The International Osteology Symposium Vienna 26 was held from 23–25 April 2026 at the Vienna Congress & Convention Center under the theme “Beyond Regeneration.” The symposium gathered more than 3,000 international participants from periodontology, implant dentistry, oral and maxillofacial surgery, biomaterials, and oral tissue regeneration.
The Department of Biomaterials, part of the Institute of Clinical Dentistry at the Faculty of Dentistry, University of Oslo, contributed prominently to the scientific program. Håvard J. Haugen, Ståle Petter Lyngstadaas, Angela De Lauretis, Marco Santacroce, and Qiang Wang represented the department, together with collaborators from periodontology, prosthodontics, and international partner institutions.
A highlight of the meeting was the presentation of two awards to researchers from the Institute of Clinical Dentistry: Håvard J. Haugen from the Department of Biomaterials and Siddharth Shanbhag from the Department of Periodontology.
Biomaterials research with clinical relevance
The scientific contributions from the Department of Biomaterials reflected the department’s broad research profile, from titanium implant surfaces and peri-implant health to peptide-enriched hydrogels, wound healing, inflammation, and tissue regeneration.
Several studies addressed central challenges in regenerative dentistry: improving soft tissue healing, supporting stable tissue integration around implants, and designing or modifying biomaterials to promote more predictable biological responses.
The department’s work also illustrates the increasingly interdisciplinary nature of oral regeneration. The projects combined biomaterial science, cell biology, preclinical models, proteomics, histology, digital analysis, and clinically relevant treatment questions.
Oral and poster presentations
Researchers from the Institute of Clinical Dentistry contributed with three oral presentations, given by Siddharth Shanbhag, Håvard J. Haugen, and Ilaria Vitali.
The poster contributions involving researchers from the Department of Biomaterials and collaborators included:
Combined Chemical and Mechanical Debridement Enhances Salivary Protein Removal from Titanium While Maintaining Biological Properties
A. De Lauretis, M. Santacroce, Q. Wang, M. Ramírez Garrastacho, Q. Ma, S.P. Lyngstadaas, J.E. Ellingsen, D. Linke, H.J. Haugen
Synthetic Proline-Rich Peptide–Enhanced HA Replicates Enamel Matrix Derivative Immunomodulation in a Porcine Gingival Wound Model — a multiomic approach
Ø. Øvrebø, T. El Khassawna, R. Jamous, Q. Ma, S.P. Lyngstadaas, J.E. Ellingsen, D. Linke, H.J. Haugen
Prolonged poloxamer gel residence attenuates wound disruption from H₂O₂ exposure in vivo
Qiang Wang, Reem Jamous, Qianli Ma, Dirk Linke, Ståle Petter Lyngstadaas, Augustine Mark Saiz, Thaqif El Khassawna, Maryam Rahmati, Mark A. Lee, Fernando Muñoz, Antonio Gonzalez Cantalapiedra, Håvard Jostein Haugen
Residuals of Chemical Cleaning Agents Impair Peri-Implant Cell Viability: An in Vitro Study
Qiang Wang, Håvard Jostein Haugen, Dirk Linke, Ståle Petter Lyngstadaas, Qianli Ma
Proline-Rich Peptide–Enriched Hyaluronic Acid Gels Modulate Inflammation and Regeneration Markers Comparable to Enamel Matrix Derivative in a Porcine Wound Model
M. Santacroce, T. El Khassawna, C. De Luca, S.P. Lyngstadaas, H.J. Haugen
Peptide-Enhanced Hyaluronic Acid with MSCs Accelerates Bone Regeneration and Reduces Inflammation in a Severe Polytrauma Fracture Model
A.M. Saiz, M. Rahmati, Ø. Øvrebø, T. El Khassawna, S. Stötzel, F.A. Fierro, M.A. Lee, J.K. Leach, H.J. Haugen
Digital Evaluation of Soft Tissue Volumetric Changes Following Guided Bone Regeneration with TiO₂ Blocks or Xenogeneic Grafts in Chronic Alveolar Ridge Defects: An experimental in-vivo-study
Ilaria Vitali, Anders Verket, Mariano Sanz, Håvard J. Haugen, Minh K.L. Thieu
The Department of Biomaterials also contributed to collaborative work presented by Siddharth Shanbhag and colleagues on cell secretomes for guided bone regeneration in a minipig model.
Strong visibility for Oslo biomaterials research
The symposium program covered bone augmentation, periodontal regeneration, peri-implantitis, soft tissue defects, guided bone regeneration, sinus augmentation, digital technologies, and artificial intelligence in oral tissue regeneration.
For the Department of Biomaterials, the meeting provided an important international arena to present research that connects material development with biological mechanisms and clinical needs.
Several of the contributions were linked to projects supported by the Research Council of Norway, including the MISFAITH project.
The strong participation in Vienna, combined with two awards to researchers from the Institute of Clinical Dentistry, confirms the department’s active role in advancing biomaterials research for regenerative dentistry.