Stefan Habelitz, PhD
Professor
Preventive & Restor Dent Sci
School of Dentistry

Dr. Habelitz is a Professor in the Department of Preventive and Restorative Dental Sciences at the University of California, San Francisco, with a background in chemistry and materials engineering. For over 25 years, he has investigated the structure-properties relationships in teeth and other mineralized tissues, publishing over 85 papers.

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His research centers on understanding the molecular and nanometer-scale mechanisms that control biomineralization in dental tissues, with a focus on the physical-chemical and biochemical parameters that influence protein self-assembly and protein-mineral interactions in dentin and enamel. He has successfully applied the Polymer-Induced Liquid Precursor (PILP) technique to collagen and dentin matrix mineralization and discovered that the enamel protein amelogenin can guide mineral formation when exposed to PILP droplets. He has continuously been funded by the NIH/NIDCR since 2002, securing numerous research grants on biomineralization and the biomechanics of enamel, dentin, and the dentin-enamel junction. In collaboration with other at the SOD, he is running clinical trial to translate the PILP technology into the dental clinic.

Awards

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• R01-DE25709 Amyloids in Enamel Development, NIH/NIDCR, 2016-2021
• R21-DE023422 A New Concept of Amelogenin-Guided Mineralization in Enamel, NIH/NIDCR, 2013-2015
• RO1-DE16849 Dentin Structure, Demineralization and Remineralization, NIH/NIDCR, 2012-2017
• R21DE022634 Mimicking the Dentin-Pulp Complex In-Vitro, NIH/NIDCR, 2012-2014
• RO1 DE 015821 Amelogenin degradation by MMP-20 in enamel (PI Wu Li), NIH/NIDCR, 2010-2015

Education & Training

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• Postdoctoral Studies School of Dentistry University of California, San Francisco 2001
• PhD Chemistry Friedrich Schiller University - Jena Germany 1998
• Master and Bachelor of Science Materials Engineering Friedrich-Alexander University, Erlangen-Nurnberg 1994

Interests

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• biomineralization
• tooth development
• dentin
• tissue engineering
• enamel matrix
• self-assembly
• polymer membranes
• collagen
• odontoblasts
• enamel
• patterning
• amelogenin
• apatite

Websites

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• SlideShare (slideshare.net)
• Profile at cmb.ucsf.edu (cmb.ucsf.edu)

Grants and Projects

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• Amelogenin nanoribbons in enamel development and engineering, NIH/NIDCR, 2022-2027
• Remineralization carious lesions in dentin using the PILP-approach, NIH, 2019-2021
• Amyloids in Enamel Development, NIH, 2016-2021
• Dentin Structure, Demineralization and Remineralization, NIH, 2005-2018
• A New Concept of Amelogenin-guided Mineralization in Enamel, NIH, 2013-2016
• Mimicking the Dentin-Pulp Complex In-Vitro, NIH, 2012-2015
• Recombinant Amelogenin Matrices for Apatite Nanofibers, NIH, 2007-2012
• Biomimetic Synthesis of an Enamel-Like Material, NIH, 2003-2006

Publications (74)

Top publication keywords:
Dental Enamel ProteinsDental EnamelAmelogeninAmeloblastsDental CariesTooth RemineralizationCalcium PhosphatesAmelogenesisMicroscopy, Atomic ForceApatitesNanotubes, CarbonDentinTooth DemineralizationMatrix Metalloproteinase 20Nanospheres

• Protein nanoribbons template enamel mineralization.
  Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 2020 Bai Y, Yu Z, Ackerman L, Zhang Y, Bonde J, Li W, Cheng Y, Habelitz S
• Integrating the PILP-mineralization process into a restorative dental treatment.
  Dental materials : official publication of the Academy of Dental Materials 2018 Bacino M, Girn V, Nurrohman H, Saeki K, Marshall SJ, Gower L, Saeed E, Stewart R, Le T, Marshall GW, Habelitz S
• The role of protease inhibitors on the remineralization of demineralized dentin using the PILP method.
  PloS one 2017 Nurrohman H, Carneiro KMM, Hellgeth J, Saeki K, Marshall SJ, Marshall GW, Habelitz S
• DENTAL ENAMEL FORMATION AND IMPLICATIONS FOR ORAL HEALTH AND DISEASE.
  Physiological reviews 2017 Lacruz RS, Habelitz S, Wright JT, Paine ML
• Amyloid-like ribbons of amelogenins in enamel mineralization.
  Scientific reports 2016 Carneiro KM, Zhai H, Zhu L, Horst JA, Sitlin M, Nguyen M, Wagner M, Simpliciano C, Milder M, Chen CL, Ashby P, Bonde J, Li W, Habelitz S
• Materials engineering by ameloblasts.
  Journal of dental research 2015 Habelitz S
• Functional remineralization of dentin lesions using polymer-induced liquid-precursor process.
  PloS one 2012 Burwell AK, Thula-Mata T, Gower LB, Habelitz S, Habeliz S, Kurylo M, Ho SP, Chien YC, Cheng J, Cheng NF, Gansky SA, Marshall SJ, Marshall GW

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• Calcium phosphate nanoclusters modify periodontium remodeling and minimize orthodontic relapse.
  Biomaterials 2024 Cuylear DL, Fu ML, Chau JC, Bulkley D, Kharbikar B, Kazakia GJ, Jheon AH, Habelitz S, Kapila SD, Desai TA
• Calcium phosphate nanoclusters modify periodontium remodeling and minimize orthodontic relapse.
  bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology 2024 Cuylear DL, Fu ML, Chau JC, Kharbikar B, Kazakia GJ, Jheon A, Habelitz S, Kapila SD, Desai TA
• Poly(Aspartic Acid) Promotes Odontoblast-like Cell Differentiation in Rat Molars with Exposed Pulp.
  Journal of functional biomaterials 2023 Dos Santos FFV, Habelitz S, Nascimento FD, Arana-Chavez VE, Braga RR
• Electromechanical Coupling in Collagen Measured under Increasing Relative Humidity.
  Materials (Basel, Switzerland) 2023 Bazaid A, Zhang F, Zhang Q, Neumayer S, Denning D, Habelitz S, Marina Ferreira A, Rodriguez BJ
• Biomimetic Mineral Synthesis by Nanopatterned Supramolecular-Block Copolymer Templates.
  Nano letters 2023 Akkineni S, Doerk GS, Shi C, Jin B, Zhang S, Habelitz S, De Yoreo JJ
• Corrigendum: Calcium interactions in amelogenin-derived peptide assembly.
  Frontiers in physiology 2023 Zhang J, Bai Y, Wang J, Li B, Habelitz S, Lu JX
• Calcium interactions in amelogenin-derived peptide assembly.
  Frontiers in physiology 2022 Zhang J, Bai Y, Wang J, Li B, Habelitz S, Lu JX
• Amyloid-like amelogenin nanoribbons template mineralization via a low-energy interface of ion binding sites.
  Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 2022 Akkineni S, Zhu C, Chen J, Song M, Hoff SE, Bonde J, Tao J, Heinz H, Habelitz S, De Yoreo JJ
• A Brief History of the Discovery of Amelogenin Nanoribbons In Vitro and In Vivo.
  Journal of dental research 2021 Bai Y, Bonde J, Carneiro KMM, Zhang Y, Li W, Habelitz S
• A N-Terminus Domain Determines Amelogenin's Stability to Guide the Development of Mouse Enamel Matrix.
  Journal of bone and mineral research : the official journal of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research 2021 Huang Y, Bai Y, Chang C, Bacino M, Cheng IC, Li L, Habelitz S, Li W, Zhang Y
• Mechanisms of Enamel Mineralization Guided by Amelogenin Nanoribbons.
  Journal of dental research 2021 Habelitz S, Bai Y
• Polymer-Induced Liquid Precursor (PILP) remineralization of artificial and natural dentin carious lesions evaluated by nanoindentation and microcomputed tomography.
  Journal of dentistry 2021 Babaie E, Bacino M, White J, Nurrohman H, Marshall GW, Saeki K, Habelitz S
• Enhanced silver diamine fluoride therapy using the PILP method -A nanoindentation study.
  Dental materials journal 2020 Nurrohman H, Habelitz S, Saeki K, Sadr A, Gower LB, Pazdernik V, Tagami J, Marshall SJ, Marshall GW
• Shear Bond Strength of Glass Ionomer Cement to Silver Diamine Fluoride-Treated Artificial Dentinal Caries.
  Pediatric dentistry 2020 Ng E, Saini S, Schulze KA, Horst J, Le T, Habelitz S
• SATB1 establishes ameloblast cell polarity and regulates directional amelogenin secretion for enamel formation.
  BMC biology 2019 Zhang Y, Zheng L, Le M, Nakano Y, Chan B, Huang Y, Torbaty PM, Kohwi Y, Marcucio R, Habelitz S, Den Besten PK, Kohwi-Shigematsu T
• Remineralization of demineralized dentin using a dual analog system.
  Orthodontics & craniofacial research 2019 Saxena N, Habelitz S, Marshall GW, Gower LB
• Progression of Self-Assembly of Amelogenin Protein Supramolecular Structures in Simulated Enamel Fluid.
  Biomacromolecules 2018 Engelberth SA, Bacino MS, Sandhu S, Li W, Bonde J, Habelitz S
• Influence of fluoride on the mineralization of collagen via the polymer-induced liquid-precursor (PILP) process.
  Dental materials : official publication of the Academy of Dental Materials 2018 Saxena N, Cremer MA, Dolling ES, Nurrohman H, Habelitz S, Marshall GW, Gower LB
• Recovery after PILP remineralization of dentin lesions created with two cariogenic acids.
  Archives of oral biology 2017 Saeki K, Chien YC, Nonomura G, Chin AF, Habelitz S, Gower LB, Marshall SJ, Marshall GW
• Piezoelectric Tensor of Collagen Fibrils Determined at the Nanoscale.
  ACS biomaterials science & engineering 2017 Denning D, Kilpatrick JI, Fukada E, Zhang N, Habelitz S, Fertala A, Gilchrist MD, Zhang Y, Tofail SAM, Rodriguez BJ
• Repair of dentin defects from DSPP knockout mice by PILP mineralization
  J. Mater. Res. 2016 Nurrohman, Hamid; Saeki, Kunkio; Carneiro, Karina M. M.; Chien Y.C., Djomehri, Sabra; Ho, Sunita P.; Qin, Chunlin; Marshall, Sally J.; Marshall, Grayson W. and Habelitz, Stefan.
• Repair of dentin defects from DSPP knockout mice by PILP mineralization.
  Journal of materials research 2016 Nurrohman H, Saeki K, Carneiro K, Chien YC, Djomehri S, Ho SP, Qin C, Marshall SJ, Gower LB, Marshall GW, Habelitz S
• Distinct decalcification process of dentin by different cariogenic organic acids: Kinetics, ultrastructure and mechanical properties.
  Archives of oral biology 2015 Chien YC, Burwell AK, Saeki K, Fernandez-Martinez A, Pugach MK, Nonomura G, Habelitz S, Ho SP, Rapozo-Hilo M, Featherstone JD, Marshall SJ, Marshall GW
• Matching 4.7-Å XRD spacing in amelogenin nanoribbons and enamel matrix.
  Journal of dental research 2014 Sanii B, Martinez-Avila O, Simpliciano C, Zuckermann RN, Habelitz S
• Piezoelectric properties of aligned collagen membranes.
  Journal of biomedical materials research. Part B, Applied biomaterials 2013 Denning D, Paukshto MV, Habelitz S, Rodriguez BJ
• The proteolytic processing of amelogenin by enamel matrix metalloproteinase (MMP-20) is controlled by mineral ions.
  Biochimica et biophysica acta 2013 Khan F, Liu H, Reyes A, Witkowska HE, Martinez-Avila O, Zhu L, Li W, Habelitz S
• Self-assembly of filamentous amelogenin requires calcium and phosphate: from dimers via nanoribbons to fibrils.
  Biomacromolecules 2012 Martinez-Avila O, Wu S, Kim SJ, Cheng Y, Khan F, Samudrala R, Sali A, Horst JA, Habelitz S
• Visualizing molecular polar order in tissues via electromechanical coupling.
  Journal of structural biology 2012 Denning D, Alilat S, Habelitz S, Fertala A, Rodriguez BJ
• Electromechanical properties of dried tendon and isoelectrically focused collagen hydrogels.
  Acta biomaterialia 2012 Denning D, Abu-Rub MT, Zeugolis DI, Habelitz S, Pandit A, Fertala A, Rodriguez BJ
• Biophysical characterization of synthetic amelogenin C-terminal peptides.
  European journal of oral sciences 2012 Khan F, Li W, Habelitz S
• Self-assembly of amelogenin proteins at the water-oil interface.
  European journal of oral sciences 2011 Martinez-Avila OM, Wu S, Cheng Y, Lee R, Khan F, Habelitz S
• Hydrolysis of amelogenin by matrix metalloprotease-20 accelerates mineralization in vitro.
  Archives of oral biology 2011 Uskokovic V, Khan F, Liu H, Witkowska HE, Zhu L, Li W, Habelitz S
• Biomimetic Precipitation of Uniaxially Grown Calcium Phosphate Crystals from Full-Length Human Amelogenin Sols.
  Journal of bionic engineering 2011 Uskokovic V, Li W, Habelitz S
• Altered self-assembly and apatite binding of amelogenin induced by N-terminal proline mutation.
  Archives of oral biology 2011 Zhu L, Uskokovic V, Le T, Denbesten P, Huang Y, Habelitz S, Li W
• Mechanical recovery of dentin following remineralization in vitro--an indentation study.
  Journal of biomechanics 2011 Bertassoni LE, Habelitz S, Marshall SJ, Marshall GW
• Dynamic light scattering and zeta potential of colloidal mixtures of amelogenin and hydroxyapatite in calcium and phosphate rich ionic milieus.
  Archives of oral biology 2010 Uskokovic V, Odsinada R, Djordjevic S, Habelitz S
• Amelogenin as a Promoter of Nucleation and Crystal Growth of Apatite.
  Journal of crystal growth 2010 Uskokovic V, Li W, Habelitz S
• Self-aligning amelogenin nanoribbons in oil-water system.
  Journal of structural biology 2010 He X, Wu S, Martinez-Avila O, Cheng Y, Habelitz S
• Evaluation of surface structural and mechanical changes following remineralization of dentin.
  Scanning 2010 Bertassoni LE, Habelitz S, Pugach M, Soares PC, Marshall SJ, Marshall GW
• Crack arrest within teeth at the dentinoenamel junction caused by elastic modulus mismatch.
  Biomaterials 2010 Bechtle S, Fett T, Rizzi G, Habelitz S, Klocke A, Schneider GA
• Mixed-mode stress intensity factors for kink cracks with finite kink length loaded in tension and bending: application to dentin and enamel.
  Journal of the mechanical behavior of biomedical materials 2010 Bechtle S, Fett T, Rizzi G, Habelitz S, Schneider GA
• Zeta-potential and particle size analysis of human amelogenins.
  Journal of dental research 2009 Uskokovic V, Castiglione Z, Cubas P, Zhu L, Li W, Habelitz S
• The fracture behaviour of dental enamel.
  Biomaterials 2009 Bechtle S, Habelitz S, Klocke A, Fett T, Schneider GA
• Intermittent contact mode piezoresponse force microscopy in a liquid environment.
  Nanotechnology 2009 Rodriguez BJ, Jesse S, Habelitz S, Proksch R, Kalinin SV
• Biomechanical perspective on the remineralization of dentin.
  Caries research 2009 Bertassoni LE, Habelitz S, Kinney JH, Marshall SJ, Marshall GW
• Enzymatic Processing of Amelogenin during Continuous Crystallization of Apatite.
  Journal of materials research 2008 Uskokovic V, Kim MK, Li W, Habelitz S
• The cooperative self-assembly of 25 and 23kDa amelogenins.
  Journal of structural biology 2008 He X, Li W, Habelitz S
• Mechanical properties of mineralized collagen fibrils as influenced by demineralization.
  Journal of structural biology 2008 Balooch M, Habelitz S, Kinney JH, Marshall SJ, Marshall GW
• Peritubular dentin lacks piezoelectricity.
  Journal of dental research 2007 Habelitz S, Rodriguez BJ, Marshall SJ, Marshall GW, Kalinin SV, Gruverman A
• Elevated TGF-beta2 signaling in dentin results in sex related enamel defects.
  Archives of oral biology 2007 Saeki K, Hilton JF, Alliston T, Habelitz S, Marshall SJ, Marshall GW, Denbesten P
• On the increasing fragility of human teeth with age: a deep-UV resonance Raman study.
  Journal of bone and mineral research : the official journal of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research 2006 Ager JW, Nalla RK, Balooch G, Kim G, Pugach M, Habelitz S, Marshall GW, Kinney JH, Ritchie RO
• High-resolution imaging of proteins in human teeth by scanning probe microscopy.
  Biochemical and biophysical research communications 2006 Gruverman A, Wu D, Rodriguez BJ, Kalinin SV, Habelitz S
• Effect of degradation rates of resorbable phosphate invert glasses on in vitro osteoblast proliferation.
  Journal of biomedical materials research. Part A 2006 Brauer DS, Rüssel C, Li W, Habelitz S
• Self-assembly and effect on crystal growth of the leucine-rich amelogenin peptide.
  European journal of oral sciences 2006 Habelitz S, DenBesten PK, Marshall SJ, Marshall GW, Li W
• Glucocorticoid-treated mice have localized changes in trabecular bone material properties and osteocyte lacunar size that are not observed in placebo-treated or estrogen-deficient mice.
  Journal of bone and mineral research : the official journal of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research 2005 Lane NE, Yao W, Balooch M, Nalla RK, Balooch G, Habelitz S, Kinney JH, Bonewald LF
• Amelogenin control over apatite crystal growth is affected by the pH and degree of ionic saturation.
  Orthodontics & craniofacial research 2005 Habelitz S, Denbesten PK, Marshall SJ, Marshall GW, Li W
• Genome-wide transcription profiling of the early phase of biofilm formation by Candida albicans.
  Eukaryotic cell 2005 Murillo LA, Newport G, Lan CY, Habelitz S, Dungan J, Agabian NM
• MEPE is downregulated as dental pulp stem cells differentiate.
  Archives of oral biology 2005 Liu H, Li W, Shi S, Habelitz S, Gao C, Denbesten P
• Amelogenin-guided crystal growth on fluoroapatite glass-ceramics.
  Journal of dental research 2004 Habelitz S, Kullar A, Marshall SJ, DenBesten PK, Balooch M, Marshall GW, Li W
• The effect of a self-etching primer on the continuous demineralization of dentin.
  European journal of oral sciences 2004 Oliveira SS, Marshall SJ, Habelitz S, Gansky SA, Wilson RS, Marshall GW
• The importance of intrafibrillar mineralization of collagen on the mechanical properties of dentin.
  Journal of dental research 2003 Kinney JH, Habelitz S, Marshall SJ, Marshall GW
• Dentin caries activity status related to hardness and elasticity.
  European journal of oral sciences 2003 Zheng L, Hilton JF, Habelitz S, Marshall SJ, Marshall GW
• Nanoindentation and storage of teeth.
  Journal of biomechanics 2002 Habelitz S, Marshall GW, Balooch M, Marshall SJ
• In situ atomic force microscopy of partially demineralized human dentin collagen fibrils.
  Journal of structural biology 2002 Habelitz S, Balooch M, Marshall SJ, Balooch G, Marshall GW
• The functional width of the dentino-enamel junction determined by AFM-based nanoscratching.
  Journal of structural biology 2001 Habelitz S, Marshall SJ, Marshall GW, Balooch M
• Nanomechanical properties of hydrated carious human dentin.
  Journal of dental research 2001 Marshall GW, Habelitz S, Gallagher R, Balooch M, Balooch G, Marshall SJ
• Mechanical properties of human dental enamel on the nanometre scale.
  Archives of oral biology 2001 Habelitz S, Marshall SJ, Marshall GW, Balooch M