Martinna Bertolini is an Assistant Professor at the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine. She graduated with DDS degree from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, in Brazil. Followed by clinical training in Prosthodontics and a PhD degree in clinical dentistry, focusing on the study of the development of oral biofilms in biotic (teeth and oral mucosa) and abiotic surfaces (titanium from dental implants and other dental materials). She then moved to the University of Connecticut, first as a postdoctoral fellow and then pursuing a second clinical degree (residency in Periodontology and Implant Dentistry), to improve her knowledge and research experience on host immune response of oral epithelial cells to oral biofilms formed under different environments and nutritional conditions. In 2021, she joined the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine. In addition to her primary appointment at the School of Dental Medicine, Dr. Bertolini has stablished collaborations on the Medicine department, more specifically at the Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology. As a clinician and a scientist, Dr. Bertolini is involved with clinical and didactical education, as well as with basic science research. As a scientist, Dr. Bertolini studies oral biofilms and synergistic or antagonistic relationships among different members of the oral microbiome, as well as host immunology and oral epithelial response to pathogenic biofilm colonization and oral mucosal immunology and wound healing. Dr. Bertolini’s research interest in space medicine is centered on characterizing the impact of microgravity on the growth, structure, and resilience of oral biofilms. She seeks to elucidate how spaceflight conditions modulate the interaction between oral biofilms and the host immune system, as well as identify effective countermeasures—such as antimicrobial agents and modified dental hygiene protocols—that can mitigate biofilm formation and reduce pathogenicity in space environments. In addition to biofilm research, Dr. Bertolini is deeply interested in advancing the understanding of oral mucosal wound healing and chronic inflammation, with knowledge that can be translated to traumatic injuries, chronic wounds, and the secondary infections often associated with exposed wounds. While previous studies have delineated the mechanisms and pathways disrupted in wound healing, this remains poorly understood in the context of space medicine and the unique challenges posed by microgravity. Dr. Bertolini’s work aims to address these gaps, offering insights that could improve clinical outcomes both on Earth and during space missions. The final goal of this research is to better understand of how long-duration space missions can affect biofilm-related diseases, wound healing and the changes that can occur in extreme environments, thus addressing a critical aspect of astronaut health and well-being.
