European Association for Osseointegration (EAO) congress
• Hanna was awarded the best Poster at the World Biomaterial Conference in 2024
• Håvard was awarded the Faculty Research Award for 2023
• Best Master Thesis Prize 2023 awarded to Sander Marius Landrø and Magnus Helgerud for their thesis: Using Copper-Doped Mesoporous Bioactive Glass Nanospheres to Impart Anti-Bacterial Properties to Dental Composites
• Best Master Thesis Prize 2022 awarded to Dyala Bakir for her thesis: Radical scavenging capacities of antioxidant polyphenolic coatings for titanium dental implants 
   
• His Majesty the King's Gold Medal 2021 was awarded to Manuel Schweikle for his PhD thesis: Characterisation of mineralised synthetic hydrogel scaffolds for bone repair
   
• Pawel Kallas was awarded "Best Young Author of the Year 2020-2021" by the Journal Biomaterial Investigations in Dentistry.
• Best Master Thesis Prize 2021 awarded to Victor A. Jankowski for his thesis: Cytotoxic effect and DNA damage of polyphenolic nanocoatings
   
• S. Petter Lyngstadaas received the 2020 Research Award from the Faculty of Dentistry at the University of Oslo
   
• Student award for outstanding poster presentation at the 30th Symposium and Annual Meeting of the International Society for Ceramics in Medicine in Nagoya 2018 to Anne Klemm for her poster Grain boundary corrosion in Sr and Ca doped TiO₂ bone scaffolds
   
• S. Petter Lyngstadaas received the ScSB research award in recognition of his ground-breaking achievements that have advanced the field of biomaterials at the annual meeting of the Scandinavian Society for Biomaterials (ScSB2018) in Sweden 
   
• His Majesty the King's Gold Medal 2017 was awarded to Anders Verket for his PhD thesis: On surface coatings of titanium-based bone graft material
   
• His Majesty the King's Gold Medal 2015 was awarded to Hanna Tiainen for her PhD thesis: Ceramic TiO₂ scaffolds for bone repair
   
• Best poster award at the 8th Annual Meeting of the Scandinavian Society of Biomaterials in Sigulda 2015 to Sandra Recklies for her poster Antibacterial sol-gel coating of ceramic TiO₂ scaffolds for bone regeneration by Sandra Recklies, David Wiedmer, Cedric Bossard, and Hanna Tiainen
   
• European Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering Doctoral Award granted to Hanna Tiainen by the European Society for Biomaterials at ESB2014 in Liverpool
   
• Best poster award at the 7th Annual Meeting of the Scandinavian Society of Biomaterials in Århus 2014 to David Wiedmer for his poster Antibacterial and antioxidant TiO₂ scaffolds for bone regeneration by David Wiedmer, Hanna Tiainen, and Håvard J. Haugen
   
• His Majesty the King's Gold Medal 2013 was awarded to Christiane Petzold for her PhD thesis: UV-induced functionalization of titanium surfaces with a polyunsaturated fatty acid for improved performance of temporary bone fixation devices
   
• The Norwegian Dental Association's award for teaching and research 2012 to Johan Caspar Wohlfahrt
   
• His Majesty the King's Gold Medal 2011 was awarded to Sebastian Taxt-Lamolle for his PhD thesis: Surface structure, chemistry and bio performance of titanium implants modified by hydrofluoric acid
   
• Oral Presentation Award 2011 from The Nordic Young Scientist Conference in Dentistry 2011 to Matthias Frank (see interview)
   
• NOF Hatton Award 2010 for their study: Porous titanium granules in furcation defects- an animal experimental study by J.C. Wohlfart, H.J.Ronold, A.M.Aass, L. Heijl and S.P. Lyngstadaas
   
• German innovation award for 2009 (Innovationspreis 2009 der Deutschen BioRegionen) to Håvard Haugen, together with co-workers Dr. Aigner, Dr. Perea and Mrs Hofner
   
• University of Oslo Innovation Prize 2008 to Håvard Haugen, S.P. Lyngstadaas, Jan Eirik Ellingsen and Sébastien Taxt-Lamolle