Program
Directors:
Frank
G. Oppenheim, DDS, DMD, PhD
Philip
C. Trackman, PhD
Introduction
The
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Program in Oral Biology offers predoctoral
candidates courses, seminars, and interdisciplinary training in the
Division of Oral Biology of the Department of Periodontology &
Oral Biology, Boston University Goldman School of Dental Medicine.
The PhD Program in Oral Biology recruits students with backgrounds
in the life and basic sciences who are interested in additional advanced
training in dental and medical sciences. The aim of this program is
to educate students in modern scientific approaches to oral biology
and oral disease. The Program is designed for the student whose primary
goal is to pursue a career in oral biology research. The oral cavity
is unique regarding its microbiology, connective tissue structures,
and host responses. Moreover, oral diseases present unsolved scientific
challenges and novel biological phenomena.
Research
areas include: structure, function, biosynthesis, and genetics of
salivary proteins; post-translational modifications, with particular
emphasis on phosphorylation of salivary proteins; protein-mineral
interactions and their role in the function of hard tissues; mechanisms
of pellicle and plaque formation; mechanisms and regulation of exocrine
processes; oral host defense mechanisms in caries and periodontal
disease; intercellular signaling, focusing on chemotaxis of monocytes
to inflamed tissues; regulation of connective tissue accumulation
in mineralized and non-mineralized oral tissues; production of growth
and chemotactic factors by normal and transformed mesenchymal and
hematopoietic cells; connective tissue production by primary periodontal
cells and effects of fibrogenic drugs and cytokines; mechanisms of
tumor suppression; regulation of genes involved in protein N-glycosylation
in yeast and mammalian cells; regulation of cell cycle by N-glycosylation;
the role of N-glycosylation in cell lineage during growth, development,
and tissue differentiation; and the role of programmed cell death
in developmental modeling of salivary glands, altered inflammatory
cell signal transduction pathways in juvenile periodontitis, and control
of periodontal tissue regeneration. In addition, research projects
may include clinical components focusing on inflammation, periodontal
disease, tissue fibrosis, aging, developmental defects, and oral cancer.
These studies may be carried out in collaboration with the clinical
faculty at the Boston University School of Dental Medicine. Opportunities
for clinical collaborations have recently been strengthened with the
commitment of clinical facilities dedicated to research. These facilities
are known as the Clinical Research Center at Boston University Goldman
School of Dental Medicine.
