On November 3, Dr. Isabel Garcia, director of the NIDCR Office of Science Policy and Analysis, Dr. Robert C. Angerer, NIDCR scientific director, and Dr. Pamela Gehron Robey, chief, Craniofacial and Skeletal Diseases Branch, participated in a meeting hosted by the American Dental Association that included representatives of various groups within the Department of Defense to discuss current practices and future methods of recreating tissues in the craniofacial complex lost to soldiers in combat. Dr. Stephen Rouse, from Walter Reed Army Medical Center, presented his recent success in restoring craniofacial form through the use of CT scanning for the design of plastic implants. The ensuing discussion focused on the need to develop such structures through the use of appropriate biomaterials and adult stem cells, and the critical need for the development of "smart bandages" to prevent infection and encourage wound healing and allow for the restoration of soft tissues with more normal features. Such efforts will require a concerted effort of many departments of the U.S. government to better meet the needs of combat soldiers.
NIDCR has launched a seven-year clinical study that could accelerate research on better pain-controlling treatments for temporomandibular joint and muscle disorders (TMJMDs). Called Orofacial Pain: Prospective Evaluation and Risk Assessment, or OPPERA, the $19.1 million project marks the first-ever large, prospective clinical study to identify risk factors that contribute to someone developing a TMJ disorder. During the OPPERA study, scientists will track 3,200 healthy volunteers from three to five years to see how many develop the disorder. The multi-center research program will involve investigative units at: University of Florida in Gainesville, directed by Dr. Roger Fillingim; University of Buffalo-SUNY, directed by Dr. Richard Ohrbach; University of Maryland at Baltimore, directed by Drs. Joel Greenspan and Ronald Dubner, and the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, directed by Dr. William Maixner. According to Dr. Maixner, the study’s principal investigator, those who develop TMJM problems will open a critical and largely unexplored window on the early stages of the disorders, pointing the researchers toward genes and other biologic factors that might contribute to pain sensitivity. Maixner said the high-quality data generated from this prospective vantage point could provide the future impetus to refine diagnostic criteria for TMJM disorders, consider new approaches to treatment, and predict a person’s natural susceptibility to develop a chronic pain condition.
Rita Colwell presented the 2005 David E. Barmes Global Health Lecture November 15 on the NIH campus. Dr Colwell, former Director of the National Science Foundation and currently distinguished university professor at the Center for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, University of Maryland, spoke about “Global Climate, Environmental Pathogens, and Human Health: A New Paradigm.” Later that evening she spoke at the Friends of the NIDCR Gala Awards Dinner held at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., where she addressed the subject of bioterrorism. Both presentations demonstrated the value and necessity of interdisciplinary research that considers the global context of biological, social and environmental determinants of disease and solutions to prevent or deter the spread of disease. The Barmes Global Health Lectures are co-sponsored by the NIDCR and the Fogarty International Center.
SCIENCE ADVANCES
Toluidine Blue Staining Identifies High-Risk Premalignant Oral Lesions
Unlike early cancer-causing lesions that arise in most parts of the body, those in the mouth are often visible and accessible for biopsy. But accessibility raises a critical question: How can dentists and doctors tell by sight which abnormalities to biopsy? Toluidine blue, a liquid dye composed of tolonium chloride, offers a potentially simple, inexpensive, and sensitive chair-side solution. Practitioners swab the blue dye onto a suspicious oral lesion and, based on its retention and resulting telltale change in blue tint, determine with greater reliability whether to proceed to biopsy. As straightforward as the swab-and-wait process is, researchers have reported a major limitation: While toluidine blue staining detects most cancerous lesions, it frequently misses precancerous lesions of low or moderate grade. But this limitation may in fact provide a diagnostic advantage. Two recent studies found an association between toluidine blue retention in early oral lesions that contain cells with distinct, cancer-predisposing chromosomal abnormalities, an indication that the dye may detect the low-grade lesions that are among the most likely to progress. Now, NIDCR grantees report new data in the September 1 issue of the journal Cancer Research that support this idea in people. They found toluidine blue detected 16 of 17 cases of high-grade dysplasia (early alterations in cell structure) in the study, and it preferentially stained the oral premalignant lesions with minimal or no dysplasia that had high-risk clinical and molecular attributes. L. Zhang, M. Williams, C. F. Poh, D. Laronde, J. B. Epstein, S. Durham, H. Nakamura, K. Berean, A. Hovan, N. D. Le, G. Hislop, R. Priddy, J. Hay, W. L. Lam, and M. P. Rosin conducted the research at the Faculty of Dentistry, University of British Columbia.
New Analytical Tool Applied for First Time to Oral Cancer
NIDCR grantees and colleagues reported last year successfully constructing an array of more than 32,400 overlapping, or tiling, short segments of cloned DNA that, like the links in a chain, span the entire human genome. They called this research first "tiling-path array comparative genomic hybridization," or tiling path array CGH. In their initial studies with tumor samples, they found their powerful new tool allowed them to profile segments of DNA throughout the genome for copy variations at a resolution 100 times that of conventional methods. Now, in the September 1 issue of the journal Cancer Research, the grantees follow up with the first application of tiling-path array CGH to clinical specimens of oral squamous cell carcinoma genomes. The authors found several novel alterations, including one microamplification found in 45 percent of cases containing the triple functional domain (TFD) gene; and also reported the first co-amplification of two gene clusters, or a sequential group of genes, on chromosome 11 that could be important in causing oral cancer. C. Baldwin, C. Garnis, L. Zhang, M. P. Rosin, and W. L. Lam carried out the research at the British Columbia Cancer Research Centre in Vancouver, British Columbia.
First Gene Profile of Oral Pathogen As It Invades Coronary Artery
Several laboratory and animal studies have demonstrated that the oral bacterium Porphyromonas gingivalis can colonize cells in the coronary artery and produce structural and immunologic changes associated with early heart disease. With the arrival of cDNA microarrays to catalogue global changes in gene expression within an oral pathogen, it is now possible to take the another critical research step: Record the various genes that P. gingivalis turns on and off while invading the endothelial cells that line the inside of the human coronary artery, information that will help to more clearly define the infectious process. In the September issue of the journal Infection and Immunity, NIDCR grantees provide the first global gene expression profile of P. gingivalis as it enters coronary artery endothelial cells. The scientists report that 62 genes were differentially regulated, and they confirmed their results with real-time PCR assay. The research was conducted by P. H. Rodrigues and A. Progulske-Fox in the Department of Oral Biology, University of Florida.
Oral Bacterium Proves More Unique Than Once Thought
Dental researchers have long viewed the tooth-decay-causing bacterium Streptococcus mutans as one of the most biologically interesting organisms in the mouth. In the November 29, 2005 issue of the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, a group of NIDCR grantees reported this oral bacterium might be more biologically revealing than anyone could have imagined. The scientists found quite unexpectedly that S. mutans can survive without a functioning signal recognition particle (SRP)-translation pathway. This biochemical pathway plays a key role in folding and chaperoning needed proteins to our cell membranes, a task that scientists have long viewed as essential to life. With the previously reported exception of brewer’s yeast and now S. mutans, no other organism has shown it can survive without this pathway intact to maintain the viability of the cell membrane. According to the scientists, S. mutans seems to activate a backup pathway that allows it to continue to grow and function. The authors on the study are A. Hasona, P. J. Crowley, C. M. Levesque, R. W. Mair, D. G. Cvitkovitch, A. S. Bleiweis, and L. J. Brady in the Department of Oral Biology, University of Florida.
Protein Induces Dental Pulp Stem Cells into Dentin-Forming Odontoblasts
When dentists examine patients with a damaged tooth that has become infected and abscessed, or filled with tissue-eroding fluid, they typically have two options: Root canal or extraction. But for patients with less advanced infections that have yet to abscess, there is a third, tooth-saving possibility called direct pulp capping. Much like cleaning and bandaging a wound, the procedure requires the dentist to sterilize the infection, remove all signs of decay, and refill the hole in the tooth to allow the remaining healthy tissue to regenerate. And therein lies a challenge. When dentists fill the tooth, they can never be certain that its natural, highly mineralized dentin matrix will reform during the healing process as a needed buffer between the filling and the pulp tissue inside the tooth. To help dentists solve this problem, scientists have turned their attention to the adult stem cells that reside within the dental pulp and which can be transformed with appropriate stimuli to produce a dentin-secreting cell called an odontoblast. In the December issue of the journal Gene Therapy, NIDCR grantees report taking an important step forward in learning to coax dental pulp stem cells to differentiate into what appear to be odontoblasts. Working with laboratory rats, the scientists implanted bits of a collagen protein matrix into the dental pulp of the molars. Each bit was saturated with a recombinant form of a gene called dentin matrix 1(DMP1), which encodes a dentin protein that their earlier work showed can induce undifferentiated mesenchymal cells to differentiate into odontoblast-like cells. After two and four weeks, they found DMP1 had a similar effect in the rat molars as in their cell-culture experiments. The dentin-like qualities of the regenerated tissue included: newly formed collagen matrix, protein markers for the differentiated cells that are specific to odontoblasts, and calcified deposits. The research was conducted by A. Almushayt, K. Narayanan, A.E. Zaki, and A. George, Department of Oral Biology, University of Illinois at Chicago.
Study Finds Possible Association Between Amoxicillin and Enamel Malformation
Although the research is still in its earliest stages, some have suggested that amoxicillin, a widely prescribed antibiotic for young children, may be associated with structural abnormalities in developing dental enamel. The possibility has precedent in that tetracyclines and some other antibiotics clearly influence the development of the tooth. As reported in the October issue of the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, NIDCR grantees and colleagues assessed the possible association among 579 children in the Iowa Fluoride Study. They found 75 percent had received amoxicillin during their first year of life and the number jumped to 91 percent by 32 months. Overall, almost 25 percent had fluorosis on both maxillary central incisors, and the researchers found that amoxicillin use from three to six months "significantly increased" the risk of fluorosis in these teeth. The scientists concluded, "The findings suggest that amoxicillin use in infancy could carry some heretofore undocumented risk to the developing teeth." They stressed, however, that their data are preliminary and further laboratory and clinical studies will be needed to confirm the results. The authors on the study are L. Hong, S. M. Levy, J. J. Warren, D. V. Dawson, G. R. Bergus, and J. S. Wefel from the Department of Preventive and Community Dentistry, Dows Institute for Dental Research, University of Iowa.
RESEARCH TRAINING, CAREER DEVELOPMENT, RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE AND CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT UPDATE
Funding of New Clinical Research T32 Programs
Two new Clinical Research T32 programs have been funded in response to RFA-DE-05-008, the NIDCR Kirschstein-NRSA Institutional Clinical Research Training Award. Awards were made to the University of North Carolina and to the University of California, San Francisco and trainees have begun their programs.
Participation in NIH Roadmap Training Initiatives
NIDCR is collaborating with the broader NIH community to encourage the inclusion of oral health research and research training in trans-NIH initiatives and has publicized these new opportunities within the dental school community. As a result, dental schools are participating in two recent multidisciplinary NIH Roadmap training initiatives:
Of the five universities awarded grants under the Roadmap K12 Multidisciplinary Clinical Research Career Development Programs (RFA RM-05-016) , four include collaborations with the following dental schools: University of Maryland; University of Minnesota; University of North Carolina; and the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas (with Texas A&M/Baylor College of Dentistry). Of the ten universities awarded grants under the Roadmap T32 Predoctoral Clinical Research Training Programs (RFA RM-05-015) five include collaborations with the following dental schools: University of California, San Francisco; University of Michigan; Ohio State University; Medical University of South Carolina; and the University of Washington.
Responses to Revised T32 Program Announcement
In response to the revised program announcement issued last May for the comprehensive T32 training program (Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Institutional Dental Research Training Program) NIDCR received approximately 15 letters of intent and 20 applications. Review is set for January 25.
NIH Town Hall Meeting About NRSA Tuition Policy
On November 30, NIH hosted a Town Hall meeting to discuss possible revision to the National Research Service Award (NRSA) tuition policy. Currently, NIH will pay the first $3,000 and 60 percent of tuition costs over $3,000. However, the continuing escalation of tuition costs is resulting in a significant reduction in the number of NRSA trainee positions and T32 training grants that can be supported across the NIH. Several options for altering the tuition formula were presented for public comment. A summary of the meeting will be made available on the NIH website. NIH hopes to have a final policy in place by April 2006.
Outreach Activities
Ms. Lorrayne Jackson attended the Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students in Atlanta, GA. The conference is an outstanding venue for outreach and recruiting underrepresented minorities who are interested in pursuing biomedical science careers. The meeting attracted approximately 1,645 undergraduate students, 300 graduate students, and 750 faculty and administrators. A substantial number of the participants represented Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
NIDCR has formed a partnership with the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) and the NIH Office of Intramural Training and Education to visit minority schools and discuss NIH research and research training opportunities. In December, the team visited Howard University and met with approximately 75 undergraduate and graduate students.
Ms. Jackson also attended the annual meeting of the Hispanic Dental Association in San Antonio, TX, and spoke to participants about research, training and career development opportunities, and the Loan Repayment Program.
K22 Awardees Compete Successfully for R01 Grants
NIDCR encourages K22 (NIDCR Scholar Development and Faculty Transition) awardees to apply for R01 grants during the Faculty Transition phase of the K22. During the past year, two K22 recipients were awarded R01 grants. NIH policy allows K awardees to continue to receive career development salary support if they are awarded an R grant within the final two years of the K award. The R01 recipients are:
- Dr. Jin Ro (K22 DE014549 and R01 DE016062) for his work in peripheral receptor mechanisms in orofacial muscle pain
- Dr. Robert Gyurko (K22 DE014568 and R01 DE016933) for his work in diabetic hyperglycemia and inflammation
CENTER FOR BIOTECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION (CBI)
CBI Sponsors Technology Transfer Conference
Dr. Rosemarie Hunziker, director of the Technology Development and Industrial Relations Program, organized and coordinated the Center for Biotechnology and Innovation’s first technology transfer conference, “Pathway to Product Development,” held November 7-8 in Bethesda, MD. The goals of the meeting were to establish an ongoing dialogue among the various stakeholders (e.g., NIDCR/NIH, academia, industry, the Food and Drug Administration, and other Federal agencies), identify specific areas ripe for synergy and collaboration, and facilitate the translation of discovery science supported by the NIDCR into products that will advance craniofacial health. See the executive summary of the Pathway to Product Development meeting.
Responses to Requests for Applications
NIDCR received six applications in response to RFA DE-06-003, Development and Validation of Technologies for Saliva-Based Diagnostics. The review of these applications is scheduled for March 3.
Professional Activities
Dr. Eleni Kousvelari, acting director of the Center for Biotechnology and Innovation, organized and chaired a Workshop on Proposal Writing at the annual meeting of the Material Research Society, held November 28 in Boston, MA. The goal of the workshop was to provide an understanding of the submission, review, and award process of a grant application. The speakers reviewed and compared the specific requirements of two major funding agencies—the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health—in the area of biomaterials science.
Dr. Kousvelari also organized and chaired the joint annual grantee meeting of the Saliva-Based Diagnostic Technologies and the Salivary Proteome on December 14-16, in Los Angeles, CA.
Dr. Hunziker attended the American Society for Microbiology Resources Annual “Boot Camp,” held September 29-30 in Bethesda, MD, at which early stage biotechnology companies learned about technology transfer and development. She also attended the Mid-Atlantic Venture Association’s Bio Conference ’05 meeting in Washington, D.C. on October 26-27 and was the NIDCR representative to the National SBIR Conference in Albany, NY, on November 14-17.
CENTER FOR INFECTIOUS DISEASES AND IMMUNOLOGY
The Center for Infectious Diseases and Immunology was formally established October 1, 2005. The center plans, develops and manages research supported by grants, cooperative agreements and contracts in oral microbiology, immunology and immunotherapy, and AIDS and immunosuppression. Dr. Pamela McInnes will be the new director of the center, beginning early January (see p. 24).
Workshop on Basic Research in Bacteriology
Dr. Dennis Mangan, director of the Microbiology Program, participated in the November 3-4 Workshop on Basic Research in Bacteriology sponsored by the NIH and the American Society for Microbiology (ASM). The ASM is concerned about the increasing need for basic bacteriology research and the need to train adequate numbers of investigators in fields such as bacterial physiology and functional genomics. Dr. Mangan is working with a select committee of NIH and ASM members to prepare a summary white paper that can be used to guide future research initiatives.
Workshop on Sjogren’s: Transition from Autoimmunity to Lymphoma
NIDCR cosponsored a workshop on “Sjogren’s: Transition from Autoimmunity to Lymphoma” in Baltimore, MD, September 23-25. The other cosponsors were the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, the National Cancer Institute, and the Office of the Director. The workshop helped foster the exchange of scientific data and catalyzed rigorous discussion about potential triggers in the transition from autoimmunity to lymphoma. Dr. Sangeeta Bhargava, director of the Immunology and Immunotherapy Program, gave a talk on research funding and new directions for Sjogren’s.
9th International Conference on Malignancies in AIDS and Other Immunodeficiencies
Dr. Mostafa Nokta, director of the AIDS and Immunosuppression Program, served on the scientific committee of the 9th International Conference on Malignancies in AIDS and Other Immunodeficiencies. The conference was held September 26-27 in Bethesda, MD.
CENTER FOR INTEGRATIVE CRANIOFACIAL RESEARCH
The Center for Integrative Craniofacial Research, established October 1, 2005, plans, develops, and manages research supported by grants, cooperative agreements and contracts in developmental biology and mammalian genetics, epithelial cell regulation and transformation, pharmacogenetics, mineralized tissue and salivary gland physiology, and molecular and cellular neuroscience. With the retirement of Dr. Ann Sandberg in December (see p. 23), Dr. John Kusiak is acting director of the center.
Recently Issued Requests for Applications (RFAs)
Since the last meeting of the NADCRC, the following RFAs have been issued:
Prescription Opioid Use and Abuse in the Treatment of Pain (R01; R03; R21; R25)
Training in Translational Research in Neurobiology of Disease (T32)
Biology of RNA Interference: Stability, Delivery and Processing by Tissues
Course Development in the Neurobiology of Disease
Development of Recombinase-Expressing (“Driver”) Mouse Lines for Studying the Nervous System
Gordon Research Conference on Craniofacial Morphogenesis and Tissue Regeneration
NIDCR will co-support the second Gordon Research Conference on Craniofacial Morphogenesis and Tissue Regeneration, to be held January 22-27, 2006 in Ventura, CA. The conference will include sessions on neural crest fate determination, craniofacial patterning, placodes and their functional significance during craniofacial development, craniofacial organogenesis such as tooth and palate morphogenesis, intramembranous bone formation and suture biology, signaling interactions and gene regulation, and human syndromes involving craniofacial defects. The conference provides a forum to spark new scientific collaborations, foster the career development of young scientists, advance understanding of the regulatory mechanisms of craniofacial development, and contribute to the improvement of craniofacial health care.
8th International Conference on Biological Mechanisms of Tooth Eruption, Resorption and Movement
NIDCR sponsored the 8th International Conference on Biological Mechanisms of Tooth Eruption, Resorption, and Movement, held November 7-10 in Phuket, Thailand. The conference series provides a forum for presentation, interaction, and discussion among basic and clinical investigators who are actively engaged in research related to orthodontics and craniofacial biomechanics. This latest conference covered topics in craniofacial musculoskeletal and mechanical biology, genetics, molecular biology and clinical implications of tooth eruption, resorption, and movement.
NIH-Industry Bone Quality Initiative Meeting
Dr. Lillian Shum, director of the Mineralized Tissue and Salivary Gland Physiology Program, represented the NIDCR at the NIH-Industry Bone Quality Initiative Meeting, held December 14-15 in Bethesda, MD. The purpose of the meeting was to engage various Federal agencies (including the NIDCR, the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, the National Institute on Aging, the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, and the Food and Drug Administration), the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR), and industry representatives in a dialogue to further develop the Bone Quality Initiative. The meeting covered assessment of existing bone quality measurement methodology and determination of additional needs; study design, logistics, and validation approaches; and NIH-industry collaboration and partnership structure.
Head and Neck Intergroup Meeting
Dr. Yasaman Shirazi, director of the Epithelial Cell Regulation and Transformation Program, represented the NIDCR at a special Head and Neck Intergroup Meeting held December 9. At this meeting, co-organized by the Cancer Therapy and Evaluation Program and the Head and Neck Specialized Program for Research Excellence (SPORE), the NCI leadership proposed to restructure the Intergroup to include stakeholders from SPOREs, Centers, P01s, as well as patient advocacy groups. This would allow for easier ways to recruit patients, implement clinical trials, and disseminate information to the head and neck research community. NIDCR has co-funded three Head and Neck SPOREs with NCI.
Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting
Dr. John Kusiak, director of the Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience Program, represented the NIDCR at the 35th annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience, held November 12-16 in Washington, D.C. He spoke with grantees and potential grantees about new initiatives and funding opportunities.
CENTER FOR CLINICAL RESEARCH
The Center for Clinical Research, officially established October 1, 2005, is headed by Dr. Bruce Pihlstrom. The center supports and conducts patient-oriented and population based research, clinical trials, health disparities research and related activities and also administers the NIDCR Practice-Based Research initiative under the NIH Cooperative Agreement mechanism.
General Dentistry Practice-Based Research Network (PBRN)
A stakeholders committee was established to assist the NIDCR in evaluating the PBRNs. The committee, which met in December, includes representation from the American Dental Association (ADA), the American Association of Public Health Dentistry (AAPHD), the National Dental Association (NDA), the Hispanic Dental Association (HDA), American Indian/Alaskan Native Dentists, American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA), American Association for Dental Research (AADR), American Dental Education Association (ADEA), patient advocates, biomedical informatics representatives, medical PBRN directors, and NIDCR staff.
The PBRNs are making good progress in establishing their infrastructure and recruiting dental practices. Two PBRNs had protocols approved by their protocol review committees and are preparing to implement the studies in the near future. Planned studies in one of the PBRNs will focus on the treatment of early caries; another PBRN is planning to evaluate treatment outcomes for advanced carious lesions with potential pulpal involvement.
Responses to Program Announcements
Community Participation in Research (PAR-05-026)
Applications were received from six oral health researchers, over half of whom were racial/ethnic minority researchers. All of the applications focused on disadvantaged communities.
Oral Health of Special Needs and Older Populations
The program announcement continues to garner interest from researchers and clinicians interested in documenting oral health status, determinants, and interventions focused on people with developmental and acquired disabilities, and frail and functionally dependent elders. Several applications that focus on special needs and older populations have been submitted.
Conference on Health Disparities
Dr. Ruth Nowjack-Raymer, director of the Health Disparities Research Program, is a member of the Behavioral and Social Sciences Coordinating Committee’s Working Group on Health Disparities that is planning a conference on health disparities research for 2006. The conference will focus on individual and community approaches to eliminating health disparities through health policy, health care and preventive strategies.
Publications
Periodontal Diseases. Pihlstrom BL, Michalowicz BS, Johnson NW. Lancet. 2005 Nov 19; 366(9499): 1809-20.
CENTER FOR HEALTH PROMOTION AND BEHAVIORAL RESEARCH
The Center for Health Promotion and Behavioral Research focuses on planning, coordinating, conducting and supporting behavioral and health promotion research including biobehavioral, social science, health literacy, communication and informatics research, as well as community-based and health delivery-based activities in areas of programmatic interest to NIDCR. Formally established October 1, 2005, the center is headed by acting director Dushanka V. Kleinman, DDS, MScD.
Recently Issued Program Announcements (PAs)
Dissemination and Implementation Research in Health (R01)
Dissemination and Implementation Research in Health (R03)
Dissemination and Implementation Research in Health (R21)
Applications Received in Response to Program Announcements
Understanding and Promoting Health Literacy, R01
Understanding and Promoting Health Literacy, R03
Applications are being reviewed for the 2005 submissions received in response to these program announcements. The applications will be brought to Council in May 2006.
Applications Received in Response to Request for Proposals
Dr. Jeffrey Hyman, Health Data and Analysis Program, serves as the NIDCR project officer for the Hispanic Community Study. Twenty-four proposals were received for the 4 field centers. Ten were received for the coordinating center. Review is scheduled for February 23, 2006.
Annual Meeting of the Hispanic Dental Association
Dr. Maria Canto, head of the Health Promotion and Community-Based Research Program, was the moderator and organizer of two sessions at the 13th Annual Meeting of the Hispanic Dental Association. The sessions were entitled: Oral Health, Diabetes and Their Interrelationships and The Role of the General Dentist in the Prevention and Early Detection of Oral Cancers. In addition, Dr. Alice Horowitz, Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Program, addressed the Role of Health Care Providers in Improving Health Outcomes. Dr. Jeffrey Hyman spoke about the upcoming Hispanic Community Study.
American Public Health Association (APHA) Annual Meeting
Dr. Alice Horowitz organized a session on “The Critical Contributions of Health Professionals to Health Literacy Improvement” for the APHA annual meeting in Philadelphia, PA, on December 13, 2005.
International Symposium on New Trends of Public Oral Health in the 21st Century
Dr. Horowitz also was the invited plenary speaker at the International Symposium on New Trends of Public Oral Health in the 21st Century, held October 28 in Seoul, Korea. She then gave lectures at two dental and two dental hygiene schools while in Korea.
NIH State of the Science Conference on Tobacco: Prevention, Cessation and Control
Dr. Patricia Bryant, director of the Basic and Applied Behavioral/Social Science Research Program, is serving on the planning committee for this NIH State of the Science Conference that will be held in Bethesda, MD, June 12-14, 2006.
Publications
Rudd R, Horowitz, AM. The Role of Health Literacy in Achieving Oral Health for Elders. J Dent Edu 2005;69:1018-1021.
Hyman JJ. Editorial. The Importance of Assessing Confounding and Effect Modification in Research Involving Periodontal Disease and Systemic Diseases. Journal of Clinical Periodontology. 2005, In Press
DIVISION OF INTRAMURAL RESEARCH
5th European Group on Oral Biology: Facing the Future – Challenges in Oral Biology
The meeting of the 5th European Group on Oral Biology, held in Zurich, Switzerland in September, commemorated the retirement of Dr. Bernie Guggenheim--a founding father of the organization--and honored him for his substantial contributions to oral microbiology and immunology. The meeting opened with a telecast keynote address by Dr. Tabak focusing on “A Systems View of Oral Biology.” State-of-the-art lectures then focused on orofacial development; saving and maintenance of oral mucosa and salivary glands; oral infections; tissue engineering and repair; and risk factors and diagnostic markers. Several Division of Intramural Research investigators gave presentations, including Drs. Kenneth Yamada, Jay Chiorini, and Pamela Gehron Robey.
Gordon Research Conference on Small Integrin Binding Proteins
The first Gordon Research Conference based on the biology of small, integrin-binding proteins, was held September 11-16, 2005 in Big Sky, MT. The conference was organized and co-chaired by Dr. Larry W. Fisher of the DIR. Small integrin-binding proteins, which were first associated with extracellular matrix of hard tissues, are implicated in an expanding set of biological processes. Based on positive feedback, this conference will be held again in 2007.
2006 Fellows Award for Research Excellence (FARE)
Twelve NIDCR postdoctoral scientists were selected to receive the 2006 FARE award. The award ceremony took place November 8 on the NIH campus. Winners of FARE received $1,000 travel awards enabling them to attend and present their work at a scientific meeting. The NIDCR awardees were: Drs. Inna Belfer, Yanming Bi, Ana Cotrim, Catherine Galbraith, Fumi Mineshiba, Junji Mineshiba, Yasuo Miura, Tej Pareek, Hans Rosenfeldt, Wataru Sonoyama, Roman Szabo, and E Tian. Immediately following the ceremony, FARE awardees presented posters about their research.
Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS)
The DIR Office of Education provided training and research opportunities materials for the annual SACNAS conference, held September 29-October 1 in Denver, CO.
American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES)
Dr. Albert Avila, former director of the Office of Education, and Dr. Deborah Philp, the new director (see p. 24), attended the AISES annual conference in Charlotte, NC, on November 4-5. While at the meeting they met with students interested in doing research at the NIDCR. They also disseminated research training and application materials at the Institute’s exhibit booth.
Significant Publications:
Bi Y, Stuelten CH, Kilts T, Wadhwa S, Iozzo RV, Robey PG, Chen XD, Young MF. Extracellular matrix proteoglycans control the fate of bone marrow stromal cells. J Biol Chem. 2005 Aug 26;280(34):30481-9. Epub 2005 Jun 17.
Kelly MH, Brillante B, Kushner H, Gehron Robey P, Collins MT. Physical function is impaired but quality of life preserved in patients with fibrous dysplasia of bone. Bone. 2005 Sep;37(3):388-94.
The Dense Core Transmembrane Vesicle Protein IA-2 is a Regulator of Vesicle Number and Insulin Secretion. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USÅ 102, 8704-8709
Harashima, S., Clark, A., Christie, M.R., and Notkins, A.L.: 2005.
Cotrim AP, Sowers AL, Lodde BM, Vitolo JM, Kingman A, Russo A, Mitchell JB, Baum BJ. Kinetics of tempol for prevention of xerostomia following head and neck irradiation in a mouse model. Clin Cancer Res. 2005 Oct 15;11(20):7564-8.
Wang J, Voutetakis A, Papa M, Rivera VM, Clackson T, Lodde BM, Mineshiba F, Baum BJ. Rapamycin control of transgene expression from a single AAV vector in mouse salivary glands. Gene Ther. 2005 Sep 22; [Epub ahead of print]
Amornphimoltham P., Patel V., Sodhi A., Nikitakis N.G., Sauk J.J., Sausville E.A., Molinolo A.A., and Gutkind J.S. mTOR, a molecular target in squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck. Cancer Research, 65:9953-9961, 2005.
Castellone M.D., Teramoto H., Williams B.O., Druey K.M., and Gutkind J.S. Prostaglandin E2 promotes colon cancer cell growth through a novel Gs-axin--catenin signaling axis. Science, 310:1504-1510, 2005.
Pankov R, Endo Y, Even-Ram S, Araki M, Clark K, Cukierman E, Matsumoto K, Yamada KM. A Rac switch regulates random versus directionally persistent cell migration. J Cell Biol. Aug 29;170(5):793-802, 2005.
Segarra M, Vilardell C, Matsumoto K, Esparza J, Lozano E, Serra-Pages C, Urbano-Marquez A, Yamada KM, Cid MC. Dual function of focal adhesion kinase in regulating integrin-induced MMP-2 and MMP-9 release by human T lymphoid cells. FASEB J. Nov;19(13):1875-7, 2005.
Takino T, Nakada M, Miyamori H, Watanabe Y, Sato T, Gantulga D, Yoshioka K, Yamada KM, Sato H. JSAP1/JIP3 cooperates with focal adhesion kinase to regulate c-Jun N-terminal kinase and cell migration. J Biol Chem. Nov 11;280(45):37772-81, 2005.
Hibino S, Shibuya M, Hoffman MP, Engbring JA, Hossain R, Mochizuki M, Kudoh
S, Nomizu M, Kleinman HK. Laminin alpha5 chain metastasis- and angiogenesis-inhibiting peptide blocks fibroblast growth factor 2 activity by binding to the heparan sulfate chains of CD44. Cancer Res. Nov 15;65(22):10494-501, 2005.
Koblinski JE, Kaplan-Singer BR, VanOsdol SJ, Wu M, Engbring JA, Wang S,
Goldsmith CM, Piper JT, Vostal JG, Harms JF, Welch DR, Kleinman HK. Endogenous osteonectin/SPARC/BM-40 expression inhibits MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell metastasis. Cancer Res. Aug 15;65(16):7370-7, 2005.
INTERNATIONAL ACTIVITIES
Office of International Health (OIH) Hosts First Dentist in Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program
OIH recently hosted Dr. Benjamin Oaikhena, a Nigerian dentist who is chief executive officer of the Regal Dental Clinic in Abuja and a fellow in the current Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program. OIH staff provided Dr. Oaikhena with an orientation to the NIDCR, its grantees, and national resources available through professional organizations in the Baltimore and DC metropolitan area.
Dr. Oaikhena was assigned to Tulane University shortly before Hurricane Katrina hit that area. He was then re-assigned to the Johns Hopkins University where he is studying public health and planning strategy for a campaign against transmission of HIV and Hepatitis B brought about by “unwholesome” dental practices.
The Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program is designed for accomplished professionals from selected developing and transitional countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean, the Middle East, Europe, and Eurasia. It enables those selected to come to the U.S. at a midpoint in their careers for a year of non-degree study and related practical professional experience. The program is part of the Fulbright exchange activity and receives its primary funding from the U.S. Department of State. It is administered through the Institute of International Education in Washington, DC.
U.S. Civilian Research & Development Foundation (CRDF) Representative Meets with NIDCR Staff
On December 1, Dr. David H. Lindeman, director of development at the CRDF, visited the NIDCR to update executive staff about the foundation’s investments, including the Cooperative Grants Program to which the NIDCR and many NIH Institutes and Centers make a contribution. The Cooperative Grants Program supports civilian R&D collaborations between scientists and engineers in the U.S. and in the Former Soviet Union (FSU). Detailed information is available on the CRDF website at:
A new solicitation is planned that builds upon previous efforts addressing chronic disease and prevention, micronutrient research, informatics and interdisciplinary studies.
Dr. Lois K. Cohen Receives Two Awards
On November 15, Dr. Lois K. Cohen, associate director for international health, was presented with the first Friends of the NIDCR Honor Award at their Gala Awards Dinner held at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. She received the award for her work in bringing the social and behavioral sciences disciplines together with oral health research; for leadership in long-range research planning, evaluation and administration; and for fostering and facilitating interdisciplinary and collaborative global health research among scientists and institutions world-wide.
On December 26, she was presented with honorary membership in the dental fraternity, Alpha Omega, for her contributions to the advancement of oral health research nationally and globally (including the area of the Middle East) in an effort to build bridges for collaborations.
COMMUNICATIONS ACTIVITIES
Updated TMJ Disorders Patient Publication Undergoes Audience Testing
Office of Communications and Health Education (OCHE) staff have updated NIDCR's "Temporomandibular Disorders" booklet for patients. Now called "TMJ Disorders" to better approximate what patients call the condition, the publication was recently tested with TMJ patients across the country. The purpose of this testing was to determine if the main message is clear and if the booklet is otherwise understandable to the target audience. A secondary goal of testing was to determine how information in the booklet compares to what TMJ patients have been told by their health care providers. Test results will be used to revise the booklet so that it better meets patients' information needs, and to help determine what types of health care providers are most in need of information about the importance of using the most conservative, reversible treatments possible for TMJ disorders.
Spanish-Language Publication on Oral Complications of HIV Now Available
To help Spanish-speakers living with HIV better understand and talk with their health care providers about oral conditions associated with HIV/AIDS, an online publication titled “Problemas orales en pacientes con infección por el VIH ” is now available on the NIDCR web site. This publication explains the most common oral problems linked to HIV and shows what they look like. It also describes where in the mouth they occur and how they are treated. An English version of the publication, "Mouth Problems & HIV," is also available.
Dissemination of Patient and Health Professional Education Publications
NIDCR and its National Oral Health Information Clearinghouse (NOHIC) responded to 11,970 public inquiries and distributed 1,841,772 publications in 2005.
Since the last meeting of the National Advisory Dental and Craniofacial Research Council, OCHE staff exhibited and distributed NIDCR patient and health professional education materials at the following meetings:
- American Dental Association annual session in Philadelphia, October 5-9, 2005
- National Caregivers Conference in Atlantic City, November 3, 2005
- Hispanic Dental Association annual meeting in San Antonio, November 18-19, 2005
- World Congress and Exposition on Disabilities in Philadelphia, December 1-3, 2005
NIDCR materials were also displayed at the following conferences:
- Celebra la Vida con Salud (2005 Hispanic health fair tour), held in 10 U.S. cities from September 11 through November 20, 2005
- American Public Health Association, Oral Health Section, in Philadelphia, December 10-13, 2005
- Telemundo's Feria de la Familia in Washington, D.C., December 11, 2005
NIDCR Patient Advocates Forum to be Held April 2006
OCHE and NOHIC staff have begun the planning phase for logistics and support for the 7th annual Patient Advocates Forum, which will be held April 25, 2006 on the NIH campus. The one-day meeting affords the opportunity to enhance communication between patient advocacy organizations and NIDCR and to bring the patient perspective to Institute planning and research.
NIH Workshop on Health Promotion and Outreach to American Indians and Alaska Natives
Together with the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, the National Institute on Aging, and the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, NIDCR OCHE staff helped to organize Taking Action: Health Promotion and Outreach with American Indians and Alaska Natives. This half-day workshop, which took place in the Natcher Conference Center on November 1, 2005, provided a primer for NIH communications staff interested in developing health education materials or programs for Native peoples. Invited American Indian and Alaska Native speakers described the demographics, geography, and health status of the Native community; influences on health behavior, including culture, values, and traditions; and the Indian health care system. NIH communications staff who have already had the opportunity to work with American Indians and/or Alaska Natives concluded the meeting by sharing lessons learned.
PERSONNEL
- Dr. Dushanka V. Kleinman returned to the NIDCR in October to resume her duties as deputy director of the Institute. For the past two years, she coordinated NIH Roadmap activities for the NIH Director. In addition to her role as deputy director, Dr. Kleinman continues to serve as chief dental officer of the USPHS and now serves as acting director of the newly created Center for Health Promotion and Behavioral Research in NIDCR’s extramural program.
- With Dr. Kleinman’s return, Dr. Henning Birkedal-Hansen, who served as acting deputy director, has assumed a new role within the Institute as associate director for program development. He will retain oversight of the Institute’s training activities and work directly with the NIDCR Director to help identify future scientific opportunities for the NIDCR. He also is continuing the vetting of the implementation plan for the NIDCR Strategic Plan.
- Dr. Ann Sandberg, acting director of the Center for Integrative Craniofacial Research, retired on December 2 after more than 30 years of government service at the NIDCR. Her career spanned roles as a bench researcher, science administrator, and Institute representative to the larger research community. Dr. Sandberg joined the Institute’s intramural research program in 1972 where she served for more than 20 years. Her extramural career began in 1995 when she was named chief of the Neoplastic Diseases Branch. She then led the Division of Basic and Translational Sciences, and most recently, the newly formed Center that focused on craniofacial research.
- After a national search, Dr. Pamela McInnes was selected as director of the Institute’s Center for Infectious Diseases and Immunology. Dr. McInnes most recently served as deputy director of the Division of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases in the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. She received her D.D.S. from the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa in 1977 and MSc (Dent) from the same institute in 1980.
- Dr. Raj Krishnaraju was appointed as a scientific review administrator in the Scientific Review Branch on November 27. Dr. Krishnaraju received his Ph.D. in 1990 from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi. He previously was an intern in the Center for Scientific Review where he served as a health scientist administrator for almost two years.
- Dr. Deborah Philp has joined the Division of Intramural Research as the new director of the Office of Education. In this capacity she is responsible for organizing and promoting all aspects of the intramural training program. Dr. Philp received her B.S., M.Phil., and Ph.D. degrees in biology from the City University of New York. She joined the NIH as a research fellow in 2000 and worked in the Craniofacial Developmental Biology and Regeneration Branch with Dr. Hynda Kleinman.
- On October 1, Dr. Raymond Dionne, chief of the DIR Pain and Neurosensory Mechanisms Branch, left the Institute to become scientific director of the National Institute of Nursing Research. Dr. Dionne was with the NIDCR for over 25 years and had served as chief of the Pain and Neurosensory Mechanisms Branch since 2001.
- Dr. Hynda Kleinman, chief of the Cell Biology Section, Craniofacial Developmental Biology and Regeneration Branch, retired on January 6, 2006 after 30 years in the Federal government. Dr. Kleinman is now a professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at George Washington University. During her time in the NIDCR intramural program, Dr. Kleinman made a series of breakthroughs in the fields of angiogenesis, cancer metastasis, and wound repair. Dr. Kleinman will maintain an affiliation with the NIDCR as a Scientist Emeritus.
- On December 24, Ms. Rebecca Roper left the NIDCR to accept a position as a health scientist administrator at the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Ms. Roper had been with NIDCR for two years, first in the Division of Extramural Activities and more recently in the Center for Clinical Research.