Nanotherapeutics and Nanotheranostics for personalised medicine: I am interested in developing and understanding the properties of nano/bio-materials and engineering the surface chemistry for various biomedical applications. The primary focus is on engineering polymeric and or metallic/metal oxide nanoparticles, and composites for cancer targeting, drug/molecular delivery, tissue engineering, bone regeneration, diagnostics and dental applications. 

Year 2025

1. Multi-functional mixed metal mesoporous nanostructures improve physical, mechanical, and biological response of dental formulations, 2025 (under preparation, IF-), DOI: under preparation).
2. Metal-based mesoporous silicate nanostructures, 2025 (under preparation, IF-), DOI: under preparation).
3. P32 assisted investigation of inorganic phosphate flow/transfer from tooth to PolyP, Dhiraj Kumar, Robert S Jones, 2025 (under preparation, IF-), DOI: under preparation).
4. Oxymetazoline-based and Phenylephrine-based Nasal Solution biocompatibility and application for Dental Surfaces toward Rothia dentocariosa, Robert S Jones, Roman Garcia, Isha Mutreja, Dhiraj Kumar, 2025 (Journal, IF-), DOI: under preparation).
5. Physical and Biologic Properties of Calcium Silicate Endodontic Sealers, Michael A. Pham, Kim Mansky, William Craig Noblett, Dhiraj Kumar, Ronald Ordinola-Zapata, 2025 (Clinical Oral Investigations, IF-), DOI: under review).
6. Engineered gold nanoparticles as promising contrast agent for biomedical imaging modalities, Yusuf Olatunji, Nabil Maalej, Ahsan Ul Haq Qurashi, Aamir Younis Raja, Dhiraj Kumar, 2025 (RSC Biomat. Sci., IF-), DOI: under review).
7. The use of Oxymetazoline-based Nasal Solutions to remove Bacteria-Blood Debris and Eradicate Rothia dentocariosa: an ex vivo cavity model study, Dhiraj Kumar*, Morgan Pride, Kaushik Mukherjee, Gaurav Jain, Isha Mutreja, Robert S Jones*, 2025 (BMC Oral Health, IF-), DOI: accepted).
8. An Oxymetazoline-based Nasal Solution Removes Bacteria-Blood Debris on Dental Surfaces and Has Antimicrobial Activity toward Streptococcus mutans, Robert S Jones, Morgan Pride, Dhiraj Kumar, 2025 (International Journal of Molecular Sciences, IF-), DOI: 10.3390/ijms26031242).

Year 2024

1. Fluoride and gallein regulate polyphosphate accumulation in dental-caries-associated Lacticaseibacillus, Subhrangshu Mandal; Beverly E. Flood; Mark Lunzer; Dhiraj Kumar; Jake Bailey, 2024 (Microbiology, IF-), DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.001519).
2. Development of smart metallic orthopedic and dental implants based on biomimetic design, Rupak Dua, Jagasivamani Vadivel, Indu Khurana, Eaman T. Karim, Isha Mutreja, Dhiraj Kumar, and Mamilla Ravi Shankar, 2024 (Journal of Materials Science Materials in Medicine, IF-3.7), DOI: 10.1007/s10856-024-06794-y).

Year 2023

1. Biodegradable Polymers, Mudigunda V Sushma, Aditya kadam, Dhiraj Kumar, Isha Mutreja, 2023 (Book Chapter, DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-36135-7_2).
2. High atomic number nanoparticles to enhance spectral CT imaging aspects, Isha Mutreja, Nabil Maalej, Aamir Raja*, Dhiraj Kumar*, 2023 (Materials Advances RSC, IF-5.0), DOI: 10.1039/d3ma00231d).
3. MARS for molecular imaging and preclinical studies, Mahdieh Moghiseh, Jennifer A Clark, Maya R Amma, Krishna M Chapagain, Devyani Dixit, Chiara Lowe, Aysouda Matanaghi, Emily Searle, Yann Sayous, Dhiraj Kumar, Anthony P H Butler, and MARS Collaboration, 2023 (Springer book chapter), DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-26062-9_4).
4. Lipid nanoparticle-based formulations for high-performance Dentistry Applications, Isha Mutreja^#*, Dhiraj Kumar^#, Ajeet Kaushik and Yogendra Mishra, 2023 (Journal of Materials Chemistry B RSC, IF-7.571), DOI: 10.1039/D3TB00431G).
5. Recent advances in noble metal nanoparticles for cancer nanotheranostics, Dhiraj Kumar*, Isha Mutreja, Ajeet Kaushik*, 2023 (Nanotheranostics MDPI, IF:), DOI: 10.3390/jnt4020008).
6. LHRH conjugated gold nanoparticles assisted efficient ovarian cancer targeting evaluated via spectral photon-counting CT imaging: A proof-of-concept research, Dhiraj Kumar*, Mahdieh Moghiseh*, Kenny Chitcholtan, Chiara Lowe, Isha Mutreja, Ajeet Kaushik, Anthony Butler, Nigel Anderson, Peter Sykes, Aamir Raja, 2023 (Journal of Materials Chemistry B RSC, IF-7.571), DOI: 10.1039/D2TB02416K).
7. Fluoride and Gallein Inhibit Polyphosphate Accumulation by Oral Pathogen Rothia dentocariosa, Dhiraj Kumar, Subhrangshu Mandal, Akbar Khan, Jake V. Bailey, Beverly E. Flood, Robert S. Jones, 2023 (Letters in Applied Microbiology, IF-2.813), DOI: 10.1093/lambio/ovad017).

Year 2022

1. Gelatin methacryloyl hydrogels for musculoskeletal tissue regeneration, Yang-Hee Kim, Jonathan I Dawson, Richard O.C. Oreffo, Yasuhiko Tabata, Dhiraj Kumar, Conrado Aparicio, Isha Mutreja, 2022 (Bioengineering MDPI, IF–5.046), DOI: 3390/bioengineering9070332).
2. Methacrylate Polymers with 'Flipped External' Ester Groups: A Review, Dhiraj Kumar, Robert D Bolskar, Isha Mutreja, and Robert S Jones, 2022 (Frontiers in Dental Medicine, DOI: 10.3389/fdmed.2022.923780).
3. Emerging Nanostructures in Dental Applications, Debarati Ghose* and Dhiraj Kumar*, 2022 (Springer book chapter, DOI: 10.1007/978-981-19-1312-9_8).
4. Strontium- and peptide-modified silicate nanostructures for dual osteogenic and antimicrobial activity, Isha Mutreja, Dhiraj Kumar, Kami Hogan, Emily Campbell, Kim Mansky, Conrado Aparicio, 2022 (Biomaterials Advances (IF–8.457), DOI: 1016/j.bioadv.2022.212735).
5. Utilizing a degradation prediction pathway system to understand how a novel methacrylate derivative polymer with flipped external ester groups retains physico-mechanical properties following esterase exposure, Dhiraj Kumar, Debarati Ghose, Robert D Bolskar, Isha Mutreja, Conrado Aparicio, and Robert S Jones, 2022 (Dental Materials (IF–5.687), DOI: 10.1016/j.dental.2021.12.008).

Year 2021

1. Hybrid nanocoatings of antimicrobial peptides and silver nanoparticles for preservation of implant infections, Zhou Ye, Ting Sang, Kun Li, Nicholas G. Fisher, Isha Mutreja, Constanza Echeverria, Dhiraj Kumar, Zhen Tang, Conrado Aparicio. 2021 (Acta Biomaterialia (IF–8.947), DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2021.12.008).
2. A novel methacrylate derivative polymer that resists bacterial cell-mediated biodegradation, Dhiraj Kumar, Debarati Ghose, Robert D Bolskar, Isha Mutreja, and Robert S Jones. 2021 (Journal of Biomedical Materials Research B (IF–3.42), DOI: 10.1002/jbm.b.34972).
3. A novel dental polymer with a flipped external ester group design that resists degradation via polymer backbone preservation, Dhiraj Kumar, Robert D Bolskar, Sydney Malone, Isha Mutreja, Conrado Aparicio, and Robert S Jones. 2020 (ACS, Biomaterials Science & Engineering (IF–4.152), DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.0c00947).