Professor Cheryl Miller

BEng(hons), PGCertHE, PhD, FHEA

School of Clinical Dentistry

Professor of Biomaterials and Regenerative Medicine

School Director of Research and Innovation

c.a.miller@sheffield.ac.uk
+44 114 215 9394
19 Claremont Crescent

Full contact details

Professor Cheryl Miller
School of Clinical Dentistry
19 Claremont Crescent
Sheffield
S10 2TA
Profile

I joined The University of Sheffield as a Lecturer in 2006 and was promoted to Professor of Biomaterials and Regenerative Medicine in the School of Clinical Dentistry in 2020.  

I actively research and collaborate extensively with other academics, clinicians and industry. I lead pioneering multidisciplinary research into new biomaterials and medical technologies: principally the development of novel materials and medical devices with enhanced properties for dental and medical applications to improve human health and quality of life. I specialise in developing medical devices with dual action of enhanced bone regeneration and antimicrobial capabilities. 

I am the School Director of Research and Innovation and was a full panel member for UoA3 in REF2021. I was the Faculty Lead for Early Career Researchers (ECRs) and the University’s representative on the Worldwide Universities Network (WUN) ECR Working Group. I was the Programme Director of MSc in Dental Materials Science from 2017 to 2023.

Previously I worked at The University of Nottingham as a Senior Research Fellow in the Advanced Materials Research Group. My PhD research (2002) was in glass-ceramics for bone tissue repair and augmentation (sponsored by the Institute of Materials - IOM3) and I studied Materials Science and Engineering (1st Class Honours), both at the University of Sheffield.

Research interests

My research interests are varied, interdisciplinary and broadly lie within materials for medical devices and health technologies.

  • Design, fabrication and characterisation of novel glasses, ceramics and composites for medical devices (in collaboration with Hatton, Crawford, Hearnden, Moebus, McKechnie, Moorehead, Gentile and Reaney)
  • Advanced manufacture of prostheses for oral & maxillofacial applications (in collaboration with Moorehead, Rainforth, Smith, Yates, Majewski, Colley and Reilly)
  • Antimicrobial and enhanced clinical performance approaches for bone grafting materials (in collaboration with Hatton and Stafford)
  • Dentine remineralisation strategies (in collaboration with Martin and Deery)
Various diagrams of biomaterials research
Publications

Journal articles

Research group

Research assistants

  • 2019 - present Dr George Bullock (Fellow), “Calcium phosphates as a treatment for BRONJ” (TUoS EPSRC Doctoral Prize Fellowship)
  • 2016 - present Dr Caroline Harrison (Wilcock)* (PDRA), “Nano-hydroxyapatite pastes with enhanced osteogenic and antibacterial properties” (MRC P2D, TUoS IIKE)
  • 2018 - 2019 Dr George Bullock* (PRDA), “Innovative Medical Devices based on Peptide- Enhanced Calcium Phosphates for Enhanced Bone Tissue Regeneration” (ARUK/Versus Arthritis)
  • 2017 - 2018 Dr Joss Atkinson* (PDRA), “Peptide enhanced calcium phosphates” (MRC CinC and MRC P2D)
  • 2016 - 17: Dr Iain Varley (Academic Clinical Fellow), “Refinement and biomechanical analysis of a PEEK miniplate for mandibular fracture fixation” (AOUK)
  • 2015 Dr Leili Shikhan (PDRA) SLS of Hydroxyapatite composites (TUoS IIKE)
  • 2014 Dr Carolina Herranz Diez (PDRA) IMCOSS, (EU FP7)
  • 2013 - 14 Dr Yulia Rybenkova (PDRA) IMCOSS, (EU FP7)
  • 2013 - 14 Dr Abigail Pinnock (PDRA) IMCOSS, (EU FP7)

Students

  • 2017 – 20 Rayan Binduhayyim, “Antibacterial Glasses” (Saudi Government)
  • 2016 – 19 Alex Bolger*, “3D printing solutions to soft tissue cleft palate defects”
  • 2016 – 19 Maha Ohman*, “Maxilliofacial repair using 3D printed hydroxyapatite composites”
  • 2015 – 19 George Bullock, “Tissue engineering for the treatment of medicines related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ)” (Material Science and Engineering DTA)
  • 2015 – 19 Carlos Amnael Orozco Diaz*, “3D printing of custom prostheses for cleft palate reconstruction” (CONICYT - Mexican Government)
  • 2015 – 19 Rayan AA Hawsawi (PhD student), “Investigating the Validity of the ISO 6872:2008 ‘Dental Ceramics’ for Chemical Solubility” (Saudi Government)
  • 2012 – 17: Dr Altair Contreras*, “Bioactive cements and pre-set porous scaffolds to promote bone tissue regeneration” (Regener8: EPSRC/n8)
  • 2013 – 17: Dr Patrick Rider*, “3D printing of Novel Membranes for Dental Implantology” (Nobel Biocare)
  • 2013 – 17: Dr Joss Atkinson*, “Biologically Active Modifications to Scaffolds for Bone Tissue Regeneration” (DTC/case award JRI and Ceramisys)
  • 2011 – 16: Dr Eleanor Ashworth, “Remineralisation of Erosion and Caries Affected Dentine by Infiltration with Colloidal Nanoparticles” (BBSRC/GSK case award)
  • 2011 – 15: Dr Harriet Drouin “Membranes for Bone Tissue Repair and Regeneration” (Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine DTC)
  • 2011 – 15: Dr Caroline Wilcock, “The Development of Nanostructured Calcium Phosphate Biomaterials for Bone Tissue Regeneration” (EPSRC/Ceramisys case award)
  • 2009 – 14: Dr Martin Romero*, “Electrospun Polymer-Glass/Ceramic Composites for Tissue Engineering & Regenerative Medicine” (EPSRC DTG funded studentship)
  • 2008 – 12: Dr Hawa Fathi, “Development of Apatite-Mullite Glass-Ceramics for use as Dental Restorations” (Libyan Government)
  • 2007 – 11: Dr Neda Al-Kaisy, “Creation and validation of an in vitro model to evaluate and characterise denture retentive forces” (Iraqi Ministry of Higher Education)
  • 2006 – 11: Dr Shashwat Bhakta, “Characterisation and Evaluation of Novel Fluorrichterite Compositions for Implantology and Maxillofacial Surgery” (NHS candidate/fee waiver)

* Primary supervisor

Teaching activities

I am Director for the in MSc Dental Materials Science programme and and therefore also sit on the School PGT (Post-graduate Taught) Working Party. I am module lead for DEN606 (Research Projects), for which I supervise several dissertations per year. I also teach and/or assess on post-graduate modules DEN604, ORP608 and MAT6304).

I teach on our BDS (Bachelor of Dental Surgery) programme in themes DEN104 - The Oral Cavity in Health & Disease; DEN204 Basic Oral and Dental Care and 4th year BDS students. We have recently established a BSc in Oral Science on which I will teach 2nd year students, both in person and via online teaching material.

I was previously lead for for the development, teaching and assessment of dental materials within the BDS undergraduate curriculum including themes: DEN104 - The Oral Cavity in Health & Disease; DEN203 - Growth, Development, Ageing & Nutrition and DEN204 Basic Oral and Dental Care.

Professional activities and memberships

External Activities and recognition:

  • External examiner for Ulster University's BSc Hons Engineering Science (2015 - )
  • Elected Council Member for the UK Society for Biomaterials (UKSB) (2014 - )
  • Membership Secretary for UKSB
  • Member of the UK EPSRC Centre for Innovative Manufacturing of Medical Devices (MeDe Innovation)
  • External Grant Reviewer for the Medical Research Council and Orthopaedic Research UK (formerly known as Furlong Research Charitable Foundation)
  • Editorial Board of Current Research in Dentistry
  • Reviewer for: Acta Biomaterialia; International Journal of Biomaterials; Journal of Material Science: Materials in Medicine; Journal of Biomedical Materials Part A; Recent Patents on Material Science; Journal of Dentistry; Journal of the Royal Society Interface; Glass Technology: European Journal of Glass Science and Technology Part A.
  • Fellow of the Higher Education Academy

University and School Administrative Roles

  • Faculty Chair of Early Career Group (ECG) (2019 - )
  • Programme Director for MSc Dental Materials Science (2017 - )
  • Head of Bioengineering and Health Technologies Research Group (2016 - )
  • Early Career Researcher Champion for The School of Clinical Dentistry (2015- )
  • Member of the Insigneo Institute of in silico medicine (2012- )
  • Member of The Mellanby Centre for Bone Research (2009 - )
  • Teaching Lead (Undergraduate) for Dental Materials (2014 - 17)
  • Member of The University Senate (2011 - 15)
  • Academic lead for Materials Core Facilities (2009 - 17)
  • Programme Director for MMedSci in Dental Implantology (2006-2012) Module lead for OMS609: Biology and Biomaterials for Oral Surgery (2011 - 16); OMS6121: Dental Implantology Research Project (2006-2014); OMS6116: Biomaterials in Implantology (2006-2011)