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Biography
Dr Babatunde Okesola (also known as Tunde) is a Nigerian-British Material Chemist and Biomedical Researcher with expertise in tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, supramolecular chemistry, and biomaterials innovation. A first-class chemistry graduate, he earned a PhD in Chemistry from the University of York and completed postdoctoral training at Queen Mary University of London and the University of Liverpool. Tunde also held honorary postdoctoral research associate positions at University College London and University College London Hospital, and has been a visiting researcher at AMOLF in Amsterdam and CNRS Grenoble.
Tunde has contributed pioneering work on oxygenating hydrogels, bio-instructive scaffolds, contraceptive devices, bioinks for 3D bioprinting, and cancer modelling systems. Tunde has been recognised for excellence in science and education as a member of the Royal Society of Chemistry, a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, and one of the 175 Faces of the RSC.
In addition to research, Tunde actively engages in scholarly service, including peer review for journals and grant review for organisations such as Rosetrees, the Royal Society of Chemistry, and BBSRC. Tunde is also dedicated to mentorship, teaching, and community engagement, serving as a parent governor at Edgewood Nursery and Primary School in Nottingham.
Research Summary
My research focuses on engineering bio-instructive materials that actively shape the host-pathogen-tissue interface in chronic diseases. The immune cells direct adaptation by shaping the… read more
Recent Publications
LIU, YING, OKESOLA, BABATUNDE O., OSUNA DE LA PEÑA, DAVID, LI, WEIQI, LIN, MENG-LAY, TRABULO, SARA, TATARI, MARIANTHI, LAWLOR, RITA T., SCARPA, ALDO, WANG, WEN, KNIGHT, MARTIN, LOESSNER, DANIELA, HEESCHEN, CHRISTOPHER, MATA, ALVARO and PEARCE, OLIVER M. T., 2024. A Self-Assembled 3D Model Demonstrates How Stiffness Educates Tumor Cell Phenotypes and Therapy Resistance in Pancreatic Cancer Advanced Healthcare Materials. 13(17), 2301941 MELIS ISIK, BABATUNDE O. OKESOLA, CEMIL CAN EYLEM, ENGIN KOCAK, EMIRHAN NEMUTLU, MATTEO D'ESTE, ALVARO MATA and BURAK DERKUS, 2023. Bioactive and chemically defined hydrogels with tunable stiffness guide cerebral organoid formation and modulate multi-omics plasticity in cerebral organoids Acta Biomaterialia. 171, 223-238 MELIS ISIK, BABATUNDE O. OKESOLA, CEMIL CAN EYLEM, ENGIN KOCAK, EMIRHAN NEMUTLU, EMEL EMREGUL, MATTEO D’ESTE and BURAK DERKUS, 2022. Tuning the Cell-Adhesive Properties of Two-Component Hybrid Hydrogels to Modulate Cancer Cell Behavior, Metastasis, and Death Pathways Biomacromolecules. BUSE SARI, MELIS ISIK, CEMIL CAN EYLEM, BABATUNDE O. OKESOLA, ECE KARAKAYA, EMEL EMREGUL, EMIRHAN NEMUTLU and BURAK DERKUS, 2022. Omics technologies for high-throughput-screening of cell–biomaterial interactions Molecular Omics. 18, 591-615
Current Research
My research focuses on engineering bio-instructive materials that actively shape the host-pathogen-tissue interface in chronic diseases. The immune cells direct adaptation by shaping the microenvironment of infected and non-infected chronic inflammation. For example, activated immune cells drive dysfunctional production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the tissue microenvironment, resulting in collateral tissue damage from excessive ROS accumulation. Similarly, hypoxia plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of chronic diseases. These processes not only impair tissue repair but also influence microbial pathogenicity and the host immune response.
To address this challenge, my work emphasises tissue redox-balancing-the coordinated delivery of molecular oxygen and regulation of ROS-as a central strategy to modulate immune responses and restore tissue homeostasis. Leveraging a unique multidisciplinary skillset spanning synthetic and supramolecular chemistry, molecular hydrogel design, nanochemistry, peptide synthesis, tissue engineering, and regenerative medicine, I am developing a novel materials platform that can:
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Quantitatively monitor and regulate ROS levels within diseased tissues.
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Self-generate and deliver molecular oxygen to counteract hypoxia.
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Signal multiple host cell populations and promote tissue repair without reliance on exogenous growth factors or cytokines.
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Function as a multi-target therapeutic technology for chronic diseases with complex and multifactorial etiologies.
This research is highly collaborative and translational in scope. I work closely with world-leading experts in immunology and immune-bioengineering, microbiology, tissue engineering, bioinformatics, clinicians, and industrial partners to ensure that the biomaterials developed are mechanistically grounded, clinically relevant, and scalable for real-world applications. Ultimately, my goal is to establish redox-responsive materials as next-generation immunomodulatory platforms for infection control, inflammation resolution, and regenerative therapies.
Past Research
I am deeply obsessed with designing gel-phase materials and exploring their potential in interdisciplinary research. Gel materials are fascinating and have become indispensable in everyday life, from cosmetics to advanced biomaterials. Among them, molecular or self-assembling hydrogels, created by assembling simple organic molecules in water through non-covalent interactions such as hydrogen bonding, have been central to my research. These hydrogels are tailorable, biomimetic, nanofibrous, programmable, responsive, and reversible, making them ideal as smart nanomaterials for diverse applications.
Harnessing these unique properties, I have designed and created hydrogels with diverse functionalities that address both environmental and biomedical challenges. My earlier work demonstrated how molecular hydrogels can be engineered to:
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Remove toxic chemicals from wastewater, offering a sustainable solution for environmental remediation.
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Recover gold nanoparticles from simulated mine waste streams, advancing strategies for resource recycling and circular economy applications.
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Encapsulate and deliver drug candidates, enabling controlled release and improved therapeutic performance.
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Direct biomineralization, mimicking natural processes to create functional mineralized composites.
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Stimulate cell signalling in vitro, providing biomimetic environments to study cellular responses.
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Promote tissue regeneration in vivo, highlighting their translational potential as regenerative biomaterials.
Through these studies, I have established a foundation in synthetic chemistry, supramolecular self-assembly, and biomaterials engineering, consistently applying molecular design principles to solve real-world problems. This interdisciplinary work has positioned gel-phase nanomaterials as powerful tools to bridge chemistry, biology, and medicine, and continues to fuel my passion for advancing innovative hydrogel technologies with both fundamental and translational impact.