Professor Paul Hatton

BSc, PhD, FIMMM

School of Clinical Dentistry

Professor of Biomaterials Science

Faculty Director for Research and Innovation

Paul Hatton
Profile picture of Paul Hatton
paul.hatton@sheffield.ac.uk
+44 114 215 9336
19 Claremont Crescent

Full contact details

Professor Paul Hatton
School of Clinical Dentistry
19 Claremont Crescent
Sheffield
S10 2TA
Profile

Paul Hatton joined the School in 1992 as a Non-Clinical Lecturer in Biomaterials Science following postdoctoral research funded by the Medical Research Council, industry, and European Commission, in the Department of Biomedical Sciences. He was promoted to a Personal Chair in 2002, and took over the role of Director of Research in 2016.

Professor Hatton is one of Europe’s leading bioengineers with an interdisciplinary research group working on innovative and emerging healthcare and manufacturing technologies to improve the repair and regeneration of human musculoskeletal and dental tissues. He applies this expertise extensively in undergraduate and postgraduate education, and is well known for his passionate support of academic-industrial collaboration and knowledge exchange to drive economic growth and benefit society.

Research interests

Research interests are centred on the interaction of living cells and tissues with synthetic and processed natural materials used in the manufacture of medical devices or related regenerative medicine technologies. He has published extensively on innovative materials including nanostructured and bioinspired systems, their safety and biocompatibility, and demonstrated how a range of physcial and biological modifications may be applied to enhance biofunctionality and potentially improve clinical performance.

Postdoctoral Research Staff

  • Dr Martin Santocildes-Romero. Development of Innovative Electrospun Technologies for Medical Devices. EPSRC Centre for Innovative Manufacturing of Medical Devices (MeDe Innovation, EPSRC grant EP/K029592/1).
  • Dr Tom Paterson. Manufacture of Synthetic Stem Cell Niches. EPSRC Centre for Innovative Manufacturing of Medical Devices (MeDe Innovation, EPSRC grant EP/K029592/1).
  • Dr Caroline Harrison. Nanostructured Biomaterials with Enhanced Biofunctionality. (Leeds University Innovation & Knowledge Exchange Centre EPSRC, and industrial funding from Ceramisys Ltd.) Dr George Bullock. Peptide-enhanced Bone Graft Substitutes (Versus Arthritis, UK).
Publications

Journal articles

Research group

PhD students

  • Atra Malayeri. (EPSRC Doctoral Training College in Tissue Engineering & Regenerative Medicine) Fabrication and Evaluation of Complex or Custom Scaffolds for Skeletal Tissue Engineering. Co-supervised by Dr Fred Claeyssens (Materials Science & Engineering) and Dr Ilida Ortega.
  • Rachel Thompson. (EPSRC Doctoral Training College in Tissue Engineering & Regenerative Medicine) Recapitulating endochondral ossification to produce hypertrophic cartilage constructs for bone. Co-supervised by Dr Aileen Crawford and Professor Ben Varcoe (University of Leeds).
  • Sarah Lindsay (MRC CASE studentship with Haemostatix Ltd.). Novel fibrinogen hydrogels for cell encapsulation and delivery. Primary supervisor Dr Aileen Crawford
  • Richard Woodall. (University of Sheffield Interdisciplinary PhD Network) The Human Face in Anglo-American Culture. Primary supervisor Dr Fabien Collignon (English). Co-supervised by Professor Adam Piette (English)
  • Laura Shallcross. Interaction of Novel Hyperbranched Polymers with Nanoscale Hydroxyapatite. Primary supervisor Dr Sebastian Spain (Chemistry)
  • Leon Edney (EPSRC Doctoral Training College in Tissue Engineering & Regenerative Medicine). Three Dimensional Scaffolds and Culture Systems for Regenerative Medicine. Primary supervisor Dr Patrick Smith (Mechanical Engineering)
  • Altair Contreras. (Dental School Studentship) Aluminium-free Glass-Ionomer Cements. Primary supervisor Dr Cheryl Miller.
  • Joss Atkinson. (EPSRC Doctoral Training College in Tissue Engineering & Regenerative Medicine) Biologically active surface modifications to scaffolds for bone tissue regeneration. Primary supervisor Dr Cheryl Miller.
  • Katharina Cliterow (EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Polymers and Soft Matter) Manufacture of Electrospun Patches for Drug Delivery. Co-supervised by Dr Craig Murdoch and Dr Sebastian Spain (Chemistry).
  • Selina Beal (School Studentship) Manufacturing the Synthetic Stem Cell Niche. Primary supervisor Dr Ilida Ortega.
  • Beatriz Monteiro. (Collaborative Studentship: The University of Sheffield & A*STAR, Singapore) Glycotherapeutic Enhancement of Synthetic Stem Cell Niches. Primary supervisor Dr Ilida Ortega. Co-supervised with Dr Simon Cool (A*STAR Institute of Medical Biology)
  • Danilo Villanueva Navarrete (CONICYT, Chile). Synthetic stem cell niches. Primary supervisor Dr Ilida Ortega. Co-supervised by Professor Sheila Macneil (Materials Science & Engineering).

Visiting PhD students

  • Joao Fernandes (3B’s Group, University of Minho, Portugal) Antimicrobial Bioactive Glasses. Visiting EPSRC Centre for Innovative Manufacturing of Medical Devices (MeDe Innovation, EPSRC grant EP/K029592/1). Home supervisors Dr Ricardo Pires and Professor Rui Reis.
  • Silvia Cadeo (Ciardelli Group, Politecnico di Torino, Italy) Fabrication and Characterisation of Scaffolds with Osteoporotic Features. Visiting EPSRC Centre for Innovative Manufacturing of Medical Devices (MeDe Innovation, EPSRC grant EP/K029592/1). Home supervisor Gianluca Ciardelli.
Grants

Grants and contracts held as primary investigator exceed £3million to date, and further co-investigator associated income to the University is approximately £6.5million. Current and recent grants include:

  • 2021-2022. Versus Arthritis and Leeds University IKC with support from Ceramisys. C.A Miller (PI), K. Hunter, and P.V. Hatton £60,000
  • 2018-2020. MRC P2D followed by direct industrial support from Ceramisys Ltd. C. A. Miller (PI) A. Crawford & G. P. Stafford. £40,000
  • 2016-2017. Industrial sponsorship and Leeds Innovation & Knowledge Exchange Centre (IKC) EPSRC funding. “Biofunctional Nanostructured Materials”. C. A. Miller (PI), R. Moorehead and P. V. Hatton. £60,000 2015-2019. Industrial Research Contract from Nobel Biocare. P. V. Hatton (PI), R. Bolt, and S. Atkins. £120,000
  • 2013-2019. EPSRC Centre for Innovative Manufacturing for Medical Devices (MeDe Innovation). Total award £7million with Leeds (PI Professor John Fisher), Newcastle (Profesor Kenny Delgarno), Bradford (Professor Phil Coates), and Nottingham (Professor David Grant) and Sheffield (Professor Paul Hatton PI. £355,000
  • 2013-2015. EPSRC-Regener8 IKC Proof of Concept “Osteogenic bone cements”. P. V. Hatton (PI) and C. Miller. £160,000 2012-2015. European Commission FP7 Research for Benefit of SMEs grant “Nanostructured Materials for Bone Tissue Regeneration”. C. Miller (PI), P. V. Hatton, & I. M. Brook. £460,000
  • 2012-2014. EC Marie Curie European Fellowship (IEF) for Dr Piergiorgio Gentile. “Advanced Biofunctional Membranes for Musculoskeletal Tissue Regeneration.” P. V. Hatton (PI). £125,000
  • 2012-2014. MRC Translational Research Award. “Antimicrobial surfaces for medical devices” total grant £450,000 awarded to the University of Manchester (PI Professor Robert Akid) and Sheffield Hallam University (Tom Smith). P.V. Hatton (PI) and I. M. Brook. £160,000
  • 2012-2017. EPSRC and Industrial CASE sponsorship from Ceramisys Ltd. and JRI Ltd. with HEFCE Catalyst support for industrial translation and placements for PhD students (Drouin, Wilcock and Atkinson). P. V. Hatton (PI) and C. A. Miller. £165,000
  • 2008-2017. EPSRC White Rose Doctoral Training Centre in Tissue Engineering & Regenerative Medicine joint with Leeds (PI Professor John Fisher and Professor Joanne Tipper) and York (Professor Paul Genever). P. V. Hatton (current PI) and S. MacNeil (former PI) £700,000
  • 2008-2012. InnovateUK/EPSRC “Nanostructured Composite Materials for Orthopaedic Applications” P. V. Hatton (PI) with A. Crawford, B. Inkson, C. Miller & G. Moebus. £556,657
Teaching interests

I provide lectures, seminars and workshops on dental materials subjects to taught postgraduate (MSc) and undergraduate (BDS, Hygiene & Therapy, BSc) students, and additional teaching on tissue engineering and regenerative medicine for courses in the Faculty of Engineering.

Teaching activities

I provide lectures, seminars and workshops on dental materials subjects to taught postgraduate and undergraduate (BDS and Hygiene & Therapy) students, and additional teaching on tissue engineering and regenerative medicine for courses in the Faculty of Engineering.

Undergraduate:

  • 2nd BDS 1st H&T Direct aesthetic restorative materials and cavity bases & liners lectures
  • 4th BDS Advanced dental materials teaching including safety, regulatory, and legal responsibilities with evidence-based selection of dental materials. Workshop on innovation and materials selection in dentistry.
  • 5th BDS Final year examination question setting and marking (DEN504 ICP)
  • BSc Bio-dental Science & Technology, years 1 to 3, including final year project tutor.

Postgraduate Seminars:

  • DEN604 Dental Materials Science. Provision of seminars on direct aesthetic restorative materials, and cavity bases & liners.
  • DEN605 Selecting Dental Materials for Clinical Applications (module lead).
Professional activities and memberships
  • Chair of the Biomedical Applications Division of the Institute of Materials, Minerals & Mining (IoM3), 2020 - present.
  • Elected member of Council of the European Chapter of the Tissue Engineering & Regenerative Medicine International Society (TERMIS), 2009 – 2012.
  • President of the UK Society for Biomaterials, 2004 – 2007.
  • Member of Biomedical Applications Division, The Institute of Materials, Minerals & Mining (IOM3), 2000 – present.
  • Editorial Board, Journal of Tissue Engineering & Regenerative Medicine. College of the EPSRC, 2005-present
  • Awarded personal research prizes including the UK Society for Biomaterials (UKSB) Biocompatibles Endowed award for Translational Research in 2003 and the UKSB Denis Wilson Prize for contributions to Dental Materials Research in 2014.