BMS News
Department of Biomedical Sciences • 3302 Gaston Ave. • Dallas, Texas 75246 • http://bcd.tamhsc.edu/education/bms/index.html
April 2010, Volume 4, Issue 1
MicroCT reconstruction showing a semitransparent calcium carbonate scaffold with internal bone ingrowth in red
MicroCT reconstruction showing internal vascular structure within a semitransparent segment of gorilla alveolar cortical bone
Finite element model of a gracile australopithecine from South Africa (STS5)
(See article pg 6)
Message from the Chair Each year the predictable cycle of courses taught, experiments planned, comDr. Rena D'Souza mitee meetings scheduled and professional meetings attended is interwoven with the unique, innovative and sometimes unpredictable events that occur every year as we strive to meet our goals. This past year was no different in the Department of Biomedical Sciences (BMS): it included a mixture of the familiar structure of teaching, research and service responsibilities and within each of those realms, new innovations and ways of doing things that kept our teaching, research and service activities in step with and in some cases, a step ahead of other biomedical sciences groups. This newsletter reports on such activity in 2009 and early 2010 in the Department of Biomedical Sciences. The big picture tells us that academic dentistry is threatened and at the crossroads. Hence, departments like BMS serving as hubs for biomedical research in dental schools must
assume greater responsibilities. BMS faculty recognize that the new knowledge created through original research provides the framework for clinical applications in dentistry and medicine and that such information is critical for evidence-based decision-making in clinical settings. To transform a fairly traditional curriculum, our faculty have spearheaded many activities by taking knowledge generated from basic, translational and clinical research to the classroom and clinics. We are proud that we are part of this cycle of transformation and pleased that we have engaged students at all levels of development as well as our clinical faculty colleagues. The year was also marked with many achievements in grant funding, as several faculty were successful in obtaining support through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. These awards helped us mentor high school science teachers (see page 9) and dental student researchers (see page 4), enriched our current grant activities and created a new mechanism with the P30 award for us to recruit new faculty with expertise in
bioengineering (see page 10). As technology continues to change our lives on an almost daily basis, its application to the classroom brings new challenges and opportunities. The availability of course material via Camtasia and Blackboard has transformed students' learning experiences, and now the entry of dental education into “Second Life” offers another learning experience through virtual dental Grand Rounds (see page 3). Our goal for each year should be to make what is good even better in all areas of our activity. We succeeded in 2009 in this regard and look forward to the opportunities during 2010 to advance our teaching, research and service contributions to HSC - Baylor College of Dentistry. I am most grateful for the support and mentorship of the Dean, Dr. James Cole - without his help I would have not have grown professionally and personally in this role. I also remain proud to work with a tremendously talented and dedicated group of individuals within and outside BMS.
Who's Who page 2
Inside this issue:
Message from the Chair: p. 1
BMS Personnel: p. 2 Teaching Highlights: p. 3 - 4 Research Highlights: p. 4 - 6 Faculty News: p. 7
Department News: p. 8 -10
Invited Presentations/ Publications: p. 11-12 Leadership: p.13
Leadership/ Grants: p. 14 -15
Professors Rena D’Souza, DDS, PhD, Chair Paul Dechow, PhD, Vice Chair Charles Berry, PhD; Associate Dean, Academic Affairs Larry Bellinger, PhD; Associate Dean, Research and Graduate Studies David S. Carlson, PhD HSC Vice President, Research and Graduate Studies Jerry (Jian) Feng, MD, PhD Robert Hinton, PhD Lynne A. Opperman, PhD, Director of Technology Development Kathy Svoboda, PhD, Graduate Program Director Associate Professors Jay Groppe, PhD Allen Honeyman, PhD Bob Hutchins, PhD Phillip Kramer, PhD Chunlin Qin, DDS, PhD Emet Schneiderman, PhD Avadhesh Sharma, PhD Robert Spears, PhD Fred Williams, PhD Brendan Wong, PhD
Assistant Professors M. Douglas Benson, PhD Yongbo (Bob) Lu, MD, PhD Gabriele Mues, MD, PhD Jayne Reuben, PhD L-Bruno Ruest, PhD
Professors, Adjunct William T. Butler, PhD Edward E. Ellis, DDS Richard Finnell, PhD Eric N. Olson, PhD Kenneth E. Salyer, MD Gottfried Schmalz, DDS, PhD
Contacting the Department: p. 15
Associate Professors, Adjunct Laura Mitchell, PhD Joseph Newman, PhD Fen Wang, PhD
News Notes: p. 16
Assistant Professors, Adjunct Mohammed El-Salanty, MD, PhD Paul Ezzo, PhD David Genecov, MD Richard King, MD, PhD Mikhail Samchukov, MD
Editors: Dr. Emet Schneiderman Jeanne Santa Cruz Layout: Mary Noon
Professors Emeritus Patricia Blanton, DDS Roy Dorris, PhD Loy Frazier, PhD Tommy W. Gage, PhD James McIntosh, PhD Edward G. Miller, Jr., PhD Alan N. Taylor, PhD Martin Wagner, PhD Thomas E. Winford, PhD
Office Staff Marge Palma Nancy Anthony Joyce Hahn Jeanne Santa Cruz
Laboratory Staff Emily Beal Adriana Cavender Padmalaya Das Claudia Fernandez Tian Gao Katrina Grape Nathan Hoff Connie Kim Shannon Kramer Jan La Yucheng Li Kun Lv Linda Roberts Kevin Spain Leslie Smith Jo Taylor Connie Tillberg Vanessa Winger Jingfeng Wu Lilin Xiang Yixia (Anita) Xie Susan Yassin
Postdoctoral Research Associates Zheng Guo Cao, PhD Symone San Miguel, PhD Maria Serrano, DDS Yao Sun, DDS, PhD Ying Wang, DDS, PhD Xiaofang Wang, PhD Rong (Shelly) Zhang, PhD Yanping Zhang, MD Qinglin Zhu, PhD Graduate Students John Bonds Julia Chang Mani Chopra Roberto Carillo Leticia Ferreira Hageer Glessa Lakshmi Gorugantula Elias Kontogiorgos Veera Malavia Mohammed Mansour Matt McBride Hoa Nguyen Afsaneh Rangiani Joe Rawlins Sammer Razaq Monica Prasad Pavi Pugalagiri Jyoti Puri Cara Smith Shankar Venugopalan Anika Voisey Albert Yamoah Wenli Yu Uriel Zapata
Dental Student Research Trainees Lola Atobajeun Wade Barker Mitra Boulouri Meredith Brownlee Roddy Castells Paul Dyer Caytlyn Foy Corbin Gatlin Brianda Hernandez Sarah Kamali Ida Khobahy Greg Knutsen Jennifer Lee Karen Liang Jamie Martinez Ambily Mathews Niyati Mehta Megan Miller Allen Mortimer Richland Mosely Eddie Palos Jesse Parsons Manshi Patel Andrew Philley Howard Price Paige Priour Drew Vanderbrook Sara Vaughn Amatey Wensel Jamie Wong
Teaching Teaching Highlights Highlights
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Virtual Dental Grand Rounds Dr. Bob Hutchins, Associate Professor in Biomedical Sciences, and Dr. Bill Wathen, Associate Professor in General Dentistry, are setting sail into uncharted virtual waters. They have teamed up with faculty at the University of Kentucky College of Dentistry to create a learning experience that no other dental school in the world has done: they are planning virtual dental grand rounds that third- and fourth-year students at multiple dental schools can tap into to learn about real-life dental scenarios using online technologies. The overall objective of this exercise is to support integrated basic and clinical information in a discussion of patient treatment needs. Using an online 3D virtual world called "Second Life (SL)", Dr. Hutchins and colleagues have begun to develop a grand rounds dental experience. They envision inviting clinicians in various specialties to present important, evidence-based issues as the sub-
nications over the Internet.
ject matter of each grand round. Basic science faculty will participate to provide foundational support for the integration of the subject matter. The format to be used will include several short segments modeled after the Burton and Roth grand round format (N Engl J Med 340:1516, 1999). For the pilot grand round, a clinical faculty member at each participating school will coordinate a group of 3-5 students, and an SL expert will oversee the meetings and assist with the guest speakers. The participants will communicate primarily via the computer keyboards; the speakers' presentations will be transmitted using microphones to allow voice commu-
After further work piloting this effort, the virtual grand rounds at Baylor College of Dentistry may evolve into a dental course selective that meets once a month. The ability to bring together colleagues at distant locations and provide an exchange of information would, according to student surveys, provide a unique learning experience not currently available at other dental schools. This use of a "virtual world" has already been adopted at other U.S. dental schools. The use of SL as a training tool for the delivery of educational content is now a part of the curriculum at the dental schools of the University of Maryland and Case Western Reserve University. For example, at the University of Southern California School of Dentistry, students have the opportunity to test their decisionmaking skills with interactive virtual patients. Because of the work of Dr. Hutchins and colleagues, Baylor College of Dentistry will soon join the list of American dental schools making greater use of technology to teach the curriculum. They are looking into the future, and the future looks "virtual."
BMS Faculty Contribute to Evidence-based Dentistry Efforts at BCD Members of BMS and other BCD departments forge ahead to integrate evidence-based dentistry (EBD) into the dental curriculum in a program supported by an NIH R25 grant called "Clinicians Using Science Produce Inspired Dentists" or "CUSPID�. The aims of this initiative, if achieved, will result in a graduating dentist who is better equipped to analyze and filter the massive amount of information to which he/she will be subjected and to decide whether and/or how to incorporate this information into the treatment of patients. Further, these efforts may be able to excite a small subset of DDS students to
enter into academic dentistry and/or clinical research. In keeping with the goal of implementing this evidence-based dentistry curriculum one year at a time, a new two-semester D2 course, Application of Evidence-Based Dentistry I, was introduced in Fall 2009 by the same faculty (Dr. Paul Dechow, Biomedical Sciences, and Dr. Hoda Abdellatif, Public Health Sciences) who direct the D1 EBD course. Several times per semester, each student participates in small group sessions led by these faculty, as well as Dr. Emet Schneiderman, in which they critique clinical research articles on topics selected to mesh with their
D2 pre-clinical coursework. At one session in each semester, each student prepares a Critically Assessed Topic (CAT) report based on a clinical scenario written by BCD clinical faculty and presents this report orally to his/her group and course faculty. An important feature of this course is the pairing of an EBD core faculty member and a clinical faculty member for each small group session. This approach has been very successful in providing a clinical perspective on the evidence presented, especially in the CAT. The faculty involved in this effort are encouraged by the results of a survey called PEAK (conducted by Dr. Ann McCann, BCD Director of Assessment) that assesses practices, continued page 4
continued from page 3
Teaching Teaching Highlights Highlights& Research & Research Highlights Highlights
experience, attitudes, and knowledge about EBD. The survey includes questions designed to document each participant’s habitual information sources, experience in reading and evaluating the dental literature and in research and related activities, attitudes about EBD and interest in clinical/ translational research, and a test of EBD knowledge based on a short research report. When PEAK was administered to D1 (EBDtrained) and D2 (EBD-naïve) students in Spring 2009, the trained D1 students indicated that they were more interested in learning about research careers (p<0.05) and teaching p<0.001) than the untrained D2 students and believed that EBD had changed the way they read clinical articles (p<0.001). In another EBD-related effort, BMS faculty members Dr. Robert Hinton
(contact PI for the R25 grant) and Dr. Robert Spears have taken the first step toward an expansion of the scope of BCD's traditional, basic science-focused Research Day to include topics and activities of interest to clinical faculty and D3-D4 students. The Research and Scholarship Day program held in April 2009 included clinical case presentations by four D3 and four D4 students in addition to the usual basic and translational research presentations. In 2010, they anticipate adding presentations by D2 students on the best of the CATs from Fall 2009. The faculty are optimistic that these changes will be instrumental in increasing the visibility of EBD-based efforts and start the process of greatly expanding the audience for this event to include most BCD students and faculty. Dr. Spears is also developing the Den-
page 4
tal Scholars Track, a four-year enrichment track for three entering D1 students that will provide them with a variety of research and teaching-related experiences characteristic of a dental academician. The three students chosen for 2009-2010 participated in faculty-mentored research projects in Summer 2009, and two of the three submitted AADR student research fellowship applications for 2010. They have also attended BCD seminars featuring speakers on developmental biology of the craniofacial region and craniofacial surgery, preceded by a journal-club discussion of one of the speakers’ articles. In the second year of this program, DS participants will attend a clinical research workshop as well as clinical research-related presentations at UTSouthwestern Medical School while continuing their summer research involvement.
Student Research is Alive and Very Well in BMS! Biomedical Sciences (BMS) becomes very busy during June and July each summer due to the influx of dental student research trainees who sign up to spend time in the lab of one of the BMS faculty members. They get hands-on training and experience in research techniques and protocols and are expected to present the results of their research at the annual meeting of the American Association for Dental Research (AADR) the following spring. The success of the student research program at Baylor College of Dentistry (BCD) is due in large part to the considerable efforts and devotion to the program by Dr. Robert Spears, Associate Professor. He and BCD were recently recognized by the AADR for having the most abstracts submitted to the annual meeting and also for having the most new members. BCD tied with the University of Michigan for these honors. Students at the graduate level perform research as part of their degree programs and also present their research at the International/American Associations for Dental Research
(IADR/AADR) annual meetings, as well as other professional society meetings. At the 2010 American Association for Dental Research meeting, several BCD students won awards for their work.
Anika Voisey
DDS/PhD student Anika Voisey (mentored Dr. Jerry Feng) was awarded 2nd place in the Senior Category, and Dr. Maria Serrano (menPaul Dyer tored by Dr. Kathy Svoboda) was a finalist in the Postdoctoral Category, of the prestigious AADR Hatton Awards competition. For her award, Ms. Voisey will be funded by the AADR to present her results at the IADR meeting in July 2010 in Barcelona, Spain. D2 student Paul Dyer (mentored by Dr. Svoboda) was awarded third place, and D2 student Karen Liang (mentored by Dr. Spears) was a final-
ist, in the Basic Sciences Category of the DENTSPLY/Caulk competition.
Maria Serrano
Two BCD DDS students were each awarded a highly competitive AADR Summer Research Fellowship: John Bonds (mentored by Drs. Rena D’Souza and Gabriele Mues) and Ida Khobahy (mentored by Dr. Spears).
Travel Awards from the AADR Mineralized Tissue Group Karen Liang were awarded to two students: Yao Sun, PhD student mentored by Dr. Chunlin Qin, and Amatey Wensel, D2 student mentored by Dr. Feng. D3 student Niyati Mehta finished her term as Vice-President of the AADR National Student Research Group. At the meeting, D2 student Jennifer Lee became the new Secretary for the organization.
Research Highlights
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Researchers Study the Mechanism of Regenerating Dental Tissues lular therapeutics with inherent The loss of tooth structures to com- lular matrix. Using amino acids as properties to induce the differenbuilding blocks, short peptides can mon diseases like caries and peritiation of a targeted population of be designed to self-assemble into odontal disease and also to traucells residing in surrounding host tisnanofibers, form macroscopic gels ma imposes significant emotional sues. This first step is important, as and entrap living cells. The resulting and financial burdens on patients the development of a therapeumaterials are non-toxic, non-inflamand their families. The placement tic for clinical use can be greatly matory and biodegradable. These of dental fillings and root canal expedited without the use of austudies, which began with peptide treatments are the most frequently tologous stem cells. However, the amphiphile hydrogels whose selfperformed dental treatment methneed to test whether the addition assembly is driven by the attachods that will prevent the loss of the of tooth-derived stem cells to this ment of fatty acids, have recently entire tooth in most cases. Howevbiomimetic material will enhance turned toward multidomain peper, simply replacing living tissues the onset of tissue regeneration is tides (MDPs). MDPs can self-aswith inert materials cannot fully reessential. Therefore, the second semble into nanofibrous hydrogels establish their goal is to evaluate physiological whether dental stem functions. In a cells, serving as reproject fundpositories within this ed by an IADR biomaterial, provide Glaxo-Smiththe signals needed Kline grant for tissue regeneraawarded to Drs. tion that is a true reRena D'Souza generative response at BCD, Jeff mimicking natural Hartgerink of tissue better than the Rice University, response of tissue reand Gottfried Schematic of the multi- domain nanofiber. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Hydrophobic pair alone. Schmalz of the sandwichâ&#x20AC;? in blue, peripheral groups in red. University of Regensburg (Germany), novel, re- based solely on their amino acid The fundamental challenge of this generative treatment options are sequence and do not require a fat- research originates in the need to being sought to maintain the vital- ty acid. These peptides are more develop a new therapeutic caity of the dentin-pulp complex and functional and versatile. The MDPs pable of regenerating the denhave flanking regions that can con- tin-pulp complex through biologithus, the tooth itself. trol the nanofiber length, and bio- cal means. Such an application active peptide sequences can be can be used for regenerating othThese researchers believe that a attached for cell adhesion, binding er oral and dental tissues such as critical need exists to develop bioof growth factors or other bioactive alveolar bone and the periodonlogically based therapeutics promolecules with therapeutic poten- tal complex. The goal of this work is moting new dentin formation and tial. MDP hydrogels thus represent a to generate new and exciting data restoring vitality by stimulating the novel, versatile material that offers that will provide an important entry regrowth of pulp. Such materiexcellent control over nanofiber ar- point into the field of regenerative als can be combined with current chitecture, chemical functionality dental medicine. therapies to better preserve the inand easy application to small artegrity of the dentin-pulp complex. eas such as a tooth cavity due to Advances in tissue engineering, shear-thinning behavior. nanotechnology and stem cell biology have made it possible to design and test such new biomimetic This research program will characterize two novel MDPs with biomematerials. chanical properties to guide the regeneration of the mineralized and The most promising among the soft tissues making up the dentinnew generation of delivery syspulp complex. The aims are twotems are synthetic peptide hydrofold: the first is to generate biomigels that provide a nanostructured metic materials to be used as acelmatrix highly similar to an extracel-
Research Highlights
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International Consortium Studying Early Hominid Feeding Biomechanics Meets at BCD Biomedical Sciences professor, Dr. Paul C. Dechow, hosted an international group of scientists investigating feeding ecology and biomechanics in early hominid evolution at Baylor College of Dentistry from December 2-6, 2009. The project is entitled "Integrative Analysis of Hominid Feeding Biomechanics" and is a collaborative effort among researchers from ten universities and colleges. This work was funded for $2,500,000 by a National Science Foundation Hominid Grant that runs from 2007 through 2012. The consortium is studying how the facial skeletons of human ancestors and some primates adapted to withstand the forces imposed by chewing. The group’s work is facilitated by daily electronic interaction and by an annual progress meeting. This year’s meeting, the second of the project, focused on the integrated investigations of the scientists, including studies of feeding ecology and behavior in wild living primates, laboratory studies of bone and muscle function during feeding in apes and other primates, detailed studies of the material properties and structure of the facial skeletons of living and fossil primates, computer-generated reconstructions of fossil hominid skulls, and the finite element studies of skull deformation and function in fossil hominids and related living anthropoids. In addition to three days of presentations and discussions, the group also toured the facilities at Baylor College of Dentistry and viewed demonstrations of ongoing work involving ultrasonic, mechanical, and MicroCT analyses of primate craniofacial bone, which is uniquely under investigation at BCD. Ms. Leslie Smith, graduate student, demonstrated complex skeletal reconstructions and analysis using MicroCT scanning, and Ms. Amanda Smith, a visiting graduate student
ecine fossil (STS5). By examining the functional and evolutionary relationships between diet, skull form, and biomechanics, the researchers are formulating concepts relevant to dentistry and craniofacial medicine. They are also generating data relevant to conservation efforts by documenting the relationship between ecology and adaptation in certain primates.
Conebeam CT reconstruction of a chimpanzee hemicranium with semitransparent cortical bone and underlying trabecular bone in red
from Dr. David Strait’s laboratory at the University of Albany, demonstrated her experiments involving in vitro loading of a chimpanzee cranium outfitted with a variety of strain gages and force sensors using a universal testing machine. Overall, the research is examining how the skull's shape has evolved in order to adapt to the forces associated with eating different types of food. It focuses on the skulls of the earliest human ancestors, which exhibit a collection of distinctive anatomical features in their jaws, faces, and teeth. These features have long been thought to be adaptations to feeding on very hard or resistant food objects, including nuts and seeds, which may have been critical for survival during periods of scarcity. Last year, the group further developed this thesis in an article published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences about corollaries between the mechanics of cranial structure and hard object feeding of so-called “fall-back foods” during periodic cycles of food scarcity. This article included the first finite element model and detailed mechanical analysis of the cranium of an early hominid, that of the famous South African gracile australopith-
In addition to the scientists from the Texas A&M Health Science Center Baylor College of Dentistry, the other project participants are from the University of Albany, the University of Chicago, George Washington University, Emory University, Mercer University, University of Massachusetts at Amherst, Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences, and The University of Vienna (Austria). The group will hold its third meeting on October 18-24, 2010, at the
Lateral view of an adult female gorilla cranium reconstructed from conebeam CT scans. Internal areas of trabecular bone have been segmented and are visible in red through the cortical bone, which is reconstructed as semitransparent to allow the visualization
University of Vienna, which will take place in conjunction with a meeting of EVAN (European Virtual Anthropology Network) and will include a special symposium and workshop designed to engage European scientists who are interested in the work of the group.
Faculty News
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Svoboda Named Regents Professor by Texas A&M System Board The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents named Dr. Kathy Svoboda of Texas A&M Health Science Center Baylor College of Dentistry as a 2009 Regents Professor.
bryology and craniofacial development. She also dedicates a significant amount of time to mentoring new faculty members and graduate students.
“It is an honor to be recognized by the Board of Regents for mentoring students, postdoctoral fellows and young faculty in addition to my research in developmental cell biology,” said SvoSvoboda, ProfesDr. Kathy Svoboda boda. “This recognition emphasizsor and Graduate Program Director in the Department es the importance of training new of Biomedical Sciences, was hon- researchers to address the critiored at the Board of Regents' De- cal need for the systematic study cember 3 meeting in College Sta- of cellular mechanisms that contion, Texas. In all, 13 A&M System tribute to birth defects and unfaculty members were designat- derscores the importance of oned Regents Professors for 2008-09. going developmental research across the Texas A&M System.” Established in 1996, the Regents Professor Award is bestowed an- Svoboda earned her bachelor’s nually by the Board in recognition degree from the University of Neof awardees’ exemplary contri- braska and her master’s degree in butions to their university or agen- human genetics and a doctorate in cy and to the people of Texas. anatomy from the University of Nebraska Medical Center. She comSvoboda, who joined HSC-BCD in pleted a postdoctoral fellowship 1998, teaches general histology and was an instructor in anatomy and developmental and cell bi- and cell biology at Harvard Medology among other foundation- ical School before joining the Bosal courses for medical and dental ton University School of Medicine, students, as well as graduate-level where she became an associate courses in molecular biology, em- professor in anatomy and neurobiol-
ogy and co-director of the school’s confocal microscopy facility. Svoboda has been continuously funded by the National Institutes of Health and other sources since 1983 and has more than 100 peerreviewed publications. Her current research focus is on understanding how cells communicate with their environment during fetal development. She is especially interested in discovering how to prevent cleft lip and palate. In another project, she is studying how nicotine decreases oral wound healing with the objective of finding treatments that will counteract the effects of smoking or other insults that may increase periodontal disease. An elected officer of the American Association of Anatomists for 12 years, Svoboda served as President from 2005-2007 and was named a Fellow in 2009. “Dr. Svoboda is certainly worthy of the recognition of Regents Professor as evidenced by her hard work and significant contribution to the areas of research and teaching,” said Dr. James S. Cole, HSC-BCD dean. “We are fortunate to have her at Baylor College of Dentistry.”
D'Souza Elected Vice President of AADR, Presidency in 2012 Dr. Rena D'Souza, professor and chair of biomedical sciences, has been elected vice president of the American AssoDr. Rena D'Souza ciation for Dental Research. D'Souza will serve a four-year term on AADR's board of directors, serving as its vice president in 2010-2011, president-
elect in 2011-2012, president in 20122013 and immediate past president in 2013-2014. "I know Dr. D'Souza will be outstanding in this leadership position, as she has been a strong advocate of the organization's goals throughout her career," says Dr. James S. Cole, HSC-BCD dean. D'Souza has served on numerous AADR committees and has been a frequent keynote speaker at AADR annual meetings. From 1999 to 2003, she served on the edito-
rial board of the Journal of Dental Research, the official publication of the International and American Association for Dental Research. In 2005 she was presented the AADR National Student Research Group Mentor Award, a recognition for outstanding faculty advisors. The AADR is a nonprofit organization with more than 4,000 members in the United States. Its goals are to advance research for the improvement of oral health, to help apply research findings in clinical settings, and to support and represent the oral health research community.
Department News
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Building Partnerships Several years ago, the Department of Biomedical Sciences (BMS) became involved in a partnership formed among a group of north Texas institutions including Baylor College of Dentistry (BCD) and the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. An important goal of this NIH-sponsored project, called the "Clinical and Translational Science Award" (CTSA) was to promote the transfer of laboratory discoveries to new therapies that improve human health. Other goals of this affiliation are training and mentoring clinical investigators, designing new informatics tools for clinical research and forming interdisciplinary teams in a variety of research areas. Drs. Paul Dechow and Lynne Opperman have leadership roles in the CTSA and participate in the development of clinical and translational research initiatives. More recently, BMS has been active in the formation of new partnerships near and far from Dallas. In September 2009, a group of BMS faculty members journeyed to Wuhan, China, to share scientific findings and discuss setting up a program between HSC-BCD and Wuhan University, in which PhD students from the Wuhan University College of Life Sciences may be accepted into the BCD Graduate Program to complete the course work and research requirements toward their PhDs. The Dean of the Wuhan University College of Dentistry will recommend students for this program who will apply for admission according to BCD's standard requirements. The faculty supervision and research support for these students will be provided by BCD during the students' course of study. Also, students seeking a degree from Wuhan University may be allowed to complete their research requirement at BCD with the approval of
bioengineering and translational research with a focus on tissue engineering. The Department of Bioengineering at UTA is a center for bioengineering studies in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and will provide opportunities for increased research collaborations not only with the new faculty, but also with the present BMS faculty.
Dr. Phillip Kramer speaks to a group at Wuhan University.
a BCD faculty mentor. In addition, each institution will promote the exchange of faculty as visiting professors and visiting scholars for teaching and for collaborative research programs. The proposed program will be valid for five years from the time it is formally finalized. Another new partnership recently formed between researchers in BMS and at the University of Pittsburgh is supported by American Recovery and Reinvestment Act administrative supplement funds. Mutual interest in the discovery of genes that cause or contribute to congenital tooth agenesis in humans is driving this partnership between Drs. Rena D'Souza and Gabriele Mues at BCD and Drs. Alexandre Vieira and Mary Marazita at the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine. Faculty at both institutions plan to collaborate on candidate gene sequencing and genome-wide association studies, which may be extended to include other craniofacial abnormalities that share similar genetic and developmental backgrounds. The successful funding of an NIH P30 grant awarded to BCD is opening up an avenue of affiliation with the College of Engineering at the University of Texas, Arlington (UTA). This grant provides support for the hiring and development of two new faculty members with expertise in
Several Biomedical Sciences faculty members participated in the Reconstructive Surgery Summit held in Dallas on November 14, 2009. In addition to bringing the participants up to date on innovative areas in reconstructive and regenerative surgery, the meeting gave BMS faculty a great opportunity to begin collaboration with outstanding clinicians in this exciting area of translational research. The meeting was hosted by Dr. Kenneth Salyer, Adjunct Professor in BMS and Founder and Chairman of the World Craniofacial Foundation. Dr. Frank Papay of the Cleveland Clinic presented his teamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s experience performing the first successful face transplant in the U.S. in 2009. Dr. Gino Rigotti of Verona Hospital Institutes in Italy and Dr. Sydney Coleman of New York University presented their extraordinary results using adipose-derived stem cells in breast reconstruction following cancer surgery. From BMS, Dr. Gabriele Mues, Assistant Professor, spoke on clinical applications of genetics in human malformations. Dr. Jerry Feng, Professor, presented a talk about the manipulation of BMP receptors to regenerate craniofacial defects. Dr. Emet Schneiderman, Associate Professor, spoke on the potential for cone-beam computed tomography to resolve some of the long-standing controversies in cleft lip and palate repair. This meeting underscored the fact that collaborations will be one of the keys to further advancements in this important area.
Dr. Rena D'Souza, Ben Doolan (center) and Dusty Vincer
The summer of 2009 was unique in the Department of Biomedical Sciences. Besides the usual group of firstyear dental students performing research experiments under the guidance of BMS faculty, two high school science teachers were selected from a pool of 10 applicants to spend 10 weeks broadening their scientific expertise at Baylor College of Dentistry. Ben Doolan, a chemistry teacher at South Garland High School, and Dusty Vincer, a biology teacher in the Plano Independent School District, worked in the laboratories of Dr. Jerry Feng and Dr. Rena D’Souza, respectively where they explored the developmental biology of teeth, bones, and other structures forming the head and face. The internships, which included a $14,000 summer stipend for each teacher, were two of 54 dental research training positions supported nationwide by the NIH/National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research. D’Souza noted that these internships offered a telling example of how even a modest, short-term investment can have a tremendously catalyzing effect within a community, starting with the lives of the
Department News
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High School Science Teachers in the Labs teachers themselves. For example, Doolan entered a six-year Ph.D. program in cell and molecular biology at the University of Texas at Austin in 2002. By the four-year mark, he had married, his wife expected their first child, and their credit card debt had reached $10,000 to cover basic living expenses. He reached a pragmatic but reluctant decision to take a job as a financial planner and then two years later, to become a high school science teacher in order to bring home a steady paycheck. Although teaching has worked out well for him, he still thinks about having never achieved his goal of getting a Ph.D. He says that when the opportunity at BCD arose, he started thinking that maybe he could still complete the journey. D'Souza left the door open: "If Ben can take time off for a sabbatical, we will be glad to let him continue with his Ph.D. training.” Vincer, who has been a science teacher for five years and was a biology major in college, spent her 10 weeks performing bench research and assisting on projects exploring the genetics and molecular biology of tooth bud formation. “To be quite honest, I’m not very familiar with the biology of tooth formation,” she commented. “So I can learn about the formation of the different tissues that comprise the head and face, and then I can take all of
that back to my students.” Among her administrative duties, Vincer helps to develop the science curriculum for the Plano Independent School District. “Our ninth graders participate each year in a science fair,” she said. “They’re really just scratching the surface with some of the projects, but this training grant will allow me to make a connection with a respected local scientific organization. If a student is interested in a science fair project to show, for example, how a tooth or a face forms, I can pick up the phone, call Baylor College of Dentistry, and find a knowledgeable professional to help nurture their curiosity.” “So often we talk to kids in the classroom about genes and proteins, but our words have no tangible connection to anything that’s real to them,” said Doolan. “Dr. D’Souza has talked about bringing some of her group into the classroom to show the kids, say, a frog that produces a green fluorescently labeled protein or some of the other really cool stuff they work with every day. They can tell the students, ‘Here, hold this or look at that. This is the really cool part of what we do.’ Hopefully, their realworld enthusiasm can inspire the students to become the researchers of the future.”
Mineralized Tissue Preparation Course Offered by BMS Faculty A course on modern methods of mineralized tissue preparation for light and scanning electron microscopy was held at Baylor College of Dentistry on June 15-19, 2009. The Preparation and Analysis of Mineralized Tissues was attended by 30 people, including students and instructors. Of the 15 students in attendance, three were from outside BCD (Massachusetts, Georgia, Houston). Course sessions included presentations on Sample Preparation for Scanning and Light Microscopy, Decalcification and In
Situ Hybridization Protocols, Microwave Energy and Tissue Processing - Current Thinking, and Introduction to and Demonstration of μCT. Presentations were given during Lunch and Learn sessions by Baylor College of Dentistry faculty; the topics included "Using Undemineralized Tissue in Translational Research" and "Application of μCT to Mineralized Tissue Evaluation." The participants enjoyed the handson experience combined with the lectures on detailed descriptions
of how the techniques learned in the lab could be applied to various kinds of experiments. Specific comments at the conclusion of the course included "Great course for all grad students", "Down-to-earth speakers! Very interesting topics. I loved the hands-on instruments plus the PowerPoint presentations... The manual was very organized and impressive." One participant reported that, after returning to her institution, she gave a presentation to a group there on several of the things she had learned in the continued page 10
Department News
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Biomedical Sciences Awarded Funding to Hire Bioengineers Texas A&M Health Science Center Baylor College of Dentistry (HSCBCD) was one of only seven institutions in the nation to be awarded grant funding for hiring two new faculty members in bioengineering sciences and translational research. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) provided the funds awarded by the NIH/National Institute for Dental and Craniofacial Research through the "P-30" grant mechanism. This $1.4 million, two-year project called “B-BEST” (Baylor’s Program in Bioengineering Sciences and Translational Research) could help transform laboratory findings into dental practices. Dr. Rena D'Souza, professor and chair of biomedical sciences, is the project's principal investigator, and Drs. Paul Dechow and Larry Bellinger serve as co-investigators. A team composed of leaders within the field of tissue engineering (Drs. Pranesh Aswath, UT Arlington; Paul Krebsbach, University of Michigan; Antonios Mikos, Rice University; David Mooney, Harvard University) will advise the project’s recruitment and development. The long-term objective of B-BEST
is to enhance HSC-BCD’s capacity for translational research in order to develop innovative oral health care treatments. It will increase oppor-
Drs. Larry Bellinger, Rena D'Souza and Paul Dechow
tunities for collaboration with biomedical engineering researchers at UT Arlington and Southern Methodist University, and with clinical and translational science researchers at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. The grant will also develop training opportunities for predoctoral students and dentist-scientist graduates who are interested in bioengineering, translational, and patient-oriented research and academic careers. A faculty search is underway for bioengineers with extensive training in the regeneration of the mineralized and soft tissues of the cran-
iofacial complex. They will be hired as P30 faculty in tenure-track positions and cross-appointed within HSC-BCD in either the Periodontics or Oral Surgery departments. They also will be faculty in the Biomedical Engineering graduate program at the University of Texas at Arlington. HSCBCD’s network of basic, translational, and clinical researchers will collaborate with these new faculty to study new technologies for improved craniofacial and oral health care, including the development of biomimetic and nanostructured scaffolds, use of stem cells, and the delivery of bioactive factors and drugs for healing craniofacial diseases and traumatic injuries. The project’s leaders say this grant, along with six other ARRA-funded projects, marks a turning point for biomedical research at HSC-BCD. Within the dental research community, the successful funding of B-BEST puts the college at the forefront of translational research. For patients, the discoveries funded by it will lead to innovations in dental and craniofacial treatments for years to come.
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course. The course was cosponsored by the Texas A&M HSC Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies, the BCD Office of Research and Graduate Studies and by Ted Pella, Inc. The course will be presented again on June 7-11, 2010. As in the first presentation of the course, the broad topics covered will include Undecalcified Tissues, Tissue Analysis Techniques, Decalcified Tis-
sues, and Resin-embedded SEM. This course will be sponsored by the Department of Biomedical Sciences, the Office of Research and Graduate Studies, Baylor College of Dentistry, Ted Pella, Inc., and the American Association of Anatomists. Information about the course can be found at http:// bcd.tamhsc.edu/education/bms/events/mineralized-tissue-course.html.
Invited Presentations / Publications Invited presentations D'Souza R. International Meeting on Dental Materials and Regenerative Dentistry: Challenges and Limits. Centro di Ricerca Interdipartimentale sui Biomateriali, Universita degli Studi di Napoli Frederico, Italy. D’Souza R. Short Course on Tissue Engineering, Rice University, Houston. D’Souza R. Keynote Speaker at Research Day, University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine. Feng J. Animal models used for bone and tooth developmental studies, Seminar series in Department of Biology, University of Texas at Dallas. Feng J. A molecule switch for bone and tooth fate determination, Reconstructive Surgery Summit sponsored by Intramed Health and the World Craniofacial Foundation, Dallas, TX. Feng J. Roles of DMP1 in phosphate homeostasis and mineralization. University of Illinois School of Dentistry, Chicago. Feng J. BMP receptor 1A determines cell fate of tooth formation. Department of Biology, University of Wichita, Wichita, KS. Feng J. Application of in vivo siRNA knockdown mice in tooth studies. Second Meeting of IADR Pan Asian Pacific Federation (PAPF) and IADR Asia/Pacific Region (APR), Wuhan, China. Feng J. How to be a “good salesman” in Sciences. Wuhan University, Wuhan, China. Feng J. Cell fate determination of bone and teeth. Sichuan University, Chengdu, China. Feng J. Critical roles of osteocytes in bone metabolism, Rolanette and Berdon Lawrence Bone Disease Program of Texas Seminar Series, Houston, TX. Feng J. Osteocyte: no longer hibernated in bony caves, Global Center of Excellence, 3rd International Symposium on Frontiers in Bone Biology in Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan. Feng J. Novel endocrine roles of DMP1 in phosphate homeostasis, Annual meeting of the International and American Associations for Dental Research, Miami, FL. Feng J. Osteocytes and phosphate, 2nd Joint Meeting of the International Bone & Mineral Society and the Australian & New Zealand Bone & Mineral Society, Sydney, Australia. Groppe J. BMP and TGF-β signal transduction: Unanticipated mechanisms revealed by structures of ligand-receptor complexes and implications for activin and myostatin assembly, 1st International BMP Workshop: Modern Trends in BMP Signaling, Berlin, Germany. Qin C. Dentin matrix proteins. University of Illinois at Chicago College of Dentistry, Chicago, IL. Qin C. Graduate programs in USA dental schools. Harbin Medical University School of Dentistry, Harbin, China. Qin C. Posttranslational modifications of dentin matrix proteins. 2nd Meeting of the IADR Pan Asian Pacific Federation (PAPF) and the IADR Asia/Pacific Region (APR), Wuhan, China. Schneiderman ED. New tools for answering old questions
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on how best to repair cleft lip and palate: Conebeam CT and randomized clinical trials. Reconstructive Surgery Summit, Dallas, TX. Spears R. Oral histology for the medical practitioner. Texas A&M College of Medicine, College Station, TX. Svoboda K. Cell-matrix interactions in the corneal epithelium. ARVO/ISOCB (International Society for Ocular Cell Biology), Ericeira, Portugal. Publications Brisceno CE, Rossouw PE, Carrillo R, Spears R, Buschang PH. Healing of the roots and surrounding structures after intentional damage with miniscrew implants. Amer J Orthodont Dentofac Orthoped 135(3):292-301, 2009. Chang Y-C, Sabourin C, Svoboda K, Lou S-E, Gordon M, Casillas R, Gerecke D. Upregulation of gamma-2 laminin-332 in the mouse ear vesicant wound model. Journal of Biochemical and Molecular Toxicology 23(3):172-184, 2009. Elsalanty ME, Zakhary I, Akeel S, Benson B, Mulone T, Triplett GR, Opperman LA. Reconstruction of canine mandibular bone defects using a bone transport reconstruction plate. Ann Plast Surg 63:441-448, 2009. Feng JQ, Ye L, Schiavi S. Do osteocytes contribute to phosphate homeostatis? Curr Opin Nephrol Hypertens 18:28591, 2009. Hembree M, Buschang PH, Carrillo R, Spears R, Rossouw PE. Effects of intentional damage of the roots and surrounding structures with miniscrew implants. AmerJ Orthodont Dentofac Orthoped 135(3):280.e1-9, 2009. Hinton RJ, Serrano M, So S. Differential gene expression in the perichondrium and cartilage of the neonatal mouse temporomandibular joint. Orthod Craniofac Res 12:168-177, 2009. Hutchins B. Autonomic innervation to the head: Animations and a self-testing guide. MedEdPORTAL; 2009. Kaplan FS, Groppe J, Shore EM. When one skeleton is not enough: Approaches and strategies for the treatment of fibrodysplasia ossificans progressive (FOP). Drug Discov Today Ther Strateg 5:255-262, 2009. Kaplan FS, Xu M, Seemann P,Connor M,Glaser DL, Carroll L, Delai P, Fastnacht-Urban E, Forman SJ, Gillessen-Kaesbach G,Hoover-Fong J, Köster B, Pauli RM, Reardon W, Zaidi S-A, Zasloff M, Morhart R, Mundlos S, Groppe J, Shore EM. Classic and atypical fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP) phenotypes are caused by mutations in the bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) type I receptor ACVR1. Hum Mutat 30: 379-390, 2009. Komabayashi T, D'Souza RN, Dechow PC, Safavi KE, Spangberg LS. Particle size and shape of calcium hydroxide. J Endod 35:284-287, 2009. Koster B, Pauli RM, Reardon W, Zaidi S-A, Zasloff M, Morhart R, Mundlos S, Groppe J, Shore EM. Classic and atypical fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP) phenotypes are caused by mutations in the bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) type I receptor ADVR1. Hum Mutat 30:379-390, 2009. Kramer PR. Bellinger LL. The effects of cycling levels of 17 beta-estradiol and progesterone on the magnitude of temporomandibular joint-induced nociception. Endocrinology 150(8):3680-9, 2009. continued page 12
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Publications
Kramer PR, Janik Keith A, Cai Z, Ma S, Watanabe I. Integrinmediated attachment of periodontal ligament to titanium surfaces. Dent Mater 25:877-883, 2009. Kramer PR, Winger V, Reuben J. P13K limits TNF-alpha production in CD16-activated monocytes. Eur J Immonol 39:561-570, 2009. Kramer PR, Kramer SF, Puri J, Grogan D, Guan G. Multipotent adult progenitor cells acquire periodontal ligament characteristics in vivo. Stem Cells Dev 18:67-76, 2009. Liu SS, Opperman LA, Buschang PH. Effects of recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 on midsagittal sutural bone formation during expansion. Am J Orthod Dentofacial Orthop 136:768-769, 2009. Lu X, Rios HF, Jiang B, Xing L, Kadlcek R, Greenfield EM, Luo G, Feng JQ. A new osteopetrosis mutant mouse strain (ntl) with odontoma-like proliferations and lack of tooth roots. Eur J Oral Sci 117:625-635, 2009. Lu Y, Qin C, Xie Y, Bonewald LF, Feng JQ. Studies of the DMP1 57-kDa functional domain both in vivo and in vitro. Cells Tissues Organs 189:175-185, 2009. Maciejewska I, Qin D, Huang B, Sun Y, Mues G, Svoboda K, Bonewald L, Butler WT, Feng JQ, Qin C. Distinct compartmentalization of dentin matrix protein 1 fragments in mineralized tissues and cells. Cells Tissues Organs 189:186-191, 2009. Maciejewska I, Cowan C, Svoboda K, Butler W, D'Souza R, Qin C. The NH2-terminal and COOH-terminal fragments of dentin matrix protein 1 (DMP1) localize differently in the compartments of dentin and growth plate of bone. J Histochem Cytochem. 57:155-166, 2009. Mountziaris PM, Kramer PR, Mikos AG. Emerging intra-articular drug delivery systems for the temporomandibular joint. Methods 47:134-140, 2009. Mues G, Kapadia H, Wang Y, D'Souza RN. Genetics and human malformations. Journal of Craniofacial Surgery 20:16521654, 2009. Mues G, Griggs R, Hartung AJ, Whelan G, Best LG, Srivastava AK, D'Souza R. From ectodermal dysplasia to selective tooth agenesis. Am J Med Genet A 149A:2037-41, 2009. Mues G, Tardivel A, Willen L, Kapadia H, Seaman R, FrazierBowers S, Schneider P, D'Souza RN. Functional analysis of Ectodysplasin-A mutations causing selective tooth agenesis. Eur J Hum Genet. 2010 Jan;18(1):19-25, 2009. Nickel J, Sebald W, Groppe JC, Mueller TD. Intricacies of BMP receptor assembly. Cytokine Growth Factor Rev 20:36777, 2009. Papagerakis P, Hu Y, Ye L, Feng JQ, Simmer JP, Hu JC. Identifying promoter elements necessary for enamelin tissue-specific expression. Cells Tissues Organs 189(1-4):98-104; 2009. Peng T, Huang B, Sun Y, Lu Y, Bonewald L, Chen S, Butler WT, Feng JQ, D'Souza RN, Qin C. Blocking of proteolytic processing and deletion of glycosaminoglycan side chain of mouse DMP1 by substituting critical amino acid residues. Cells Tissues Organs 189: 192-197, 2009. Puri J, Hutchins B, Bellinger LL, Kramer PR. Estrogen and inflammation modulate estrogen receptor alpha expression in specific tissues of the temporomandibular joint. Reprod Biol Endocrinol 7:155, 2009.
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Ruest LB, Clouthier DE. Elucidating timing and function of endothelin-A receptor signaling during craniofacial development using neural crest cell-specific gene deletion and receptor antagonism. Dev Biol 328:94-108, 2009. Schneiderman ED, Xu H, Salyer KE. Characterization of the maxillary complex in unilateral cleft lip and palate using cone-beam computed tomography: A preliminary study. J Craniofac Surg 20 Suppl 2: 1699-710, 2009. Seemann P, Brehm A, Konig J, Reissner C, Stricker S, Kuss P, Haupt J, Reninger S, Nickel J, Sebald W, Groppe JC, Ploger F, Pohl J, Schmidt-von Kegler M, Walther M, Gassner I, Rusu C, Janecke AR, Dathe K, Mundlos S. Mutations in GDF5 reveal a key residue mediating BMP inhibition by NOGGIN. PloS Genet 5:e1000747, 2009. Spencer CG, Campbell PM, Buschang PH, Cai J, Honeyman AL. Antimicrobial effects of zinc oxide in an orthodontic bonding agent. Angle Orthod 79:317-22, 2009. Strait DS, Weber GW, Neubauer S, Calk J, Richmond BG, Lucas PW, Spencer MA, Schrein D, Dechow PC, Ross CF, Grosse IR, Wright BW, Constantino P, Wood BA, Lawn B, Hylander WL, Wang Q, Byron C, Slice DE, Smith AL. The feeding biomechanics and dietary ecology of Australopithecus africanus. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 106:2124-9, 2009. Svoboda K. Gary Schoenwolf wins top AAA accolade for scientific achievement. American Association of Anatomists NEWS, 18:2, p 3, June, 2009. Svoboda K. Fischman honored for service to AAA and anatomy discipline. American Association of Anatomists NEWS, 18:2, p 6-7, June, 2009. Wang Y, Groppe JC, Wu J, Ogawa T, Mues G, D'Souza RD, Kapadia H. Pathogenic mechanisms of tooth agenesis linked to paired domain mutations in human PAX9. Hum Mol Genet 18:2863-74, 2009. Wang Y, Wu H, Wu J, Zhao H, Zhang X, Mues G, D'Souza RN, Feng H, Kapadia H. Identification and functional analysis of two novel PAX9 mutations. Cells Tissues Organs 189:8087, 2009. Woods PW, Buschang PH, Owens SE, Rossouw PE, Opperman LA. The effect of force, timing, and location on bone-toimplant contact of miniscrew implants. Eur J Orthod 31:232240, 2009. Xincheng Lu, Rios HF, Jiang B, Xing L, Kadlcek R, Greenfield EM, Luo G, Feng JQ. A new osteopetrosis mutant mouse strain (ntl) with odontoma-like proliferations and lack of tooth roots. Eur J Oral Sci 117: 625-635 2009. Yu W, Serrano M, San Miguel S, Ruest LB and Svoboda KKH. Cleft lip and palate genetics and application in early embryological development. Indian Journal for Plastic Surgery NIHMSID156044 42:S35-S50, 2009. Yu W, Ruest LB, Svoboda KK. Regulation of epithelial-mesenchymal transition in palatal fusion. Exp Biol Med 234:483491, 2009.
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Leadership
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page 13
Leadership
alized Tissue Group.
D'Souza, R. Vice-president, American Association for Dental Research.
Groppe J. Evolution.
D'Souza R. Chair-elect, Oral Biology Section, American Dental Educators Association.
Groppe J. Ad hoc reviewer for Wellcome Trust (London) and Medical Research Council (MRC, Britain); two proposals, BMP Signaling Structure/Function.
D'Souza R. Director, Friends of NIDCR Board. D'Souza R. Member, NIDCR National Advisory Dental and Craniofacial Research Council (term of appointment: 2008 to 2012). D'Souza R. Board-approved member Scientific Program Committee, American Association for the Advancement of Science (term of appointment: 2009-2012). D'Souza R. Member, International Association for Dental Research Regional Development Committee (term of appointment: 2009-2012). D'Souza R. Nominated as Scientific Liaison to Peer Review Working Group of the Advisory Committee to the Director, National Institutes of Health.
Ad hoc reviewer for Journal of Molecular
Hinton R. Chair, Basmajian Award Selection Committee, American Association of Anatomists. Hinton R. Member, ADA Test Construction Committee (Anatomical Sciences section). Honeyman A. Editorial Board member, Clinical and Vaccine Immunology, Journal of Bacteriology. Honeyman, A. Ad-Hoc Reviewer, Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, Applied and Environmental Microbiology, BMC Microbiology, Journal of Clinical Microbiology, Ad-Hoc Reviewer. Hutchins B. Basic Science Consultant, Commission on Dental Accreditation.
D'Souza R. Member, Program Advisory Committee, Texas Institute of Genomic Medicine (Director: Dr. Richard Finnell).
Hutchins B. Member, Part 1 Testlet Committee, American Dental Association.
D'Souza, R. Committee.
Publications
Hutchins B. Member, National Board Exam Part I Question Cloning Committee, American Dental Association.
D'Souza R. Editorial Board, Journal of Dental Research/Critical Reviews in Oral Biology and Medicine.
Kramer P. Editorial Board member, Open Tissue Engineering & Regenerative Medicine, The Open Rheumatology Journal.
Member-at-Large,
AADR
D'Souza, R. Reviewer, The Academy of Medicine, Engineering and Science of Texas (TAMEST) Technology Initiatives. D'Souza, R. NIDCR/NIH Special Emphasis Panels for NIDCR Applications for Clinical and Pediatric Research Loan Repayment Programs; Conference grants (R13); Small Grants (R03) and Career Development Award (K22/23) applications. D'Souza R. Member, Science Information Committee, AADR, 2007-2010. D'Souza R. Member, Program Advisory Board, Comprehensive Research Training Program (T32), University of Michigan School of Dentistry, Ann Arbor (PI and Program Director: Dr. Paul Krebsbach); 2006-2011. D'Souza R. Member, Program Advisory Board, Comprehensive Research Training Program (T32), University of Pittsburgh, School of Dental Medicine (PI and Program Director: Dr. Mark Mooney); 2006- . Feng J. Organizer, “Symposium on Frontiers in Hard Tissue Research” at the 2nd Meeting of IADR Pan Asian Pacific Federation (PAPF) and IADR Asia/Pacific Region (APR), held in Wuhan, China (Sept. 22-24, 2009).
Kramer P. Reviewer, NIDCR study section ZDE1 VH. Kramer P. Reviewer, NIDCR study section ZRG1 MOSS-K B. Opperman L. Councilor, AADR, Dallas Section. Operman L. Past President, Board of Directors, Craniofacial Biology Group, IADR. Opperman L. Program Committee, American Association of Anatomists. Opperman L. Member, Executive Board, American Association of Anatomists. Opperman L. Member, Editorial Board, Developmental Dynamics, Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, Experimental Biology and Medicine. Opperman L. Member, Scientific Advisory Board, Journal of Endodontics. Opperman L. Ad hoc reviewer, Acta Odontologia Scandinavica, Expert Review of Medical Devices, Journal of Anatomy, Journal of Endodontics.
Feng J. Organizer for abstract review of Mineralized Tissue group, American Association for Dental Research annual meeting.
Opperman L. NIH Special Emphasis Panel.
Feng J. Reviewer, the NIH/NIDCR Center for Scientific Review Special Emphasis Panel Dental and Enamel: Developmental Biology.
Opperman L. NIH GO Grant Mail (online) Study Section.
Feng J. Reviewer, NIH/DSR Meeting/NIDCR Special Review Committee. Feng J. President-elect, International Association for Dental Research/American Association for Dental Research Miner-
Opperman L. NIH Challenge Grant First Round Review.
Opperman L. Abstract Review for American Association of Anatomists Annual Experimental Biology meeting, 2010. Opperman L. Lunch and Learn Organizer “Technology transfer and student and faculty inventors” at the 87th General Session of the joint IADR/AADR, April 1-4, 2009, Miami, FL. continued page 14
Leadership / Grants
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Opperman L. Symposium Organizer and Chairman of Symposium, “Understanding the Principles of Osteogenesis in Bone Repair” at the 17th Conference of the International Federation of Association of Anatomists August 16-19, 2009, Cape Town South Africa. Qin C. Editorial Board Member, Journal of Dental Research. Qin C. Reviewer, Journal of Dental Research, European Journal of Oral Science, Pathology & Oncology Research, Matrix Biology, Archives of Oral Biology. Qin C. Reviewer, NIH/NIDCR Extramural Loan Repayment Applications (2009/08 Council ZDE1 MK 23). Qin C. Reviewer, NIDCR Special Grant Review Committee: Review of F, K, and R03 Applications (2009/10 Council DSR1). Qin C. Secretary and Treasurer, International Association for Dental Research (IADR)/American Association for Dental Research (AADR) Mineralized Tissue Group. Schneiderman ED. Research Consultant to planned Texas Hospital for Advanced Medicine/Texas Reconstructive Surgery Institute. Schneiderman ED. Chair of Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment subcommittee, Dallas Arts Magnet High School (Booker T. Washington HSPVA) Site-Based management Team. Schneiderman ED. Eastfield Community College Technology Advisory Board, Mesquite, TX. Schneiderman ED. Reviewer, North and Central Texas Clinical and Translational Science Initiative pilot grant award (CTSA Program). Spears R. AADR National Student Research Group Faculty Advisor. Spears R. ADA CODA Site Reviewer. Spears R. ADA Student Clinician Program Advisor. Spears R. ADEA Council of Faculties, Annual Session Mentorship Program. Spears R. Member, ADEA Commission on Change and Innovation. Spears R. Member, Hinman National Student Research Symposium Advisory Board. Spears R. Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board Accreditation Site Reviewer 2006-present.
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2007-2009. Svoboda K. Member, AAA Ladman Service Award Committee, 2007-2009. Svoboda K. Member, AAA Honorary Membership Committee, 2007-2009. Svoboda K. Member, AAA Fellows Committee, 2009-2012. Svoboda K. Member, EMT International Association Board, 2008-2011. Svoboda K. Organizer, The EMT International Conference, Tucson, AZ. Svoboda K. Editorial Board member, Developmental Dynamics, Anatomical Record, The European Journal of Dentistry. Svoboda K. Member of NIH Anterior Eye Disease (AED) Special Study Section. Svoboda K. Member, NIH S10 Study Section. Grants Grants awarded to BMS faculty through American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funding (dollar amounts are FY total costs) • Baylor's program for bioengineering sciences and translational research "B-BEST" (R. D'Souza, PI); $687,973; Recovery Act Limited Competition Supporting New Faculty Recruitment • Regulation of RunX2 function by Twist-1 in tooth development (R. D'Souza, PI); $51,783 • Signaling mechanisms in early tooth development (R. D'Souza, PI); Administrative Collaborative Supplement; $185,638; Administrative Supplement for Summer Research Experiences for Dental Students, $14,650 • Sex steroids and TMJ pain (L. Bellinger, PI); $13,185 • DMP1 mutations: Defects in odontogenesis (J. Feng, PI); $14,650 • Studies of proteins involved in dentinogenesis (C. Qin, PI); $14,650 • Improved manufacture of bone transport plates (L. Opperman, PI); $8497 • Studies of the roles of DMP1 and DSPP in osteogenesis and dentinogenesis (C. Qin, PI); $177,631 • Studies of the roles of DMP1 and DSPP in osteogenesis and dentinogenesis (C.Qin, PI); $72,303 (for purchase of equipment)
Spears R. Member, Texas State Anatomical Board.
• Novel treatment for the relief of orofacial pain (R. Spears); $11,600
Spears R. Reviewer, Anatomical Sciences Education.
(For the following, dollar amounts are total costs unless otherwise noted)
Svoboda K. Executive Committee member, American Association of Anatomists. Svoboda K. Finance Committee member, American Association of Anatomists.
Bellinger L, Kramer P (Co-I), Grogan D (Collaborator), Hutchins R (Collaborator), Spears R (Collaborator). Sex steroids, and TMJ pain, NIH/NIDCR R01 DE016059-0, 2005-2010, $1,500,000.
Svoboda K. Anatomists.
Past President, American Association of
Dechow P. Integrative analysis of hominid feeding biomechanics; NSF, 2007-2012, $218,752.
Svoboda K. Experimental Biology Board of Directors, American Association of Anatomists representative, 2007-2010.
Dechow P. Scanco VivaCT 40 high speed micro computed tomography system, NIH S10RR023634-01A1, 2008-2010, $345,000.
Svoboda K. Member, AAA Henry Gray Award Committee,
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Grants
Dechow P., Nguyen H (fellow). Individual predoctoral dental scientist fellowship, NIH/NIDCR F30 DE16179-01, 2004-2009, $161,490. Dechow P., (Mentor/BCD Representative), Bellinger L, D’Souza RN, Hinton R, Opperman LA, Svoboda K (Mentors). UT Southwestern clinical science scholars program, K12 HD052225-01, 2005-2010, $9,700,000. D'Souza R (PI), Mues G (Co-I), Kapadia H (Co-I). Signaling mechanisms in early tooth development. NIH/NIDCR 5 R01 DE19471, 2008-2012, $1,465,000. D’Souza R. Regulation of Runx2 function by Twist-1 in tooth development, NIH/NIDCR 2 R01 DE-013368, 2006-2010, $1,068,532. D'Souza R, Dechow P and Adams P (Co-directors). BSTARS: Baylor's comprehensive research training (T32) program for dentist-scientists, 1 T32 DE018380-01A1, 2008-2012, $1,600,000. D'Souza R (PI), Hartgerink J (Co-I) and Schmalz G (Co-I). Nanostructured peptide hydrogels and stem cells for dentin-pulp complex regeneration. IADR/Glaxo-Smith-Kline Innovation in Oral Care Award; 2009; $75,000. Feng J. Role of DMP1 in mineralization, NIH/NIAMS R01 AR051587, 2004-2009, $198,000 (annual direct).
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in FOP and Related Disorders, UPenn School of Medicine, 2006-2010; $100,000. Groppe J. Mechanisms of BMP receptor kinase dysregulation in skeletal dysplasias. NIH/NIAMS 1 R03 AR056838-01, 2008-2011, $219,750. Hinton RJ (Co-PI), Berry C (Co-PI), Dechow P (Collaborator); D'Souza R (Collaborator), Bellinger L (Collaborator). CUSPID: Baylor's Oral Health Research Education Grant, NIH/NIDCR 1 R25 DE018883, 2008-2012, $600,000. Hutchins B. Basic sciences taught in North America: A survey of current practices. ADEA, 2009-2010, $5,350. Kramer P. Intra-articular TMJ injection study of microbeads. Appian Labs, 2008-2010, $50,000. Mues G. EDA pathway mutations in non-syndromic tooth agenesis. R03 DE0196554-01A2; 2010-2012. Opperman L, Spears R (Co-I), Kerns D (Collaborator). Osseoinductive surface treatment for dental implants. NIH/ NIDCR SBIR R44 DE15893-01, 2007-2009, $242,862. Opperman L. Curvilinear mandibular bone reconstruction plate. NIH/NIDCR R42 DE015437-02, 2005-2010, $42,968: final no-cost extension; $433,577.
Feng J. DMP1 mutations: Defects in odontogenesis, NIH NIDCR R01 DE015209, 2008-2013, $232,500 (annual direct).
Opperman L. Improved bone transport reconstruction plate, subcontract. NIH/NIDCR R43 DE 017259-01; 2007-2010; $70,862.
Feng J. Effects of mechanical strain on osteocyte function, NIH/NIAMS P01 AR046798-06, 2006-2011, $110,000 (annual direct).
Opperman L. Improved bone transport reconstruction plate, subcontract. NIH/NIDCR R43 DE 017259-01; 2009-2010; $8,497.
Feng J. Disturbance of phosphate homeostasis changes in osteocyte morphology and function, Genzyme Renal Innovations Program, 2008-2011, $50,000 (annual total).
Opperman L. Effect of BMP2 on healing of post tumor-resection mandibular defects, subcontract. Medtronic Inc. 2008-2009; $5,200.
Feng J. Studies of the roles of DMP1 and DSPP in osteogenesis and dentinogenesis. NIH/NIDCR R01 DE005092, 20092013; $873,000.
Qin C. Studies of proteins involved in dentinogenesis. NIH/ NIDCR R01 DE005092:27-31, 2004-2009, $981,170.
Feng J. A preclinical study proposal: Effects of Sci-Ab on rodent periodontal disease model - DMP1 null mice. Amgen Inc.; 2002-2010; $148,500 Feng J. Evaluation of the mandible bone phenotype of gene-altered animals and/or the effects of novel bone active compounds in animals. Amgen Inc.; 2009-2010; $53,358. Groppe J. Structural basis of ACVR1 dysregulation in fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva. The Center for Research
Contacting The Department
Qin C. DMP1 mutations: Defects in odontogenesis. NIH/NIDCR R01 DE015209, 2008-2013, $225,000 (annual direct). Svoboda K. Regulation of EMT during palate development. March of Dimes, 2006-2010. $250,800. Svoboda K. Testing antioxidant compounds on gingival fibroblast cells. PerioSciences, 2008-2010; $60,000 Svoboda K, Opperman L. Antioxidant effects on gingival fibroblast proliferation, migration and apoptosis in vitro. Russell Moon project, 2008-2009, $23,000.
Website: http://bcd.tamhsc.edu/education/bms/index.html
Chair’s Office Rena N. D'Souza, DDS, PhD Professor and Chair PH: 214-828-8260 rdsouza@bcd.tamhsc.edu
Departmental Office Nancy Anthony Administrative Assistant PH: 214-828-8260 nanthony@bcd.tamhsc.edu
Paul Dechow, PhD Professor and Vice-Chair PH: 214-370-7229 pdechow@bcd.tamhsc.edu
Graduate Programs Kathy Svoboda, PhD Professor & Graduate Program Director PH: 214-828-8487 ksvoboda@bcd.tamhsc.edu
Undergraduate Education Robert Hinton, PhD Professor Director of Predoctoral Teaching and Faculty Mentoring PH: 214-828-8272 bhinton@bcd.tamhsc.edu Bob Hutchins, PhD Associate Professor Director of Instructional Technology PH: 214-828-8275 bhutchins@bcd.tamhsc.edu
NEWS NOTES
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Dr. Rena N. D’Souza was awarded the 2010 Presidential Award for Excellence at the TAM Health Science Center Convocation on January 20, 2010. The award honors significant contributions that enhance, facilitate or accelerate the HSC research enterprise. BMS celebration in honor of awards garnered by Drs. Rena D'Souza and Kathy Svoboda. Pictured are Ashneet Sachar, Symone San Miguel, Claudia Fernandez, Anika Voisey and Dr. Svoboda
Dr. Kathy Svoboda was elected as a Fellow of the American Association of Anatomists. She was also presented with a plaque in recognition for 12 years of service on the board and for serving in multiple offices (program chair, vice president, president elect, president, and past president). In addition, she was named to the Fellows committee and the Experimental Biology Program Committee.
Dr. Avadhesh Sharma, Associate Professor, left Biomedical Sciences in December, 2009, to assume the position of Chair of the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine School of Pharmacy, Suwanee, GA. Jan La and Marge Palma at BMS awards celebration
The use of An Interactive Color Atlas of the Human Skull. V 1.0 & 1.2 by Dr. Bob Hutchins has been adopted by: • • • • • • •
Baylor College of Dentistry Mercer Medical School (GA) AT Stills School of Dentistry Indiana School of Dentistry Brighton and Sussex Medical School, UK University of the Pacific Dental School American Dental Association
Dr. Jerry Feng and other members of BMS flexing on the beach in Florida after the 2009 AADR meeting.
Dr. Ying Wang, was selected as one of 27 finalists to compete for the American Association for Dental Research Hatton Award at the group’s annual meeting in Miami April 1-4, 2009. Her poster presentation was entitled "Pathogenic mechanisms of tooth agenesis linked to PAX9 DNA-binding domain."
Dr. Chunlin Qin, Jyoti Puri, and Dr. Lynne Opperman at Jyoti's poster, 2010 AADR meeting
BCD Biomedical Sciences News • Volume 4 Issue 1 • April 2010