During the annual Norwegian festival of knowledge and science, held all over the country in the end of September, scientists and researchers from both NIOM and the University Of Oslo held a public forum at Oslo’s House of Literature to present some of the findings in the newest research and how they relate to “crossing borders,” the theme for the festival.

Eight scientists from NIOM are participating at the 52nd annual ISO / TC 106 meeting in Tromsø, Norway.

The oral cavity is one of the human habitats with the highest diversity of bacterial species. It is estimated to be over 700 bacterial species that are capable of residing in this habitat. Bacteria were long thought of living as free floating, planktonic cells. However, it has become clear that the preferred form of living is in a biofilm.

A new research group is established at NIOM, focusing on clinical research. The group consists of four scientists, Simen E. Kopperud, Håkon Valen, Rune Becher and Jon E. Dahl, with a broad and diverse scientific background. They have extensive knowledge from toxicology, dental materials, epidemiology, environmental science and microbiology. This experience and knowledge is giving an initiative and opportunity for inter-disciplinary research.