Scope of Research

The Smart Biomaterials Research Laboratory studies how biomaterials interact with the body, and it develops smart materials that enhance the treatment and diagnosis of diseases and injuries. Working at the intersection of advanced materials, microbiology, medicine and sensors, the lab is developing smart materials that provide:

• antibacterial and antifungal effects;
• biodegradable, dose-controlled drug delivery via oral appliances;
• tissue regeneration and remineralization; and 
• oral biosensors.

Research efforts on smart materials are also focused on shifting the oral microbiome toward balanced states that prevent infection and disease. Technology being developed at the lab include oral biosensors and smart brackets used in orthodontics. Researchers have expertise in

• 3D printing,
• confocal microscopy,
• fabrication of advanced materials,
• microbiology, 
• scaffolding,
• sensing and electronics, and
• testing and evaluation.

The 1,000-square-foot Smart Biomaterials Research Laboratory is fully equipped for the fabrication, testing and evaluation of smart biomaterials in realistic body conditions. The facility is outfitted with several pieces of major equipment that include 3D printers, oscilloscopes, an incubator, a microindenter and a bioreactor hooked to a mastication machine. There is also equipment designed to test various types of materials, such as biological tissues, ceramics, implants, polymers and resins.

Researchers have access to resources at the College of Engineering, the Lewis Katz School of Medicine and the Fox Chase Cancer Center. The lab is engaged in active collaboration with the Oral Microbiome Research Laboratory to test novel dental smart biomaterials exposed to multispecies biofilm.

Faculty

Recent Funding

NIH-NIDCR
“Synergistic degradation of the bonded interface: A new approach to evaluate the bond strength of dental restoration”
2022-2024
Role: Co-PI (Orrego)
Amount: $330,029

NIH-NIDCR – 1R21DE030564
"Effects of piezoelectric charges on oral microbiome modulation"
2021-2023
Role: PI (Orrego)
Amount: $456,810

Science Center – QED Program
"Development of multifunctional biomaterials with combined anti-infective and hard tissue regeneration properties"
2021
Role: PI (Orrego)
Amount: $200,000

Selected Publications

Catlina Montoya, C., Baraniya, D., Chen, T., Al-Hebshi, N.N., & Orrego, S. (2024). The effect of dental material type and masticatory forces on periodontitis-derived subgingival microbiomes. Biofilm, 7, 100199.

Catlina Montoya, C., Kurylec, J., Ossa, A., & Orrego, S. (2023). Cyclic strain of Poly (methyl methacrylate) surfaces triggered the pathogenicity of Candida albicans. Acta Biomaterialia, 170, 415-426.

Catlina Montoya, C., Kurylec, J., Roldan, L. M., Melo, M.A., Puri, S., & Orrego, S. (2023). Dental Piezoelectric Composites with Antimicrobial, Mineralization, and Tissue Regeneration Functionalities. Dental Materials, 39, e50-e51. 

Melo, M.A., Garcia, I., Mokeem, L., Xu, H.H., Weir, M., Montoya, C., Orrego, S. (2023). Developing bioactive dental resins for restorative dentistry. Journal of Dental Research, 102 (11), 1180-1190 doi:10.1177/0022034523118235 

Roldan, L., Montoya, C., Solanki, V., Qai, K., Yang, M., Correa, S., Orrego, S. (2023). A novel injectable piezoelectric hydrogel for periodontal disease treatment.ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 15 (37), 43441-43454 doi:10.1021/acsami.3c08336 

Roldan, L., Isaza, C., Ospina, J., Montoya, C., Orrego, S., Correa, S. (2023). A Comparative study of HA/DBM compounds derived from bovine and porcine for bone regeneration. Journal of Functional Biomaterials,14 (9), 439 doi:10.3390/jfb14090439 

Montoya, C., Roldan, L., Yu, M., Valliani, S., Ta, C., Yang, M., Orrego, S. (2023). Smart dental materials for antimicrobial applications. Bioactive Materials, 24, 1-19 doi:10.1016/j.bioactmat.2022.12.002 

Ghosh, S., Qiao, W., Zang, Z., Orrego, S., Neelakantan, P.(2023). Engineering dental tissues using biomaterials with piezoelectric effect: current progress and future perspectives. Journal of Functional Biomaterials, 14(1), 8. doi:10.3390/jfb14010008 

Montoya, C., Kurylec, J., Baraniya, D., Puri, S. , Orrego, S. (2021). Antifungal effect of piezoelectric charges on PMMA dentures. ACS biomaterials science & engineering, 7 (10), 4838-4846 doi:10.1021/acsbiomaterials.1c00926 

Montoya, C., Jain, A., Londoño, JJ., Correa, S., Lelkes, PI., Sampaio de Melo, MA., Orrego, S. (2021). Multifunctional dental composite with piezoelectric nano-fillers for combined antibacterial and mineralization effects. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, In-Press. doi:10.1021/acsami.1c06331. 

Yang, M., Chaghtai, A., Melendez, M., Hasson, H., Whitaker, E., Badi, M., Sperrazza, L., Godel, J., Yesilsoy, C., Tellez, M., Orrego, S., Montoya, C., Ismail, A. (2021). Mitigating saliva aerosol contamination in a dental school clinic. BMC Oral Health, 21(1), pp.1-8. doi:10.1186/s12903-021-01417-2 

Montoya, C., Du, Y., Gianforcaro, AL., Orrego, S.. Yang, M., Lelkes, PI. (2021). On the road to smart biomaterials for bone research: definitions, concepts, advances, and outlook. Bone Research, 9 (1), 1-16. doi:10.1038/s41413-020-00131-z 

Orrego, S., Chen, Z., P., Krekora, U., Hou, D., Jeon, SY., Pittman, M., Montoya, C., Chen, Y., Kang, SH. (2020). Bioinspired materials with self-adaptable mechanical properties. Advanced Materials, 32 (21), 1906970. doi:10.1002/adma.201906970 ​