The Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering Laboratory (TBLab) has as its primary objective the design and development of innovative biomaterials for biomedical applications, with a specific focus in the dental field, in order to implement current clinical practices related to dental and periodontal tissue regeneration.
The TBLab's main lines of research include:
- the analysis of the correlation between the surface and structural properties of micro- and nano-rugous implant materials and the biological response of representative cells of the oral cavity and the immune system;
- the development of calcium phosphate-based composite materials by advanced 3D printing techniques, with subsequent evaluation of their biological impact first in vitro, using primary cells and cell lines, and then in vivo, through the use of animal models;
- the study of the immunomodulatory properties of dental materials (such as implant titanium and endodontic cements) towards human macrophages, with a focus on pro- and anti-inflammatory polarization mechanisms.
The integrated presence of Biotechnologists, Biologists and Dental Physicians ensures a high translational vocation of the entire University Centre for Dentistry, fostering the development of clinical and preclinical projects aimed at deepening the main mechanisms of periodontal tissue regeneration and developing innovative biomaterials.
Techniques in Use
The TBLab has a wide range of instrumentation that enables it to carry out experimental research activities in the field of dental biomaterials and tissue engineering in complete autonomy.
The laboratory is equipped to culture primary and lineage cells, including osteoblasts, fibroblasts and macrophages, used to evaluate biocompatibility and biological response towards innovative dental materials. These assessments are carried out using a wide range of direct and indirect cytotoxicity assays, such as MTT, CellTiter-GLO®, CyQUANT, and Alamar Blue, which provide detailed information on cell viability and metabolism.
RNA and DNA extractions from cells and tissues are also performed within the TBLab, with subsequent analysis of gene expression by Real-Time PCR, allowing accurate analysis of key molecular markers involved in osteoblastic differentiation, inflammatory processes, and cellular responses to oxidative stress, providing in-depth characterization of cell-biomaterial interactions.
The laboratory is equipped with advanced instrumentation for optical and fluorescence microscopy, as well as stereomicroscopy systems, which allow morphological observation of samples and three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction of the analyzed structures.
A distinctive feature of the TBLab is the presence of extrusion systems and 3D printers, both FDM and SLA, which constitute one of the main core facilities of the laboratory. These technologies enable the fabrication of customized scaffolds, modulable in both material composition and structural architecture, which are subsequently subjected to biological and functional evaluations.
Main instrumentation provided
Multiskan plate reader
Implen P330 nanophotometer
Real Time PCR StepOne Plus
GLOMAX 20/20 Promega luminometer
Nikon SMZ25 stereo microscope
Zeiss Axio Imager A.2 fluorescence microscope
FDM Ultimaker S3 3D printer
Felfill 3D printing filament extruder
Keywords:bone regeneration, dental materials, 3D printing, scaffold,
