We design synthetic DNA that self-assembles into soft, injectable hydrogels — biomaterials that signal the body to rebuild mineralized tissue, and that may also serve as biodegradable carriers for cells and drugs.
We design short synthetic DNA sequences — not genetic information — that hybridize and “hold hands” into soft, injectable hydrogels. Stable in calcium-rich media, these scaffolds can degrade in vivo and release calcium and phosphate ions that may act as signaling cues for cell differentiation and tissue rebuild. Beyond regeneration, the same platforms are biodegradable, biocompatible carriers for cell and drug delivery.
Our focus is mineralized tissue regeneration — bone and dental enamel — using biomimetic scaffolds that guide mineral nucleation and crystal growth. Rather than replacing tissue outright, we design materials that help the body repair itself in a controlled, clinically relevant way.
We study templated mineralization processes to rebuild calcified tissues. Research includes understanding how organic matrices regulate hydroxyapatite formation and using that knowledge to engineer synthetic analogs that direct mineral deposition with spatial and chemical precision.
We investigate wound healing, collagen remodeling, and tissue-matrix interactions to develop materials designed to support wound-healing and matrix remodeling processes. Projects span mussel adhesive protein characterization to soft-tissue scaffold design for connective tissue diseases.
Translational research in clinical dentistry: anti-cariogenic resins, enamel microinvasive treatment strategies, and orthodontic white-spot lesion repair. We collaborate with clinical partners to evaluate material performance in physiologically relevant models.
Selected awarded funding supporting DNA-based biomaterials, biomineralization, and regenerative applications.
Supported by
Evaluation of Dentin Tubule Occlusion and Dentin Permeability Following Treatment with X-PUR Crystal® and X-PUR Crystal Plus®
Development of nucleic acid-based materials for enhanced biomineralization
Towards a novel implant system: Combining DNA gels and 3D-printed scaffolds for osseointegration in osteoporotic bone
Development of nucleic acid-based materials for biomineralization
DNA-based materials for applications in nanomedicine
Investigating DNA hydrogels for improving osseointegration
Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in DNA-based Materials
Integration of biomechanical loading in 3D tissue grafts and novel materials development
DNA nanomaterials for connective tissue diseases
DNA nanomaterials for connective tissue diseases
DNA hydrogels for bone regeneration
Self-Assembled DNA Networks For Enamel Regeneration
Functionalized DNA Nanostructures For Templated Biomineralization
DNA Nanostructures For Hard Tissue Mineralization