Dr. Xiaohui Chen (Helen) is a Senior Lecturer in Biomaterials Science at the Division of Dentistry, School of Medical Sciences. She is a member of the Faculty Internationalisation Group and sits on the Human Tissue Act Committee for Dentistry.

Outside University, she is a committee member of the Engineering, Physical and Material Sciences section of the Royal Microscopy Society, a volunteer for the United Kingdom Mathematics Trust (UKMT) and a member of the PPIE and Greater Manchester MND Research Partnership.

Helen obtained her BEng (Hons) in Metallurgy at Northeastern University of China, a MEng (Hons) in Materials Science at Queen Mary University of London and a PhD in Dental Materials at Barts and the London, School of Medicine and Dentistry. She joined Dentistry here in Manchester as a Lecturer in 2014.

Helen has a wide-ranging research activities in biomaterials for dentistry including investigating structure and mechanical properties of enamel and dentine, dental erosion, bioactive glasses for oral health, dental resin composites design and optimisation, glass-ceramics synthesis and characterisation, 3D printing replica teeth and implant surface modifications. Helen's research has not only led to journal publications but also patents and products. The novel strong leucite glass-ceramics with controlled microstructure has led to 2 US patents and the commercialisation of ‘Lumineers 2’ that uses a 100% pain-free minimally invasive approach, saving as much as 20% enamel reduction per patient, as tooth preparation and anaesthesia are not required. It is used and sold in 46 countries and won industry awards for clinical and cosmetic excellence from the Clinical Research Associates and Dental Advisor.

Helen is devoted to improving Oral Health Care an overlooked area for the Motor Neurone Disease (MND, what Prof Stephen Hawking had) community with endorsement from the MND Association. Helen and collaborators have been awarded with a UKRI/Zinc catalyst award focuses on Developing an MND oral health care pathway and dynamic toolkit as a part of The Healthy Longevity Global Competition and a Healthcare Research grant from the MND Association on Addressing knowledge gaps: Understanding and tackling oral health needs for people with Motor Neurone Disease (MND).

Helen participates in both undergraduate and postgraduate teaching:

• MBChB Academic Advisement
• MBChB Yr 2 PEP (Personal Excellence Path)
• MBChB APEP (Applied Personal Excellence Pathway)
• BDS Dentistry Enquiry Based Learning (EBL) 1st year,
• Postgraduate taught students projects.

Helen is an assessor for the New Academics and Fellows programme (NAP).

• Member of the Academy of Dental Materials, International Association for Dental Research and British Society for Oral and Dental Research,
• Member of the Fracto Forum International,
• Member of the Human Tissue Act Committee, Division of Dentistry, School of Medical Sciences, The University of Manchester,
• Member of the PPIE and Greater Manchester MND Research Partnership,
• Committee member of the Engineering, Physical and Material Sciences section of the Royal Microscopy Society.

BEng (Hons) in Metallurgy, MEng (Hons) in Materials Science, PhD in Dental Materials, FHEA

Information on Funded and self-funded projects can be found below.

Candidates with a broader interest in dental biomaterials that meet the Entry Requirements for PhD Biomaterials Sciences and Dental Technology are welcomed to contact me to discuss suitability on the following projects. I am also happy to discuss and formulate research projects that are in line with my research interests and fit the candidates' career progression.

1. Microstructure and crack propagation of CAD/CAM glass-ceramics,
2. Dentine tubule occlusion and remineralisation,
3. Resin Composites containing bioactive glasses,
4. 3D printing replica teeth for teaching and research in Dentistry.

Current visiting scholar

• Dr Yiping Wei, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology

Current PhD students

• Tina Mehrabi (MRC Doctoral Training Partnership)
• Aboli Lakhe (A*STAR)

Former research students

• Luisa Brasil (MRC Doctoral Training Partnership)
• Jiaqian Fan (EPSRC Advanced Biomedical materials Center for Doctoral Training)
• Haoran Zhao
• Zekun Liu
• Nicholas Chapman (EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Materials for Demanding Environments and GlaxoSmithKline)
• Alaaldine Elraggal* 
• Fatima Al Mansour* 
• Marymen Al Mansour*
• Ahmed Almokhatieb*
• Nada Alharbi*
• Mahir Mirah*
• Suhad Al-Nasrawi*
• Yunke Lu
• Salah-Ud-Din

* (competitive govenment scholarship)