Annie Shrestha
BDS, MSc, PhD, FRCDC
Annie Shrestha is clinician scientist appointed as an assistant professor in the Faculty of Dentistry, University of Toronto and cross-appointed in the Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology.
She focuses on cutting-edge research to explore novel treatment strategies to improve the healing and treatment outcome in chronic oral infections.
She maintains an independent laboratory with research focus on nano-/biomaterials towards immune-modulation.
She has worked in the field of biophotonics, nano-biomaterials and immune-modulation.
She is actively involved in clinical and research training at the university.
She was recently awarded the prestigious Endodontic Educator Fellowship by the Foundation for Endodontics for her dedication to academics that encompasses research, teaching and patient care.
As a clinician scientist she follows the rule of “Bench to Bedside”. The translation component is critical in her projects and already has commercialized an oral healthcare product Uno GelTM (produced in Ontario).
Research Synopsis
Dr Shrestha’s laboratory focuses on nano-biomaterials towards immune-modulation.
We believe that future of medicine is to harness the potential of one’s own immune system especially in case of immunocompromised individuals.
The lab has ongoing projects that involve immune cells specifically antigen presenting cells to understand the relation between chronic oral infections and immune dysbiosis in metabolic syndrome.
We are exploring a new generation of treatment that utilizes the concept of immunotherapy to achieve predictable healing.
Selected Publications
D. Li, Y. Li, A. Shrestha, S. Wang, Q. Wu, L. Li, C. Guan, C. Wang, T. Fu, W. Liu, Y. Huang, P. Ji, T. Chen. Effects of Programmed Local Delivery from a Hierarchically Graded Titanium Implant on Infection Clearance and Osteogenic Induction in an Infected Bone Defect. Advanced Healthcare Materials 2019 Jun;8(11):e1900002.
T. Ramirez, A. Shrestha, A. Kishen. Inflammatory potential of monospecies biofilm matrix components. International Endodontic Journal 2019;52(7):1020-1027.
A. Kishen, A. Shrestha, A. Nanoparticles for Endodontic Disinfection. Clinical Dental Reviews 2018; 2:11.
A. Kishen, A. Shrestha, A. Del Carpio-Perochena. Validation of Biofilm Assays to Assess Antibiofilm Efficacy in Instrumented Root Canals after Syringe Irrigation and Sonic Agitation. Journal of Endodontics 2018; 44(2):292-298.
A. Shrestha, S. Friedman, C.T. Torneck, A. Kishen. Bioactivity of Photoactivated Functionalized Nanoparticles Assessed in Lipopolysaccharide-contaminated Root Canals In Vivo. Journal of Endodontics 2018; 44(1):104-110.
A. Shrestha, A. Kishen. Antibacterial Nanoparticles in Endodontics: A Review. Journal of Endodontics 2016;42(10):1417-26.
A. Kishen, S. Shrestha, A. Shrestha, C. Cheng, C. Goh. Characterizing the collagen stabilizing effect of crosslinked chitosan nanoparticles against collagenase degradation. Dental Materials 2016;32(8):968-77.
A. Del Carpio-Perochena, A. Kishen, A. Shrestha, C. M. Bramante. Antibacterial Properties Associated with Chitosan Nanoparticle Treatment on Root Dentin and 2 Types of Endodontic Sealers. Journal of Endodontics 2015;41(8):1353-8.
A. Shrestha, M. Cordova, A. Kishen. Photoactivated Polycationic Bioactive Chitosan Nanoparticles Inactivate Bacterial Endotoxins. Journal of Endodontics 2015;41(5):686-91.
A. Shrestha, A. Kishen. Antibiofilm efficacy of photosensitizer-functionalized bioactive nanoparticles on multispecies biofilm. Journal of Endodontics 2014;40(10):1604-10.
A. Shrestha, M. R. Hamblin, A. Kishen. Photoactivated rose bengal functionalized chitosan nanoparticles produce antibacterial/biofilm activity and stabilize dentin-collagen. Nanomedicine 2014;10(3):491-501. (Feature article of the issue).
A. Shrestha, A. Kishen. Antibacterial Efficacy of Photosensitizer Functionalized Biopolymeric Nanoparticles in the Presence of Tissue Inhibitors in Root Canal. Journal of Endodontics 2014;40(4):566-70.
Honours and Awards
Endodontic Educator Fellowship by the Foundation for Endodontics