Formed by researchers dedicated to basic science, the Research Center for Redox Processes in Biomedicine - RIDC Redoxoma has found ways to extend its research beyond the laboratory. As researcher Maurício Baptista points out, the Center’s translational vocation is expressed in constant interaction with society, whether in the training of new professionals, scientific education, or technology transfer. To ensure consistency in this movement, he has been structuring Redoxoma’s innovation ecosystem, supported by cutting-edge infrastructure and strategic partnerships.

“We are a group of researchers who conduct basic science, but some of us also work in partnership with companies. Initially, this movement was tentative, but we began actively seeking partners, and new agreements emerged. Others emerged naturally. The fact is that the volume of investment has changed, and this made me think about what this innovation environment ultimately means: is it something cohesive, with a life of its own, or merely a reflection of the group’s current situation? Today, I believe that there is indeed cohesion, a set of actions that are repeated and propagated within Redoxoma,” states the researcher.

Over the last decade, Redoxoma’s innovation ecosystem has evolved from a model dependent on a single funder, FAPESP (São Paulo Research Foundation), to a diversified platform that combines resources from public agencies and the private sector. This diversification has expanded the results delivered, including specialized training, technical services, and technology transfer.

Since 2020, Redoxoma has experienced significant growth in revenue from companies, currently at around R$500,000 per year, demonstrating industry recognition of the value generated by its research.

The creation of CEPIX Redoxoma at USP (University of São Paulo) and the support obtained from INCT (National Institute of Science and Technology) reinforce the project’s structural and financial sustainability. Thus, Redoxoma fuels a virtuous cycle: industrial challenges inspire new research, while fundamental discoveries accelerate innovation.

For Baptista, this ecosystem is a model for how academic centers can bring science and society closer together, offering global solutions in health, materials, and the environment.

Five Pillars

The ecosystem operates on five main fronts. The first is scientific dissemination, with the dissemination of research through reports, videos, and podcasts. The second is education, which includes training for primary and higher education teachers, extension courses, and participation in programs such as PIBID (Institutional Program of Scholarships for Teacher Initiation) and Pedagogical Residency. The third front is technological and professional training, which trains students at different levels and prepares professionals for for careers beyond academia.

Partnerships with companies are the fourth front. It develops projects in the medical, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, agronomic, and livestock sectors, supported by the Redox Analytical Platform (RAP). Finally, there is the new technologies and knowledge transfer front, responsible for transforming discoveries into innovation: 18 patents have already been filed, two licensed, and four startups have been created (Tridskin, Biolambda, Base-Verde, and Madan).

According to Baptista, thanks to this set of actions, Redoxoma has consolidated a dynamic and sustainable model for translating scientific knowledge into social and economic impact. The ecosystem integrates a multifaceted social engagement strategy, world-class research infrastructure, a translational pipeline for therapies, diagnostics, and environmental tools, as well as strategic industrial partnerships and a diversified financing model.

Infrastructure and Translational Research

Redoxoma boasts a world-class research infrastructure, integrated by multi-user platforms that support everything from basic science to translational innovation. The Redox Analytical Platform (RAP), coordinated by researcher Sayuri Miyamoto, brings together advanced techniques in biochemistry, spectroscopy, microscopy, and omics, serving both center researchers and external partners.

Highlights include high-resolution lipidomics and proteomics, genetic engineering with CRISPR, unique facilities for studying singlet oxygen and photooxidative processes, real-time metabolic flux analysis, vascular physiology, a human tissue biobank, mass spectrometry for environmental studies, electron paramagnetic resonance, and advanced imaging probes.

In addition to its cutting-edge infrastructure, Redoxoma maintais a translational research pipeline that transforms basic discoveries into innovations with potential applications in health, the environment, and technology.

The results are already impressive. Researchers at the center have been developing new drug candidates, such as ferroptosis inhibitors, cutting-edge diagnostic tools, such as singlet oxygen sensors, and applications in areas such as cosmetics and environmental monitoring, with biomarkers for pollution exposure and innovative photoprotection concepts for skin and hair.

Recent advances include the discovery of the antioxidant role of 7-DHC in blocking ferroptosis, research on the toxic effects of aldehydes derived from pollution, studies linking cellular metabolism to neurodegenerative diseases, and the identification of mutations that affect neuronal functions. Also noteworthy are works on the photobiology of skin and hair and the relationship between oxidative stress and cardiovascular disease, as well as inflammatory mechanisms mediated by cellular oxidants.

Strategic Partnerships

“Redoxoma has enormous potential for innovation on several fronts. In the pharmaceutical field, virtually every drug affects the body’s redox balance, often as part of its own mechanism of action. This also connects to the development of antioxidants and anti-inflammatories, with applications ranging from dermatology and dermocosmetics to metabolic and neurodegenerative diseases, where the role of oxidative stress is not yet fully understood,” says Baptista.

In the dermocosmetics and pharmaceutical sectors, the group contributes to the development of the next generation of bioactive ingredients. In collaboration with Natura, for example, Redoxoma researchers participated in the development of an antioxidant complex for a new skin serum.

Similarly, collaborations with Pierre Fabre and Johnson & Johnson are focused on pioneering sunscreen solutions, aiming for effective protection against visible light. With Chemyunion, the focus is on hair science and sun damage assessment, developing new hair protective agents and methods for assessing sun damage and protection. FarmaService is partnering with the group to test the efficacy of its new product formulations, while Symrise is testing a Redoxoma IP-patented sun protection ingredient. In partnership with MedcinVitro, we are developing a novel methodology to precisely assess skin damage and evaluate protection against light exposure.

“This way, we’re able to cover three fundamental stages of the process: raw material production, product formulation, and efficacy assessment, which demonstrates the breadth and relevance of our partnerships,” says Baptista. For him, this is a clear example of how fundamental research generates valuable intellectual property with significant commercial potential.

A key project in the group’s hair research portfolio is being developed with Croda. The group applies its expertise in lipid oxidation to develop advanced antioxidant hair care formulations. The partnership with Retrotope Inc. explores a frontier in preventive dermatology: the use of deuterated lipid compounds for skin protection. This strategy offers a novel mechanism for inhibiting the lipid peroxidation chain reaction, paving the way for a new class of ultra-stable protective ingredients that reinforce the skin’s natural defenses.

In the therapeutic field, Redoxoma also operates on high-impact fronts. ForeSee Pharmaceuticals is a partner in a funded project to discover oxidation biomarkers for neurodegenerative diseases. Another example is the collaboration with Ondine Biosciences, which is advancing multicenter clinical trials of antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) for the treatment of diabetic foot, with the ultimate goal of preventing amputations.

Challenges

The challenges, however, are many. As Baptista points out, “scientists must fight every day to keep their research alive: secure physical space, seek resources, train students, repair equipment, write articles, teach classes.” This routine consumes almost all available time, leaving little room for interaction with companies. “I often have to make up some extra time to cope with all University duties and the challenges of working with the companies” he summarizes.

On the business side, the reality is also challenging. The Brazilian business environment is unstable and unequal. While some entrepreneurs run global corporations, others struggle to make ends meet. “The entrepreneur here is a survivor,” Baptista explains. In large companies, excessive bureaucracy and compliance regulations slow decisions and hinder partnerships; in smaller companies, proximity to the owner facilitates, but resources are scarce. In both cases, establishing collaborations requires clarity of objectives and persistence.

Despite the difficulties, Baptista believes that it is through this joint effort that innovations with the greatest social and economic impact emerge.