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College Collaborates with University of Sao Paulo, Brazil
Fernando Luis Esteban Florez, D.D.S., M.S., Ph.D., came to the OU College of Dentistry from the Sao Paulo State University, Brazil, in 2012, recruited for post-doctoral research specific to dentistry. Working closely with Sharukh Khajotia, B.D.S., M.S., Ph.D., associate dean for research and innovation, Dr. Esteban Florez’s area of research leverages his expertise in nanoparticle synthesis and novel dental bio-materials. His connections within Brazil’s scientific community held the keys to establishing long-term collaborative relationships with multiple groups.
In the years since his arrival at the college, Dr. Esteban Florez, who heads the Division of Dental Biomaterials, has been instrumental in the acceleration of international collaboration. Previously, Khajotia was the only faculty member with any international ties, and collaborative efforts were not ongoing in nature. Dr. Esteban Florez was able to build upon existing relationships to establish focused, sustained collaboration with universities highly regarded for their research activities with applications in the field of dentistry. Dr. Esteban Florez has also established significant collaborations across the United States.
The college is now hosting its third Brazilian Ph.D. student and expects to host a faculty member who will spend a month in onsite labs. In what represents a true exchange of talent and personnel, Dr. Esteban Florez recently spent six weeks in Brazil, working on various projects. He leads a research team whose innovations in new antibacterial nanoparticles promise to generate significant intellectual property.
“Historically, we’ve worked most closely with UNESP and State University of Campinas School of Dentistry at Piracicaba, Brazil,” explained Dr. Esteban Florez. “Over the years, we have developed a collaborative relationship with two others. Significantly, our collaboration with University Positivo, in the Brazilian state of Parana, has been most productive to date, in terms of published papers. In addition, students from Positivo have worked in our labs, conducting meaningful research in material development and characterizations.” Dr. Khajotia said, “The broader picture is that we have this amazing two-way collaboration, producing not only published articles, but building support for NIH grant applications forthcoming from Dr. Esteban Florez. Further, nanoparticle technology will translate to myriad products and different types of products in dentistry, as well as applications in an array of engineering specialties.”
One Brazilian university is working with nanoparticles and novel materials for wound dressings, an area of innovation with potentially sweeping impact. “For example, dressings used in the treatment of burn victims become contaminated quickly. Wound dressings infused with antibacterial nanoparticles promise to dramatically reduce the problem of contamination and infection associated with this type of injury.”
Early in this initiative, the nanoparticle subject couldn’t be pursued comprehensively in the facilities at the college. “As dentists, we lacked the necessary expertise and equipment to actually do the work in our labs. Therefore, we had to establish collaborations with
Fernando Luis Esteban Florez, D.D.S., M.S., Ph.D.
scientists at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory to be able to overcome our own limitations” said Dr. Esteban Florez. “In order to work within the national lab system, it is necessary to submit a user proposal. Under the leadership and guidance of Dr. Khajotia, we approached the Oakridge National Lab and developed a research question to be tested in their facility, using their unique physical resources and equipment. This also creates unprecedented access to expertise in the necessary fields.” As a result, the line of research that began in 2013 is now being aggressively pursued through another strategic collaborative relationship with a senior scientist at the Center for Nanophasing Material Sciences, housed at Oak Ridge. “Oak Ridge transferred the technologies related to synthesis and manipulation of nanoparticles so that they can be incorporated and functionalized into dental materials and, most important, to make nanoparticles functional within the dental bio-materials,” said Dr. Esteban Florez. A Brazilian dentist, Matheus Kury Rodrigues, D.D.S., M.S., has conducted a Fulbright research fellowship at the college. His investigations is focused on the characterization of novel nanofilled tooth-bleaching agents, with biomimetic properties developed by Dr. Esteban Florez at the Division of Dental Biomaterials. Dr. Kury made his first visit to the college in 2019. Delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Kury began a nine-month intensive program as a Visiting Scholar Researcher in the Division of Biomaterials in March 2021. He continues his research on the characterization of nanobleaching agents to whiten teeth. Working with Florez and others in the division, he has
Sharukh S. Khajotia, B.D.S., M.S., Ph.D., gained invaluable experience in advanced associate dean for research and microscope techniques and highinnovation, received a Pilot Grant from the Oklahoma Shared Clinical throughput bioluminescence assays. “The outstanding and unique set of expertise, laboratory facilities and and Translational Resources. In equipment offered at the Dental collaboration with Oak Ridge National Laboratory, this grant will be used to Biomaterials Division was one the main factors that aroused my interest in coming here,” Dr. Kury said. “Working with develop a 3-D printed denature resin Dr. Esteban Florez as my mentor at OU for long-term use. became a very exciting plan because he could offer me the necessary support and guidance to catapult my research skills toward an independent research career. The extraordinary work that Drs. Esteban Florez and Khajotia have been performing on the development and incorporation of metaloxide nanoparticles in dental biomaterials, as well as on the development and validation of novel microbiology assays, are paramount for the successful completion of my Ph.D. dissertation.” Dr. Kury described the experience as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and found the College of Dentistry a remarkable place to advance his career goals. Fernando Luis Esteban Florez, D.D.S., M.S., Ph.D.,
division head of Dental Biomaterials, proposal, “Hydrolysis-resistant functionalization of protein-modified antibacterial, bioactive and bondpromoting metaloxide nanoparticles in experimental adhesive resins” was selected by the Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies, which is a DOE Office of Science Nanoscale Science Research Center jointly operated by Los Alamos and Sandia national laboratories.
Drs. Esteban Florez and Khajotia at the college competed at the OU Growth Fund and have successfully secured a $75,000 grant from the OU Office of Technology Development to further the translation of experimental materials into the marketplace. Those funds were partially used to purchase equipment that now allows dental researchers to synthesize nanoparticles and other materials in the labs of the Division of Dental Biomaterials.
“Now we are capable of fabricating different types of nanoparticles and dental polymers. Experimental materials produced are then tested using numerous ISO and ADA/ANSI standards to determine the properties of materials developed. The functionalization strategies used by Dr. Esteban Florez allows the incorporation of nanoparticles into several dental polymers used in restorative and prosthodontic applications, including dental adhesive resins, resin composites, denture materials, dental cements and bleaching agents, to name a few,” said Dr. Khajotia.
Dr. Esteban Florez is excited about ongoing research focused on dentistry and seeing the many branches of research that extend into other fields. “Dentistry is a fascinating subject, and materials commonly used – polymers, ceramics and metals – have important engineer applications that allow use to developed relevant secondary applications, including antimicrobial nanostructured coatings to control cross-contamination in any number of settings. There’s an incredible scope of potential engineering uses and applications.”
While dentistry is an ideal platform for development and launch, Drs. Esteban Florez and Khajotia envision a wide range of valuable engineering applications related to health care. Dr. Florez explained, “We believe even more impressive applications will be vital in efforts to control bacterial contamination in areas including, but not limited to, public transportation – bus and train stations, airports, and even ambulances.”
The international collaboration encompasses ties made at OU’s Norman campus in drone engineering, aerospace engineering and bioengineering. “Additionally, we are strengthening existing ties with researchers at Oregon Health and Sciences University, and other academic institutions whose research aligns with polymer and materials sciences,” Dr. Khajotia said.
The Brazilian Federal Foundation for Support and Evaluation of Graduate Education is currently sponsoring Mayara Zaghi Dal Picolo, D.D.S., M.S., in a collaborative research project at the college. Dr. Zaghi was introduced to Drs. Esteban Florez and Khajotia at a conference she attended as a presenter, and became aware of possible opportunities for collaboration. In particular, she learned about a research project to develop and characterize novel nanofilled dental glazes with long-term, non-leaching antibacterial properties. With a visa to enter the United States, she arrived at the college in September 2021.
“The possibility of a collaborative research project was very exciting to me,” said Dr. Zaghi. “During my visit, I witnessed cuttingedge nanofabrication strategies and advanced characterization techniques that are routinely conducted in the Division of Dental Biomaterials, which would help me prepare to launch an independent and well-funded research program.”
“Dr. Zaghi’s work is anticipated to provide fundamental information regarding the loading, dispersion and functionalization of antibacterial metaloxide nanoparticles in dental ceramics,” Dr. Esteban Florez said. “This will translate into novel materials with long-term and sustainable properties. Further, it will allow our group to develop secondary applications such as ceramic nanocoatings, used to control cross contamination in multiple settings. The benefits we realize will help to decrease health care costs across the state and nation.”
Dr. Esteban Florez credits the insight and vision of former dean Raymond Cohlmia, D.D.S., and Dr. Khajotia, in supporting and expanding the research mission of the college. “Our goal is to increase and ensure the level of expertise that allows us to progress in multiple directions, with products that translate into the larger marketplace. The mission is to make sure that dentistry is integrated not only across the Health Sciences Center campus, but across the entire OU academic community.”
