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Thomas Honey

Developing an antibacterial membrane for use with dental implants.

Email: t.j.honey2@ncl.ac.uk

Project supervisors

Project description

Globally, we use between 100,000 and 300,000 dental implants every year. They have high success rates and well-described predictability. The success rate of dental implants is 92-98%. But complications and failures can occur during the healing process. These can have severe implications, such as bone loss. A major cause is bacterial infection. Some bacteria can affect 86% of implants within 3 months of osseointegration.

Bacterial biofilms on dental implants are generally highly resistant to components of the host immune and inflammatory defences. These include antibiotics, disinfectants, and phagocytosis. Antimicrobial resistance is now recognised as a critical global health threat. Thus, we are unwilling to use stronger antibiotics.

We urgently need improved approaches to prevent dental implant associated infections. Infection-resistant biomaterials hold great promise for reducing healthcare-associated infection rates.

There is interest in naturally antibacterial biomaterials within a protective film (membrane). The fie is biodegradable. This removes the need for additional surgical procedures to remove the membrane. It is biocompatible for bone regenerative surgery. We have yet to specify the parameters of the manufactured membrane within the scope of periodontal implants.

I am investigating the antibacterial properties of natural biomaterials within membranes against common forms of oral bacteria. I will explore the use of degradable membranes placed over the periodontal implant during the healing process. These would be manufactured using layer-by-layer assembly of antibacterial biomaterials and degradable polymers. I will carry out a conventional assessment of the membrane through bacteria cultivation.

I will feed the results of the assessment into computer simulations that will model the biofilm growth upon the membrane. This will result in iterative feedback between the simulations and conventional experimentation. In turn, this will allow me to refine the manufacture of the membrane.

Publications

Interests

I have a keen interest in the medical applications of the sciences for the life changing benefits they offer.

During my undergraduate and postgraduate education, I have developed a broad passion for the experimental sciences. I find this is a great help in the understanding of concepts.

I am delighted by the ‘fun factor’ of science. f you think a concept is interesting, I will always be ready to listen (even if it isn’t in my sphere of knowledge).

I also enjoy taking part in my hobbies of painting miniatures, playing Dungeons and Dragons and, very occasionally, Warhammer. I have two cats that love stealing dice.

Qualifications

  • BSc Physics – Durham University (2015)
  • MSc Physics (by Thesis) – Durham University (Expected 2020)
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