SALSETH

The Innovative bio-inspired sensors and microfluidic devices for saliva-based theranostics of oral and systemic diseases (SALSETH) is a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Research and Innovation Staff Exchange (RISE) project.

The mouth and body are integral to each other. Saliva has been described as the mirror of the body and is increasingly being recognised as an attractive diagnostic fluid. It serves as a physiological barometer. The EU-funded SALSETH project facilitates the exchange of knowledge, skills, competencies and capabilities (through secondments) between internationally top-ranking participating organisations from Australia, Germany, Italy, Malaysia, Poland, Serbia, Spain, and Ukraine. The project will bring together the expertise required to achieve state-of-the-art advances in natural and bio-inspired biocompatible materials, as well as edible food-based sensors to detect important biomarkers from saliva promptly. It will also develop an external smart electronic device to wirelessly read data from sensors and microfluidic devices for the optimal administration of drugs.

Oral hygiene is the cornerstone of good oral health and the World Health Organization recognises oral health as an integral part of systemic health. Among the non-invasive organic fluids, saliva is one of the most excellent and practical specimens for oral and systemic health monitoring as it is readily available and easily collected and stored. Saliva is frequently called a “mirror of the body” since it can reflect both the physiological and pathological conditions in the entire human organism. The SALSETH project proposal facilitates the exchange of knowledge, skills, competencies and capabilities (through secondments) of 8 internationally top-ranking participating organisations (4 from the academic sector and 4 SMEs) from Germany, Italy, Spain, Poland, Serbia, Ukraine, Malaysia and Australia. This project proposal promotes international and intersectoral collaboration between participating institutions, bringing experts from different fields of science in a unique R&I set up. The SALSETH brings together expertise of the institutions to reach beyond the-state-of-the-art advances in (1) natural and bio-inspired biocompatible materials; (2) edible food-based sensors which can promptly detect relevant biomarkers from saliva; (3) external smart electronic device for wireless reading data from sensors; and (4) microfluidic devices for optimal administration of drugs or essential oils as a central part of the intraoral appliances for better oral and systemic health. Through carefully designed secondments, the seconded staff will work on a significant technological breakthrough in salivary theranostics for personalised dental bio-medicine. This interdisciplinary project offers an excellent research-oriented environment for the personal and professional growth of the involved staff members. The SALSETH will open possibilities of salivary diagnostics for personalised individual medicine applications including clinical treatment options and outcome evaluation predictions.