Novel Microfluidics Applications in Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research
A special issue of Bioengineering (ISSN 2306-5354).
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 3 July 2026 | Viewed by 7
Special Issue Editors
Interests: mechanobiology of tooth movement; craniofacial bone regeneration; clinical translational research; maxillary arch; temporomandibular joint
Interests: DNA nanotechnology; directed evolution of functional molecules; self-assembly and self-organization of nanoparticles; bio-nanotechnology and medical technology
Interests: nanomedicine; immunoengineering; drug delivery
Interests: pathogen interactions; systemic health connections; exosomes in bone remodeling; bone biology; osteoclasts; vacuolar H+-ATPase; extracellular vesicles; periodontal disease; microfilaments; osteoporosis; bone remodeling; medicine-related osteonecrosis of the jaw
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Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Microfluidic devices have emerged as a transformative technology in medical research, offering unprecedented control over cellular microenvironments, fluid dynamics, and spatial and temporal resolution. They are being increasingly used to study biological mechanisms in human conditions across multiple organ systems, providing opportunities to examine mechanisms in the oral environment. For example, organ chips can be used to represent the tonsils, lip, tongue, suture, temporomandibular joint, periodontal ligament, and alveolar bone. This novel technology has experienced significant acceleration in recent years, including the bio-fabrication of models in the field of bioengineering and the application of stem cell technology in biological fields. Moreover, patient-specific stem cells can be integrated and differentiated within the microfluidic models to generate patient-specific preclinical platforms. In the future, these platforms could serve as alternatives for testing drugs and biological products, reducing the need for animal experiments, and addressing the limitations of two-dimensional cell culture. While it sounds very promising, challenges related to demonstrating equivalence or superiority need to be addressed, as well as those involving bioengineering fabrication and biological mechanisms using stem cells.
This Special Issue aims to bring together cutting-edge research and reviews that advance the application of microfluidics in the field of dental, oral, and craniofacial research, including, but not limited to, the novel ideas of bioengineering device fabrications, the study of biological regulation mechanism of stem cells and microRNAs, as well as other potential applications such as adding nanoparticles into these microfluidic devices. This collection highlights recent advances in the design and applications of microfluidics for oral diseases, integrating biosensors, 3D printing, and stem cell technology to accelerate innovation in diagnostics, therapies, and personalized medicine. This Special Issue aims to showcase the interdisciplinary potential of microfluidics in addressing key challenges in dental, oral, and craniofacial health, thereby combining engineering, biology, and clinical practice.
Dr. Xianrui Yang
Dr. Jing Pan
Dr. Fan Zhang
Dr. L. Shannon Holliday
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- dentistry
- microfluidics
- stem cells
- bioengineering
- biological mechanisms
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