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Contact

• workRoom B73 Life Science Building
  King's Meadow Campus
  Lenton Lane
  Nottingham
  NG7 2NR
  UK
• work01158230344
• Babatunde.Okesola@nottingham.ac.uk

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. 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. 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. Biomacromolecules.
• BUSE SARI, MELIS ISIK, CEMIL CAN EYLEM, BABATUNDE O. OKESOLA, ECE KARAKAYA, EMEL EMREGUL, EMIRHAN NEMUTLU and BURAK DERKUS, 2022. Molecular Omics. 18, 591-615

• View all publications

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:

1. Quantitatively monitor and regulate ROS levels within diseased tissues.

2. Self-generate and deliver molecular oxygen to counteract hypoxia.

3. Signal multiple host cell populations and promote tissue repair without reliance on exogenous growth factors or cytokines.

4. 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:

• Remove toxic chemicals from wastewater, offering a sustainable solution for environmental remediation.

• Recover gold nanoparticles from simulated mine waste streams, advancing strategies for resource recycling and circular economy applications.

• Encapsulate and deliver drug candidates, enabling controlled release and improved therapeutic performance.

• Direct biomineralization, mimicking natural processes to create functional mineralized composites.

• Stimulate cell signalling in vitro, providing biomimetic environments to study cellular responses.

• 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.

• 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. 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. 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. Biomacromolecules.
• BUSE SARI, MELIS ISIK, CEMIL CAN EYLEM, BABATUNDE O. OKESOLA, ECE KARAKAYA, EMEL EMREGUL, EMIRHAN NEMUTLU and BURAK DERKUS, 2022. Molecular Omics. 18, 591-615
• BURAK DERKUS, MELIS ISIK, CEMIL CAN EYLEM, IREM ERGIN, CAN BERK CAMCI, SILA BILGIN, CAGLAR ELBUKEN, YAVUZ EMRE ARSLAN, MERVE AKKULAK, ORHAN ADALI, FADIME KIRAN, BABATUNDE O. OKESOLA, EMIRHAN NEMUTLU and EMEL EMREGUL, 2022. Advanced Biology. 6, 2101317
• WU, Y., OKESOLA, B. O., CONNELLY, J., OREFFO, R. O. C., RODRIGUEZ-CABELLO, J. C., VOZZI, G., AZEVEDO, H. S., PUNGO, N. M. and MATA, A., 2022. INTEGRATING MOLECULAR SELF-ASSEMBLY AND ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING FOR THE BIOFABRICATION OF MICROFLUIDIC DEVICES WITH BIOLOGICALLY RELEVANT PROPERTIES Tissue Engineering Part A Tissue Engineering Part A. 28, S282-S282
• WU, Y. H., FORTUNATO, G. M., OKESOLA, B. O., DI BROCCHETTI, F. L. P., SUNTORNNOND, R., CONNELLY, J., DE MARIA, C., RODRIGUEZ-CABELLO, J. C., VOZZI, G., WANG, W. and MATA, A., 2021. An interfacial self-assembling bioink for the manufacturing of capillary-like structures with tuneable and anisotropic permeability: Biofabrication Biofabrication. 13(3), 14
• OKESOLA, B. O., MENDOZA-MARTINEZ, A. K., CIDONIO, G., DERKUS, B., BOCCORH, D. K., OSUNA DE LA PEÑA, D., ELSHARKAWY, S., WU, Y., DAWSON, J. I., WARK, A. W., KNANI, D., ADAMS, D. J., OREFFO, R. O. C. and MATA, A., 2021. ACS Nano. 15(7), 11202–11217
• AJOVALASIT, A., REDONDO-GOMEZ, C., SABATINO, M. A., OKESOLA, B. O., BRAUN, K., MATA, A. and DISPENZA, C., 2021. Carboxylated-xyloglucan and peptide amphiphile co-assembly in wound healing: Regenerative Biomaterials Regenerative Biomaterials. 8(5),
• ELENI COSTA, BABATUNDE O. OKESOLA, CHRISTOPHER THRASIVOULOU, DAVID L. BECKER, JAN A. DEPREST, ANNA L. DAVID and TINA T. CHOWDHURY, 2021. Scientific Reports. 11, 16975
• MELIS ISIK, CEMIL CAN EYLEM, TUGBA HACIEFENDIOGLU, EROL YILDIRIM, BUSE SARI, EMIRHAN NEMUTLU, EMEL EMREGUL, BABATUNDE O. OKESOLA and BURAK DERKUS, 2021. Biomaterials Science. 9, 8270-8284
• DERKUS, B., OKESOLA, B. O., BARRETT, D. W., D'ESTE, M., CHOWDHURY, T. T., EGLIN, D. and MATA, A., 2020. Acta Biomaterialia.
• BABATUNDE O OKESOLA, SHILEI NI, BURAK DERKUS, CARLES C GALEANO, ABSHAR HASAN, YUANHAO WU, JOPETH RAMIS, LEE BUTTERY, JONATHAN I DAWSON, MATTEO D'ESTE, RICHARD OC OREFFO, DAVID EGLIN, HONGCHEN SUN and ALVARO MATA, 2020. Advanced Functional Materials. 30(14), 1906205
• BARRETT, D. W., OKESOLA, B. O., COSTA, E., THRASIVOULOU, C., BECKER, D. L., MATA, A., DEPREST, J. A., DAVID, A. L. and CHOWDHURY, T. T., 2020. Prenatal Diagnosis.
• YUANHAO WU, BABATUNDE O. OKESOLA, JING XU, IVAN KOROTKIN, ALICE BERARDO, ILARIA CORRIDORI, FRANCESCO LUIGI PELLEREJ DI BROCCHETTI, JANOS KANCZLER, JINGYU FENG, WEIQI LI, YEJIAO SHI, VLADIMIR FARAFONOV, YIQIANG WANG, REBECCA F. THOMPSON, MARIA-MAGDALENA TITIRICI, DMITRY NERUKH, SERGEY KARABASOV, RICHARD O. C. OREFFO, JOSE CARLOS RODRIGUEZ-CABELLO, GIOVANNI VOZZI, HELENA S. AZEVEDO, NICOLA M. PUGNO, WEN WANG and ALVARO MATA, 2020. Nature Communications. 11, 1182
• BABATUNDE O. OKESOLA, HANG K. LAU, BURAK DERKUS, DELALI K. BOCCORH, YUANHAO WU, ALASTAIR W. WARK, KRISTI L. KIICK and ALVARO MATA, 2020. Biomaterials Science. 8, 846-857
• OKESOLA BO, WU Y, DERKUS B, GANI S, WU D, KNANI D, SMITH DK, ADAMS DJ and MATA A, 2019. Chemistry of materials : a publication of the American Chemical Society. 31(19), 7883-7897
• BABATUNDE O. OKESOLA and ALVARO MATA, 2018. Chemical Society Reviews. 47, 3721-3736
• BABATUNDE O. OKESOLA and DAVID K. SMITH, 2016. Chemical Society Reviews. 45, 4226-4251
• BABATUNDE O. OKESOLA, SINDHU K. SURAVARAM, ALISON PARKIN and DAVID K. SMITH, 2016. Angewandte Chemie International Edition. 255, 183–187
• BABATUNDE O. OKESOLA, VÂNIA M. P. VIEIRA, DANIEL J. CORNWELL, NICOLE K. WHITELAW and DAVID K. SMITH, 2015. Soft Matter. 11, 4768-4787
• EDWARD J. HOWE, BABATUNDE O. OKESOLA and DAVID K. SMITH, 2015. Chemical Communications. 51, 7451-7454
• DANIEL J. CORNWELL, BABATUNDE O. OKESOLA and DAVID K. SMITH, 2014. Angewandte Chemie International Edition. 53, 12461 –12465
• BABATUNDE O. OKESOLA and DAVID K. SMITH, 2013. Chemical Communications. 49, 11164-11166
• DANIEL J. CORNWELL, BABATUNDE O. OKESOLA and DAVID K. SMITH, 2013. Soft Matter. 9, 8730-8736
• GUNGOR, NURIYE NAZET, KURT, TUGCE, SARI, BUSE, ISIK, MELIS, OKESOLA, BABATUNDE O., ARSLAN, YAVUZ EMRE and DERKUS, BURAK, Advanced Healthcare Materials. n/a(n/a), e01733