Specialty: Dental pulp mesenchymal stem cells (DPSCs), biomaterials & scaffolds, and craniofacial tissue engineering
Dr. Rodríguez Navarrete is a dental surgeon and biomedical researcher whose work focuses on tissue engineering, DPSC-based regenerative approaches, and biomaterial scaffolds (e.g., PCL/PLGA, chitosan, carbon nanostructures) for bone and craniofacial repair. Her contributions include in-vitro evaluation of osteo/angiogenic behavior, scaffold surface functionalization (including plasma treatments), and compatibility testing of cell–material interfaces to advance translational dental and maxillofacial applications.
She serves as an Adjunct Professor (Profesor de Asignatura) in the DDS program at FES Iztacala, UNAM (since 2019), teaching and mentoring in areas related to cellular biology, biomaterials, and regenerative dentistry. In 2022 she completed a research stay at CICY (Yucatán) focused on the fabrication and characterization of an osteoinductive scaffold.
Areas of Expertise
- Dental pulp mesenchymal stem cells: isolation, culture, differentiation (bone/periodontal)
- Biomaterials & scaffolds for bone/craniofacial regeneration (PCL/PLGA, chitosan, CNF/CNT)
- Electrospinning, 3D printing, and plasma-based surface modification
- In-vitro cytotoxicity, viability, and cell–material interface assessment
- Translational strategies in regenerative dentistry
Education
- Ph.D. in Biotechnology (candidate) — ENMyH, Instituto Politécnico Nacional
- M.Sc. in Molecular Biomedicine — ENMyH, Instituto Politécnico Nacional
- DDS (Cirujana Dentista) — FES Iztacala, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
Academic Appointments
- Adjunct Professor, DDS Program — FES Iztacala, UNAM (2019–present)
Research Stays
- CICY (Yucatán, Mexico) — Fabrication and characterization of an osteoinductive scaffold (Apr–Jul 2022)
Highlighted Scientific Publications (normalized to English)
- Assessment of a PCL 3D-Printing–Dental Pulp Stem Cells Triplet for Bone Engineering: An In-Vitro Study. Polymers (2021).
- Tailoring Surface Properties of Carbon Nanofibers via Oxidation and Their Influence on Dental Pulp Stem Cell Viability in PCL/CNF Composites. Polymer Bulletin (2020). DOI: 10.1007/s00289-020-03127-1
- Design, Synthesis, Characterization, and Cytotoxicity of PCL/PLGA Scaffolds Through Plasma Treatment with Pyrrole for Possible Use in Urethral Tissue Engineering. Journal of Biomaterials Applications (2020). DOI: 10.1177/0885328219882638
- Bioactive Sr(II)/Chitosan/Poly(ε-caprolactone) Scaffolds for Craniofacial Tissue Regeneration: In-Vitro and In-Vivo Behavior. Polymers (2018)
Conferences & Outreach (selected)
- International and national forums on tissue engineering and regenerative dentistry (e.g., International Conference on Polymers and Advanced Materials — POLYMAT; Tissue Engineering & Regenerative Medicine Forums, UNAM)
- Organization and academic outreach at FES Iztacala, UNAM (colloquia and symposia)