Director's Report to Council: September 2007

ACTIVITIES OF THE NIDCR DIRECTOR

NIDCR Director Lawrence Tabak continued to maintain an active schedule since the last meeting of the National Advisory Dental and Craniofacial Research Council.  He testified at an NIH hearing on Capitol Hill, spoke to professional and research organizations about the future of dental, oral, and craniofacial research, and delivered presentations at dental schools.  At the request of NIH Director Elias A. Zerhouni, Dr. Tabak is co-chairing two working groups charged with examining the NIH peer review process.   He also continues to serve on the NIH Steering Committee that oversees governance issues at NIH and to co-chair the NIH Roadmap Working Group on Interdisciplinary Research Teams of the Future, the NIH Information Technology Working Group, the Strategic Advisory Committee on Human Resources, and the NIH Pain Consortium. 

On June 22, Dr. Tabak testified before the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, HHS, and Education as part of the fifth NIH theme hearing on the FY 08 Budget for the National Institutes of Health: A New Vision for Medical Research (Part 1).  See Dr. Tabak’s statement.  Also participating in the hearing were Drs. Ruth Kirschstein, Acting Director, National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine; Duane Alexander, Director, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development; Paul Sieving, Director, National Eye Institute; and David Schwartz, Director, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. 

In June, Dr. Zerhouni announced the formation of two working groups—one internal, the other external--to examine the NIH peer review process, with the goal of enhancing its efficiency and effectiveness.  The groups are seeking input from reviewers, applicants, members of the public, and from within NIH.  As the co-chair of both groups, Dr. Tabak led NIH internal staff meetings on enhancing peer review held July 18 and July 31; a town hall meeting held August 16; and a professional society consultation peer review meeting held July 30 in Washington, D.C., in addition to regional meetings.  The first regional meeting took place September 12 in Chicago; two additional regional meetings are scheduled for October 8 in New York City and October 25 in San Francisco.  View the common agenda for the peer review meetings.  Results from the external working group will be presented to the full Advisory Committee to the NIH Director in December 2007. The internal NIH steering committee working group will present its findings to the NIH Director’s Steering Committee that same month.  The groups will then meet in January 2008 to develop a set of integrated recommendations for next steps.  

In addition to these activities, Dr. Tabak presented the keynote address on “The Future of Dentistry" at the Organization for Safety and Asepsis Procedures 2007 Annual Symposium, held in Charlotte, NC, in June, and delivered a lecture on "Molecular Medicine Enters the Mouth" at the University of the Pacific in San Francisco, CA.   In July he attended the 94th Annual Convention of the National Dental Association held in Atlanta, GA, and spoke about “Oral and Overall Health Connections: Science or Speculation” at the President’s Symposium on “Exploring the Link Between Oral Disease and Systemic Health: Bridging the Healthcare Gap Between Dentistry and Medicine.”  In September, he was interviewed live on “Tomorrow’s Medicine Today” at Montclair State University in Montclair, NJ.  

ACTIVITIES OF THE NIDCR DEPUTY DIRECTOR

On June 22, NIDCR Deputy Director Isabel Garcia gave the keynote presentation at the first meeting of the dental school consortium on informatics held at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine.  The goal of the consortium, called the Collaboration for Oral Health-Related Informatics (COHRI), is to develop standardized electronic health records to facilitate data sharing for research purposes.  All of the dental schools participating in the consortium use the same electronic health record system.  Overall, approximately 35 dental schools in North America and one in Europe use the system, and the number is expected to increase to 45 by the end of 2008.  Because of the ease of developing common data within the system, it is anticipated that membership in COHRI will reach 30 schools by this time next year.  See additional information about COHRI.
 
On July 6, Dr. Garcia represented the NIDCR at the initial meeting of a working group convened by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) to examine dental workforce needs in the United States.  The planning meeting identified areas of analysis for the IOM to focus on as it develops proposals to study the capacity and future requirements of the dental workforce in addressing oral health needs. 
     
During the annual U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Officers Association Scientific and Training Symposium held June 4-6, Dr. Garcia received the Juan Carlos Findlay Award.  The award was given to her for outstanding leadership and achievement in improving access to health care and services in the Hispanic community.  The Findlay award was established by the Hispanic Officers Advisory Committee of the USPHS to honor individuals, organizations, or groups who through work performance have demonstrated leadership in programs or initiatives that improve health services for Hispanics.  The award is named after Dr. Juan Carlos Findlay (1833-1915), a Cuban physician and epidemiologist who discovered that the mosquito was the vector of “fiebre amarilla” or yellow fever.

The NIDCR Deputy Director also continues her active involvement in NIH’s Research, Condition, and Disease Categorization (RCDC) effort and to serve on two of its committees.  In addition, she collaborates with Dr. Kathy Hayes in overseeing NIDCR’s Dental Public Health Residency, which recently welcomed part-time resident Dr. Michael Johnson.

BUDGET UPDATE

FY 2007
NIDCR is funded for the fiscal year by a Joint Resolution that provides the Institute $389.4 million without requirement to transfer funding for NIH Roadmap projects, which will be funded in FY 2007 entirely by funds appropriated directly to the Office of the Director, NIH.   For comparison purposes, the President’s Request for FY 2007 was $386.1 million for NIDCR, including $4.6 million for the support of NIH Roadmap activities.  

FY 2008
The President’s Budget for FY 2008 would provide $389.7 million for NIDCR, with the requirement that $5.1 million is transferred to the Office of the Director, NIH for the support of NIH Roadmap activities.  Dr. Zerhouni testified in support of the President’s Budget before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on March 6 and before the Senate Subcommittee on March 19.  Dr. Tabak testified before the Senate Subcommittee on June 22.

HHS/NIH/NIDCR UPDATE

See the NIH Director's E-Newsletter on Peer Review:
See the summer 2007 message from the NIH Director.

Third Annual NIH Director's Pioneer Award Symposium
An exciting program is set for the third annual NIH Director's Pioneer Award Symposium on September 19.  The event will feature research talks by the 2006 Pioneer Award recipients, including NIDCR grantee David A. Relman, M.D, and announcement of the 2007 Pioneer awardees. The NIH Director's Pioneer Award program--a key component of the NIH Roadmap for Medical Research--supports exceptionally creative scientists who take highly innovative, and potentially transformative, approaches to major challenges in biomedical research. 

NIH Pipeline to Partnerships Initiative
NIH has announced a new Web-based resource called NIH Pipeline to Partnerships (P2P), aimed at furthering the development of NIH's licensed technologies and technologies funded through the NIH Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs. This new P2P initiative provides a virtual space where NIH licensees and NIH SBIR/STTR awardees can showcase their technologies and product development for an audience of potential strategic partners, investors, and licensees. 

NIH Funds Knockout Mouse Repository
NIH will provide $4.8 million to establish and support a repository for its Knockout Mouse Project.  The award is the final component of a more than $50 million trans-NIH initiative to increase the availability of genetically altered mice and related materials.  The University of California, Davis and Children's Hospital Oakland Research Institute (CHORI) in Oakland, CA, will collaborate to preserve, protect, and make about 8,500 types of knockout mice and related products available to the research community.   

NIDCR New Investigators R03 Small Grant Program
NIDCR has issued a new Funding Opportunities Announcement (FOA) for the NIDCR Small Grant Program for New Investigators (R03).  The FOA, published in the NIH Guide on July 25, incorporates the following changes:
• Increased budget cap from $100,000 to $150,000 over two years
• Decrease in required Principal Investigator (PI) effort from 25% to 20%
• Use of the NIH definition for “New Investigator” 
Applications will be evaluated for scientific and technical merit by an appropriate review group convened by NIDCR in accordance with the review criteria stated in the FOA.   Also see the related R03 Notice.

SCIENCE ADVANCES

Lab on a Chip for Oral Cancer Shows Promise
Scientists supported by the NIDCR have engineered the first fully automated, all-in-one test, or lab on a chip, that can be programmed to probe cells brushed from the mouth for a common sign of oral cancer.  About half the size of a toaster, the portable device yields results in just under 10 minutes, or well within the duration of a routine visit to a dentist or doctor.  Currently, patients must undergo an often painful tissue biopsy and usually wait three days to a week for the lab results.  “What’s exciting is the speed and efficiency that this test will bring to the diagnostic process,” said John McDevitt, Ph.D., a scientist at the University of Texas at Austin and the senior author on the paper, published in the August issue of the journal Lab on a Chip.  “No longer will patients need to endure referrals, long waits for test results, and scheduling follow up consultations.  Patients will get immediate results and feedback from their dentist or doctor on how best to proceed.”  McDevitt said his group’s proof of principle study showed that their test could accurately measure levels of epidermal growth factor receptor, or EGFR, on three distinct types of oral cancer cells.  This protein, which is normally displayed on the surface of our cells, tends to be overproduced in oral tumor cells and serves as a measurable marker of oral cancer.   Collaborating with Dr. McDevitt were S.E. Weigum, P.N. Floriano, and N. Christodoulides.

Nature’s Secrets Yield New Adhesive Material  
Scientists report they have merged two of nature’s most elegant strategies for wet and dry adhesion to produce a synthetic material that one day could lead to more durable and longer-lasting bandages, patches, and surgical materials.  As published in the July 18 issue of the journal Nature, the NIDCR-supported scientists have designed a synthetic material that starts with the dry adhesive properties of the gecko lizard and supplements it with the underwater adhesive properties of a mussel.  The hybrid material, which they call a geckel nanoadhesive, proved in initial testing to be adherent under dry and wet conditions. It also adhered much longer under both extremes than previous gecko-based synthetic adhesives, a major issue in this area of research.  According to the authors, their findings mark the first time that two polar opposite adhesion strategies in nature have been merged into a man-made reversible adhesive.  Phillip Messersmith, D. D.S., Ph.D., a scientist at Northwestern University in Evanston, IL, is the senior author on the paper.  The co-authors are H. Lee and B. P. Lee.

Engineering Salivary Glands In Vitro
Regenerating or creating an artificial salivary gland will require tissue engineering of cells into appropriately organized, functional structures.  NIDCR intramural scientists have discovered that embryonic salivary cells separated by enzyme treatment can be induced to aggregate and generate three-dimensional precursor glandular structures. In the journal Tissue Engineering, they report that single-cell suspensions of enzyme-dissociated salivary epithelial cells from embryonic mouse submandibular glands will self-assemble into random aggregates of motile cells that then spontaneously self-organize to form branches and preductal structures. This process involves cell adhesion requiring both integrin and cadherin molecules, and required maintaining cells at high density within a hydrogel containing a basement membrane extract. It generates structures with molecular morphological architecture similar to that of intact embryonic glands and also successfully induces the expression of salivary differentiation markers, including aquaporin-5 and SMG protein C. This intrinsic ability of dissociated cells to self-assemble, branch, and express differentiation markers suggests that cell-based tissue engineering may provide a future approach for replacement of damaged salivary glands. The research was conducted by C. Wei, M. Larsen, M.P. Hoffman, and K.M. Yamada in the NIDCR Laboratory of Cell and Developmental Biology.    

Researchers Develop Stronger Calcium Phosphate Cement for Craniofacial Bone Repair
Just over a decade ago, the Food and Drug Administration approved the first calcium phosphate cement to repair craniofacial wounds and/or birth defects.  The paste was self setting in the cavity, promoted new bone growth, and gave way to new bone as it formed.  However, calcium phosphate cement arrived on the market with a major limitation.  The material is of such low strength and high susceptibility to severe fracture that doctors can use it only to reconstruct non-stress bearing bone, raising the need for a tougher new generation of calcium phosphate cement.  As reported online in May in the journal Biomaterials, scientists partially supported by NIDCR have taken an important step in that direction.  According to the authors, they devised a unique two-step approach that starts with filling the bone cavity with a calcium phosphate cement paste that is macroporous, or contains needed pores to allow the ingrowth of new bone.  Thereafter, they introduce a stronger, fiber-reinforced layer that provides the needed early structural support.  Simultaneous with new bone filling in and around the macropores to provide natural strength, the reinforcing fibers of the second layer begin to dissolve and produce additional macropores.  In a series of laboratory experiments, the authors found the layered structure greatly improved the mechanical strength of the calcium phosphate cement implant.   They also determined the relationships between flexural strength, stiffness, and the optimum implant layer thickness ratios.  The authors of the study are H.H. Xu, E.F. Burguera, and L.E. Carey from the Paffenbarger Research Center, American Dental Association Foundation, National Institute of Standards and Technology.

Study Evaluates Commensal and Pathogenic Bacteria in Oral Biofilm
When describing oral bacteria, dentists often mention “commensals.”  The term refers to the “good” bacteria that tend to be plentiful in the mouths of people with healthy gums and which often are lower in number among those with periodontal disease.  As well established as this paradigm is in dentistry, much remains to be learned about how commensals keep the “bad,” or pathogenic, bacteria from proliferating and infecting the gums.  In the July issue of the Journal of Dental Research, NIDCR grantees and colleagues take a close look at this issue.  Using cultured epithelial cells, they evaluated the ability of seven presumed commensals to interfere, exclude, or displace the oral pathogen Aggregatibacter (formerly Actinobacillus) actinomycetemcomitans.  A. actinomycetemcomitans is strongly associated with juvenile periodontal disease.  The scientists determined that three presumed commensals - Streptococcus sanguinis, Streptococcus mitis, and Streptococcus salivarius - had prominent inhibitory effects on the colonization and/or recovery of A. actinomycetemcomitans.  Interestingly, commensals Actinomyces naeslundii and Haemophilus parainfluenzae facilitated the colonization of A. actinomycetemcomitans.  But as the researchers noted, “The colonization of the test strains was also affected by the pathogen, indicating that these are two-way interactions, influencing the colonization of both pathogen and test strains.”  According to the authors, this study is the first to be published that describes in vitro interference of an oral pathogen’s colonization of epithelial cells.  Collaborating on the study were W. Teughels, S. Kinder Haake, I. Sliepen, M. Pauwels, J. Van Eldere, J.J. Cassiman, and M. Quirynen at Catholic University Leuven, Belgium and the UCLA School of Dentistry.

MEETINGS, WORKSHOPS, AND LECTURES

2007 Gordon Research Conference on Calcium Signaling
Dr. Indu Ambudkar, chief of the Gene Therapy and Therapeutics Branch, chaired the Gordon Research Conference on Calcium Signaling, held July 7-13 in Tilton, NH.  The meeting was supported by NIDCR as well as the Office of Rare Diseases and a number of private organizations.  The conference is held biennially, alternating between sites in the U.S. and Europe.  It provides the premier forum for scientists with diverse interests in calcium signaling to review exciting developments in this area. 

2007 Gordon Research Conference on Bones and Teeth
Dr. Pamela Gehron Robey, chief of the Craniofacial and Skeletal Diseases Branch, chaired the Bones and Teeth Gordon Research Conference, held July 15-20 in Biddeford, ME. The 127 conference participants attended sessions on epigenetics, skeletal development, dental biology, stem cell biology, osteoimmunology, metastatic bone disease, calcium and phosphate metabolism, and current therapies for the treatment of bone disorders, which are emerging areas of relevance to skeletal homeostasis in health and disease.  The conference was supported in part by the NIDCR, the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), and the National Institute of Arthritis and MuscuIoskeletal Diseases (NIAMS).  

2007 Gordon Research Conference on Collagen
NIDCR, NIAMS, and NICHD co-sponsored the 2007 Gordon Research Conference on Collagen, held July 22-27 in New London, NH.  The conference reported on leading edge discoveries that relate to the complexity of the collagen genome, the diversity of the collagen proteome, and variations that result from mutations or physiological alterations.  Presentations highlighted the central roles of collagens in a wide variety of extracellular matrices in all organs, interactions with other matrix macromolecules and cellular constituents, as well as the roles of matrix in cell function, development and pathology.

Sun Valley Workshop on Skeletal Tissue Biology
NIDCR, NIAMS and NICHD also co-sponsored the 37th International Sun Valley Workshop on Skeletal Tissue Biology, held August 5-8 in Sun Valley, ID.  The workshop aimed to (1) work toward a multidisciplinary basic and clinical synthesis of molecular, tissue and biomechanical processes related to the pathogenesis, prevention and treatment of bone and joint diseases; (2) develop a dialogue between basic and clinical investigators; and (3) provide training workshops for junior faculty and students that help bridge the gaps between disciplines.  This year’s conference included a session on current knowledge and research needs related to osteonecrosis of the jaw.

Tissue Engineering & Regenerative Medicine International Society (TERMIS) Conference
Dr. Nadya Lumelsky, director of the Tissue Engineering & Dental & Craniofacial Regenerative Medicine Program, co-chaired two scientific sessions at the 2007 TERMIS conference held June 13-16 in Toronto, Canada.  One session was on “Adult Stem Cells;” the other was on “Oral, Dental & Craniofacial Tissue Engineering.”  Dr. Lumelsky also co-organized a workshop entitled “Tissue Science and Engineering: The Next Frontier,” which solicited input from the scientific community on tissue engineering strategies for biological research and generation of complex tissues.

Chronic Somatic Syndromes Consortium
Dr. John Kusiak, director of the Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience Program, represented NIDCR at an organizational meeting of the Chronic Somatic Syndromes Consortium, held May 30-31 at the University of Michigan.  The purpose of the meeting was to initiate discussions on forming an academic consortium of researchers to study chronic pain conditions such as chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, temporomandibular joint and muscle disorders, and irritable bowel syndrome and to solicit interest from the pharmaceutical industry, NIH, and other government agencies for support. The consortium plans to develop guidelines for treatment and diagnosis of these diseases, facilitate interdisciplinary multi-center research, and educate physicians and health care workers about these disorders.

NIH Neuroscience Blueprint Workshops
Stem Cell Workshop
Dr. Kusiak attended the NIH Neuroscience Blueprint Stem Cell Workshop, June 28-29 in Bethesda, MD. The workshop gathered information from national and international experts on the state of embryonic stem cell research as applied to the neurosciences and the feasibility of developing specific neuronal cell types from these stem cells.  The experts also commented on new tools and resources necessary to advance the use of embryonic stem cells in neuroscience research. 

Neuroplasticity Workshop
Dr. Kusiak was a member of the planning group for the NIH Neuroscience Blueprint Neuroplasticity Workshop, held August 29-31 in Bethesda, MD.  Workshop participants developed recommendations about tools and resources that would advance the field of neuroplasticity, broadly encompassing areas from molecular mechanisms of synaptic strength modulation, to neural network plasticity, to behavioral modification.

Other Meetings Attended by NIDCR Staff:
4th International AIDS Society Conference on HIV Pathogenesis and Treatment
15th SPORE Workshop
29th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research
AIDS Vaccine Conference
American Association of Oral Medicine
NHLBI Lung Microbiome Workshop
Society of Clinical Trials
Steering Committee Meeting for the Hispanic Community Health Study (HCHS) – Study of Latinos (SOL)
Workshop on Sample Collection for the Human Microbiome Project 

RESEARCH TRAINING AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT UPDATE

Loan Repayment Program
Through the NIH Loan Repayment Program (LRP), NIDCR awarded loan repayment benefits to 15 investigators conducting clinical or pediatric research in FY 2007.  The LRP seeks to recruit and retain highly qualified health professionals to biomedical, behavioral and clinical research careers by using the repayment of educational loans as an incentive.  NIH will repay up to $35,000 per year of each awardee’s qualified educational debt and make corresponding Federal tax payments to cover the increase in Federal taxes.  The next application cycle is September 1, 2007 - December 1, 2007. 

Diversity Supplements
NIDCR to date has provided funds for a total of 12 new diversity supplements in FY 2007 through the Program Announcement for Research Supplements for Underrepresented Minorities and Research Supplements for Individuals with Disabilities.  These competitive supplements can be used to support minority and disadvantaged candidates or candidates with disabilities at the high school, college, graduate student, postdoc and junior faculty career level.

NIDCR Curriculum Development Grant Program Highlighted in Journal
NIDCR’s R25 Curriculum Development grant program was highlighted in an article published in the July issue of the Journal of Dental Research.  Dr. Tony Iacopino, professor and associate dean for research and graduate studies, described the impact of the R25 support at Marquette University School of Dentistry, concluding that “the R25 programming changed the culture of [the] dental school, creating a supportive environment for research/scholarship, increasing academic productivity, and altering the attitudes of faculty/students.” 

Iaopino AM, Pyor ME, Taft TB, Lynch DP.  The effect of NIDCR R25 grant support on the curriculum and culture of a research non-intensive dental school.  J Dent Res 2007; 86(7):581-585.

Visits to Dental Schools
Dr. Kevin Hardwick, chief, Research Training and Career Development Branch, visited the dental schools at New York University, Stony Brook and the University of Michigan.  At each school he presented an overview of NIDCR’s research priorities and training opportunities and met with interested faculty and students to discuss individual career and funding opportunities. 

News About NIDCR Awardees
NIDCR K22 awardee Jessica Lee, DDS, MPH, PhD, has received her first R01 (R01-DE018045) entitled, “Examination of Oral Health Literacy in Public Health Practice.”  Dr. Lee is completing her K22 award this year, and is an associate professor in the Department of Pediatric Dentistry at the University of North Carolina.

Former NIDCR K22 awardee Janet Quinn, PhD, has received her first R01 (R01-DE017983) entitled, “Dental Restoration Failure Analysis.”  Dr. Quinn is an adjunct associate professor at the ADA Paffenbarger Research Center.

Former NIDCR K23 awardee Nisha D’Silva, BDS, PhD, has received her first R01 (R01-DE018512) entitled, “Role of Rap1 in cadherin and integrin mediated cross-talk in oral keratinocytes.”  Dr. D’Silva is an assistant professor in the Department of Oral Pathology, University of Michigan (UM) as well as director of the Head and Neck Cancer Tissue Core at the UM Cancer Center.

Former NIDCR F32 and K22 awardee Kristin Artinger, PhD, received her second R01 (R01-DE017699) entitled, “The Role of prdm1 in Branchial Arch Development.”  Dr. Artinger is an assistant professor at the University of Colorado Health Science Center.

Former K22 awardee Janina Lewis, PhD, has received her second R01 (R01-DE018039) entitled, “Virulence Factors of Periodontopathogens.”  Dr. Lewis is an assistant professor at the Philips Institute of Oral and Craniofacial Molecular Biology at Virginia Commonwealth University.

NIDCR K22 awardee Diane Duffey, MD, has moved from Mt. Sinai to Yale University where she will continue her K22 research project, “Mechanisms of ATF2 in Survival of Head and Neck Cancer.” (K22-DE015835)

Recent publications from K awardees include:
Abe M, Ruest LB, Clouthier DE. Fate of cranial neural crest cells during craniofacial development in endothelin-A receptor-deficient mice. Int J Dev Biol 2007;51(2):97-105. (K02-DE014765)

Jin JZ, Ding J. Analysis of cell migration, transdifferentiation and apoptosis during mouse secondary palate fusion. Development 2006 Sep;133(17):3341-7. (K02-DE016845)

Xu X, Chen Z, Wang Y, Bonewald L, Steffensen B. Inhibition of MMP-2 gelatinolysis by targeting exodomain-substrate interactions. Biochem J 2007 Aug 15;406(1):147-55. (K02-DE016312)

Fisher MA, Taylor GW, Shelton BJ, Debanne SM. Predictive Values of Self-Reported Periodontal Need: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III. J Periodontol 2007 Aug;78(8):1551-1560. (K08-DE016031)

Black SA Jr, Palamakumbura AH, Stan M, Trackman PC. Tissue-specific mechanisms for CCN2/CTGF persistence in fibrotic gingiva: interactions between cAMP and MAPK signaling pathways, and prostaglandin E2-EP3 receptor mediated activation of the c-JUN N-terminal kinase.  J Biol Chem 2007 May 25;282(21):15416-29. (K08-DE016609)

Henson BS, Carey TE, D’Silva NJ. An optimized orthotopic floor-of-the-mouth cancer model allows for localized placement of human squamous cell carcinoma cells. Journal of Oral Pathology and Medicine 2007 Jul;36(6):363-70. (K08-DE014620)

Gammill LS, Gonzalez C, Bronner-Fraser M. Neuropilin 2/semaphorin 3F signaling is essential for cranial neural crest migration and trigeminal ganglion condensation. Dev Neurobiol 2007 Jan;67(1):47-56.  (K22-DE015309)

Wang Y, Spencer P, Walker MP. Chemical profile of adhesive/caries-affected dentin interfaces using Raman microspectroscopy. J Biomed Mater Res A 2007 May;81(2):279-86. (K25-DE015281) (K23-DE016023)

Shu M, Morou-Bermudez E, Suárez-Pérez E, Rivera-Miranda C, Browngardt CM, Chen YY, Magnusson I, Burne RA. The relationship between dental caries status and dental plaque urease activity. Oral Microbiol Immunol 2007 Feb;22(1):61-6. (K23-DE015285)

Sroussi HY, Berline J, Palefsky JM. Oxidation of methionine 63 and 83 regulates the effect of S100A9 on the migration of neutrophils in vitro. J Leukoc Biol 2007 Mar;81(3):818-24. (K22-DE017161)

Ta LE, Espeset L, Podratz J, Windebank AJ. Neurotoxicity of oxaliplatin and cisplatin for dorsal root ganglion neurons correlates with platinum-DNA binding. Neurotoxicology 2006 Dec;27(6):992-1002. (K08-DE014571)

BIOTECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION

Meeting of Saliva-Based Diagnostics Program Grantees 
Dr. Eleni Kousvelari, associate director for biotechnology and innovation, organized and chaired the semi-annual meeting of the NIDCR U01 grantees of “The Saliva-Based Diagnostics Program.”  The meeting was held July 23 in Boston, MA.

CENTER FOR INTEGRATIVE BIOLOGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES

New Funding Opportunity Announcements
Requests for Applications
Collaborative Research on Tinnitus (R01)
Release Date: August 24, 2007
RFA-DE-08-002

Osteoimmunology- Crosstalk between Immune System and Bone (R01)
Release Date: June 7, 2007
RFA-DE-08-006

Osteoimmunology- Crosstalk between Immune System and Bone (R21)
Release Date: June 7, 2007
RFA-DE-08-

Establishment of Salivary Gland Tumor Biorepository
NIDCR is taking the lead in establishing a salivary gland tumor biorepository at MD Anderson Cancer Center. The resource will store biospecimens linked to diagnostic, pathologic, treatment, and outcome data for all salivary gland tumors and will be available to the research community.  Dr. Yasaman Shirazi, director of the Epithelial Cell Transformation and Regulation Program, is the NIDCR staff member leading this effort.  She has conducted several organizational meetings involving the scientific community to determine the framework and logistics for establishing the biorepository.

Genome-Wide Association Studies
The first meeting of the steering committee for the Genes, Environment, and Health Initiative Genome-Wide Association Studies (GEI GWAS) was held August 8-9 in Bethesda, MD.  The meeting was attended by investigators funded under the GEI GWAS initiative and included the laboratories of NIDCR grantees Drs. Mary Marazita and Terri Beaty, which are conducting GWAS of dental caries and cleft lip and palate, respectively.  The meeting aimed to facilitate the collaborative aspects of the program, promoting cross-study analyses and sharing of findings.  Dr. Rochelle Small, director of the Developmental Biology and Genetics Program, was among NIH program staff in attendance.

Report from American Society for Bone and Mineral Research Task Force on Osteonecrosis of the Jaw
A report summarizing the work and recommendations from the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR) Task Force on Osteonecrosis of the Jaw (ONJ) was published in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research.  Also see the press release about the Task Force findings. The task force brings together physicians, dentists/oral surgeons, and scientists to provide recommendations for a provisional case definition of ONJ, clinical diagnosis and management, and a research agenda that elucidates the epidemiology and pathophysiology of the disorder.  Dr. Lillian Shum, director of the Mineralized Tissue and Salivary Gland Physiology Program, is a member of the task force.

CENTER FOR CLINICAL RESEARCH

New Funding Opportunity Announcements
Program Announcements
Behavioral and Social Science Research on Understanding and Reducing Health Disparities (R01)
Release Date: June 7, 2007
PAR-07-379

Behavioral and Social Science Research on Understanding and Reducing Health Disparities (R21)
Release Date: June 7, 2007
PAR-07-380

Update on General Dentistry Practice-Based Research Networks (PBRNs)
The following studies conducted by the PBRNs have been completed:  

• Deep Caries Survey:  (PEARL) characterized approaches for caries removal 
• Assessment of Caries Risk Assessment and Diagnosis (DPBRN Network-UAL)Publications  PEARL Network (NYU):
  Ship, J. A.,  F. A. Curro,  P. W. Caufield, A. P. Dasanayake, A. Lindblad, V. P. Thompson, and D. Vena. 2006. Practicing dentistry using findings from clinical research: you are closer than you think. J Am Dent Assoc 137:1488-90, 1492, 1494.

K. T. Oen, V. P. Thompson, D. Vena, P. W. Caufield, F. Curro, A. Dasanayake, J. A. Ship, A. Lindblad. 2007. Attitudes and expectations of treating deep caries: A PEARL Network Survey. J. General Dent. May/June 2007, Volume 55, Issue 3:197-203.

Implications:  This is the first scientific publication resulting from research conducted by an NIDCR Dental Practice-Based Research Network and authored by a practitioner-investigator (Dr. Oen).  It demonstrates that PBRN research can rapidly be translated into publications read by a significant number of general dental practitioners. Furthermore, it suggests that dentists may be using differing strategies for the management of dental caries in their practices and that more clinical research may be required to fill knowledge gaps in surgical caries management techniques, a procedure that is fundamental to the practice of dentistry.

Publications DPBRN Network-UAL (UF)   
Gilbert et al. Practice characteristics associated with receipt of dental diagnostic radiographs. Health Services Research 2006; 41(5): 1915-1937

Gilbert et al. Differences in characteristics of dental practices attended by African-Americans and non-Hispanic Whites.  J Health Care Poor Underserved. Submitted for publication

Gilbert et al. Creation and development of the structure and function of the Dental Practice-Based Research Network (DPBRN): about, with, and for daily clinical practitioners.  Submission pending internal review

Gilbert, Gregg  IRB Solutions for A Dental PBRN AHRQ PBRN Meeting, May 2007  Poster

Spivey, Ken DPBRN Enrollment Results. Poster, 1st Place UAB Scholars Day Symposium March 2007  Poster

Implications: These studies provide new insights into the characteristics of dental practice including issues that may shed new light on dental care disparities.  Dr. Gilbert’s poster provides insights into the strategies employed by the Dental PBRNs to obtain IRB approval for studies conducted in the offices of widely dispersed and diverse dental practices.

Publications PRECEDENT Network-UW (OHSU)
Preparing Practicing Dentists to Engage in Practice-based Research.  Manuscript describing PRECEDENT training program.  Under internal review, to be submitted for publication by the end of July. 

Training Dental Practitioners in Principles of Clinical Research for Participation in Northwest PRECEDENT.  Inventory and Evaluation of Clinical Research Networks (IECRN) National Leadership Forum 2006. Poster

Implications:  These publications are the first of their kind describing the unique challenges involved in training practicing dentists in the conduct of clinical research in their offices and offering strategies for dealing with these issues.

Other PBRN Initiatives
The Dental Practice-Based Research Networks have developed a transPBRN Practice Impact Research Group (PIRG) to measure and assess the impact of practice-based research on clinical practice and patient oral health care.  The Dental PIRG plans to contribute to data collected and published by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) on medical practice-based research networks.

Bisphosphenol A (BPA) Expert Panel Workshop Papers to be Published
A consensus statement regarding the risk of exposure to BPA along with five scientific papers from the Bisphosphenol A Expert Panel Workshop held November 2006 in Chapel Hill, NC, will be published in Reproductive Toxicology.  The panel concluded that BPA was of some concern to brain development of babies and children based on studies performed in animals. The panel had five rankings for its findings: 1) negligible concern, 2) minimal concern, 3) some concern, 4) concern and 5) severe concern.  Currently no studies in humans have been reported supporting these findings.  Dr. Albert Kingman, head of the Biostatistics Core for the Center for Clinical Research, served on the workshop planning committee.

Professional Activities
Dr. Jane Atkinson, director of the NIDCR Clinical Trials Program, serves on several trans-NIH committees related to the Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSAs) awards to encourage the participation of dental and oral health researchers in this important initiative.  She also co-chairs the Trans-NIH CTSA subcommittee on Access and Shared Resources. This subcommittee works with the CTSAs to foster access and sharing of CTSA resources within and among the CTSAs awarded by NIH.

Dr. Nowjack-Raymer, director of the Health Disparities Program, gave a presentation on “Reducing Oral Health Disparities: Research with Communities” at the meeting of the Indian Health Service’s Area Dental Officers and conducted follow-up meetings with Indian Health Service officials.

Dr. Maria Canto, director of the Epidemiology Research Program, represented NIDCR at the American Dental Association National Fluoridation Advisory Committee on July 27. 

Publications:
Jane C. Atkinson, Kristen E. Harvey, Demetrio L. Domingo, Maria I. Trujillo, Jean-Pierre Guadagnini, Sherri Gollins, Neelam Giri, Thomas C. Hart and Blanche P. Alter. Oral and Dental Phenotype of Dyskeratosis Congenita.  Oral Diseases, in press.

Mishra BK, Wu T, Belfer I, Hodgkinson CA, Cohen LG, Kiselycznyk C, Kingman A, Keller RB, Yuan Q, Goldman D, Atlas SJ, Max MB.  Do motor control genes contribute to interindividual variability in decreased movement in patients with pain? Mol Pain. 2007 Jul 26;3(1):20

Khoromi S, Blackman MR, Kingman A, Patsalides A, Matheny LA, Adams S, Pilla AA, Max MB.  Low Intensity Permanent Magnets in the Treatment of Chronic Lumbar Radicular Pain. J Pain Symptom Manage. 2007 Jul 6;

Imanguli MM, Atkinson JC, Harvey KE, Hoehn GT, Ryu OH, Wu T, Kingman A, Barrett AJ, Bishop MR, Childs RW, Fowler DH, Pavletic SZ, Hart TC.  Changes in salivary proteome following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Exp Hematol. 2007 Feb;35(2):184-92.

DIVISION OF INTRAMURAL RESEARCH

Board of Scientific Counselors
Members of the Board of Scientific Counselors (BSC) for the coming year include:

Relman, David A., M.D., Palo Alto Veterans Administration, Medical Health Care System (Chairman)
Alderete, John F., Ph.D., University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
Herzberg, Mark C., D.D.S, Ph.D.. University of Minnesota
Kronenberg, Henry M., M.D., Harvard Medical School
Maas, Richard L., Ph.D., M.D., Harvard Medical School
Miller, Arthur Dusty, Ph.D., Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
Robbiani, Melissa J., Ph.D., Center for Biomedical Research, Population Council
Stock, Ann M., Ph.D., University of Medicine & Dentistry of NJ
Wang, Cun-Yu, D.D.S., Ph.D., UCLA School of Dentistry

See the complete roster with terms of service.  

The DIR investigators, Executive Secretary and Scientific Director express their thanks to Dr. Christian Stohler for his service as chairman of the BSC over the past two years.  We are most grateful for the considerable effort he put forth in leading these important reviews. As previously reported to the NADCRC, during his tenure as chairman, in addition to the regular quadrennial reviews of scientific programs, Dr. Stohler oversaw a complete revision of the NIDCR BSC review procedures including the criteria by which our research programs are evaluated.  These changes were stimulated by recommendations from the NIDCR Blue Ribbon Panel on Intramural Research, which was co-chaired by Drs. Phillip Stashenko and Brigid Hogan.

The DIR is fortunate that Dr. Relman has agreed to chair the Board this year, and we look forward to working with him.

BSC Review
On June 6-8, the BSC and ad hoc reviewers reviewed the programs of three senior investigators: Drs. Reuben Siraganian, chief, Receptors and Signal Transduction Section; Larry Wahl, chief, Immunopathology Section; and Sharon Wahl, chief, Oral Infection and Immunity Branch.  They also conducted the mid-term reviews of two tenure track investigators: Drs. Wanjun Chen, chief, Mucosal Immunology Unit, and Matthew Hoffman, chief, Matrix and Morphogenesis Unit.

Clinical Fellow Receives Award
Janay McKie, a Clinical Research Training Program fellow working under the supervision of Dr. Michael T. Collins, Craniofacial and Skeletal Diseases Branch, received a Young Investigator’s Award from the International Conference on Children’s Bone Health.  The award was presented to her at their annual meeting in Montreal that was held in June.  Ms. McKie’s work has focused on hormonal control of bone mass.  Her findings, which she presented at the meeting, indicate that unlike adults with hypoparathyroidism who have high bone mass, children with this disease do not.  And, while the adult skeleton is predominantly maintained by bone remodeling, the childhood skeleton is maintained by bone modeling.

Trans-Generational Science Outreach
The Division of Intramural Research hosted parents and children of NIH employees for the yearly NIH “Bring Your Son or Daughter to Work Day” on April 28.  Dr. Marian Young, from the Craniofacial and Skeletal Diseases Branch, spearheaded the NIDCR effort with a presentation on “How to Make Bones and Teeth.” This was followed by a hands-on demonstration to learn basic procedures that scientists do everyday in carrying out research on bones and teeth.  Over 100 staff members and their sons and daughters attended the workshop.    

Publications
Ambudkar IS, Ong HL, Liu X, Bandyopadhyay B, Cheng KT. TRPC1: The link between functionally distinct store-operated calcium channels. Cell Calcium 2007;Aug;42(2):213-23. Epub 2007 Mar 12

Bratincsak A, Brownstein MJ, Cassiani-Ingoni R, Pastorino S, Szalayova I, Toth ZE, Key S, Nemeth K, Pickel J, Mezey E. CD45-positive blood cells give rise to uterine epithelial cells in mice. Stem Cells. 2007;Jul 26; [Epub ahead of print]

Castilho RM, Squarize CH, Patel V., Millar SE, Zheng Y, Molinolo A, and Gutkind JS. Requirement of Rac1 distinguishes follicular from interfollicular epithelial stem cells. Oncogene, 2007;26:5078-5085.

Geller JL, Khosravi A, Kelly MH, Riminucci M, Adams JS, Collins MT. Cinacalcet in the management of tumor-induced osteomalacia. J Bone Miner Res. 2007;Jun;22(6):931-7.

Hart PS, Hart TC. Disorders of human dentin. Cells Tissues Organs. 2007;186(1):70-7

Honjo Y, Bian Y, Kawakami K, Molinolo A, Longenecker G, Boppana R, Larsson J, Karlsson S, Gutkind JS, Puri RK, and Kulkarni AB. TGF-beta receptor I conditional knockout mice develop spontaneous squamous cell carcinoma. Cell Cycle. 2007;6:1360-1366.

Illei, GG. The clinical impact of neuropsychiatric manifestations in early systemic lupus erythematosus (2007). Nat Clin Pract Rheumatol. 2007;3:428-9. Epub 2007 Jun 19.

Jang SI, Lee EJ, Hart PS, Ramaswami M, Pallos D, Hart TC. Germ line gain of function with SOS1 mutation in hereditary gingival fibromatosis. J Biol Chem. 2007; Jul 13;282(28):20245-55.

Khil LY, Jun HS, Kwon H, Yoo JK, Kim S, Notkins AL, Yoon JW. Human chorionic gonadotropin is an immune modulator and can prevent autoimmune diabetes in NOD mice.  Diabetologia. 2007;Aug 4; [Epub ahead of print]

Kuznetsov SA, Mankani MH, Leet AI, Ziran N, Gronthos S, Robey PG.  Circulating connective tissue precursors: extreme rarity in humans and chondrogenic potential in guinea pigs. Stem Cells. 2007; Jul 25(7):1830-9. Epub Apr 26.

Liu H, Fergusson MM, Castilho RM, Liu J, Liu C, Chen J, Malide D, Rovira II, Schimel D, Kuo KJ, Gutkind JS, Hwang PM, and Finkel T. Augmented Wnt signaling in a mammalian model of accelerated aging. Science.2007; 317:803-806.

Mishra, A, Das, ., Cisar, JO., Ton-That, H: Sortase-catalyzed assembly of heteromeric fimbriae in Actinomyces neslundii. J. Bacteriol. 2007;189:3156-3165.

Moutsopoulos NM, Nares S, Nikitakis N, Rangel Z, Wen J, Munson P, Sauk J, Wahl SM. Tonsil epithelial factors may influence oropharyngeal human immunodeficiency virus transmission. Am J Pathol. 2007;Aug;171(2):571-9. Epub 2007 Jul 9.

Nandula SR, Amarnath S, Molinolo A, Bandyopadhya BC, Hall B, Goldsmith CM, Zheng C, Larsson J, Sreenath T, Chen W, Ambudkar IS, Karlsson S, Baum B, and Kulkarni AB. Female mice are more susceptible to developing inflammatory disorders due to impaired transforming growth factor beta signaling in salivary glands. Arthritis Rheum. 2007;56:1798-1805.

Ong, H-L, Liu, X,  Tsaneva-Atanasova, K,  Singh, BB, Bandyopadhyay, BC, Swaim, W., Russell, JT,  Hegde, R. S., Sherman, A.,  and Ambudkar, I S.  Relocalization of STIM1 for activation of store-operated Ca2+ entry is determined by the depletion of subplasma membrane endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ store. J. Biol. Chem. 2007;Apr 20;282(16):12176-85.

Parvin, MN, Gerelsaikhan, T, Turner, RJ Regions in the cytosolic C-terminus of the secretory Na+-K+-2Cl- cotransporter NKCC1 are required for its homodimerization. Biochemistry. 2007;Jul 27; [Epub ahead of print], PMID: 17655331.

Peng G, Greenwell-Wild T, Nares S, Jin W, Lei KJ, Rangel ZG, Munson PJ, Wahl SM. Myeloid differentiation and susceptibility to HIV-1 are linked to APOBEC3 expression. Blood. 2007;Jul 1;110(1):393-400.

Rebustini IT, Patel VN, Stewart JS, Layvey A, Georges-Labouesse E, Miner JH, and Hoffman MP. Laminin alpha-5 is necessary for submandibular gland epithelial morphogenesis and influences FGFR expression through beta-1 integrin signaling. Dev Biol. 2007;308(1):15-29.

Su, Y, Ortiz, J, Singh, R, Liu, S., Bugge, TH, Leppla, SH, and Frankel AE. Systematic Urokinase-activated Anthrax Toxin Therapy Produces Regression of Subcutaneous Human Non-small Cell Lung Tumor in Athymic Nude Mice. Cancer Res. 2007;67,3329-3336

Tian E and Ten Hagen KG. A UDP-GalNAc:polypeptide N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase is required for epithelial tube formation. J Biol Chem. 2007;282:606-614.

Wei C, Larsen M, Hoffman MP, Yamada KM. Self-organization and branching morphogenesis of primary salivary epithelial cells. Tissue Eng. 2007;13(4):721-735.

 Xu, DQ, Cisar, J.O., Osorio, M., Tint, T.T., Kopecko, D.J.:Core-linked LPS expression of Shigella dysenteriae serotype 1 O-antigen in live Salmonella Typhi vaccine vector Ty21a: preclinical evidence of immunogenicity and protection. Vaccine. 2007;25:6167-6175.

COMMUNICATIONS ACTIVITIES

Science Updates and News Releases
Since the last NADCRC meeting, Office of Communications and Health Education (OCHE) staff produced nine summaries of recent oral health research findings.  Staff also wrote two news releases.  The first release, "Lab on a Chip for Oral Cancer Shows Promise," reports on the first fully automated, all-in-one test that can be programmed to probe cells brushed from the mouth for a common sign of oral cancer.  The second release is titled “Nature's Secrets Yield New Adhesive Material.”  It describes a synthetic material combining the adhesive properties of the gecko lizard with those of a mussel, which one day could lead to more durable bandages, patches, and surgical materials. (See the Science Advances section for further details).  Also visit the NIDCR web site to read the most recent "Science News in Brief" summaries and news releases. 

Inside Scoop Interviews 
OCHE staff also produced two "Q&A" interviews for the "Inside Scoop" section of the web site.  The first is an interview with Boston University’s Dr. Saloman Amar, about using comprehensive protein-profiling approaches to map out signaling pathways in the monocyte and to identify new ways to control the destructive inflammation of chronic periodontitis.  The second, “A Closer Look at Developing a Lab on a Chip for Oral Cancer,” describes University of Texas at Austin scientist Dr. John McDevitt’s efforts to develop a rapid diagnostic test for oral cancer.  See this and other NIDCR Inside Scoop interviews.

New Online Fact Sheet Available on Burning Mouth Syndrome
In response to numerous public inquiries about burning mouth syndrome (BMS), OCHE has produced a new online fact sheet on this topic.  The fact sheet describes signs, symptoms, and possible causes of BMS.  Information about diagnosis and treatment of this condition, and self-care tips to help ease the pain associated with burning mouth syndrome complete the fact sheet.  See information about Burning Mouth Syndrome.

Exhibits
OCHE staff exhibited and distributed NIDCR patient and health professional education materials at the following meetings:  American Dental Hygienists Association annual meeting in New Orleans, June 24-26; Early Head Start Annual Birth to Three Conference in Washington, D.C., June 25-28; Pacific Northwest Dental Conference in Seattle, July 19-20; and the National Dental Association annual session in Atlanta, July 27-August 1.

NIDCR materials were also displayed at the following venues:

National Women’s Health Week in Washington, D.C., May 13-19
Celebra la Vida con Salud (Hispanic health fair tour) in Denver (June 9) and Boston (June 30)
National Association of Hispanic Journalists Conference in San Jose, June 13-16
National Health Care for the Homeless Conference in Washington, D.C., June 14-17
Bureau of Prisons Family Health Fair in Washington, D.C., August 20.

In addition, NIDCR provided health education publications to the staff of the USNS Comfort in support of the ship’s mission in Central America.

PERSONNEL UPDATE

Dr. Melissa Riddle Joins Extramural Program
Dr. Melissa Riddle has been appointed chief of the Behavioral and Social Sciences Research Branch in the NIDCR extramural program.  She comes to NIDCR from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, where she most recently served as deputy chief of the Behavioral and Integrative Treatment Branch.  She joined NIDA in 2001 as a program officer, and built a cross-cutting program of research on behavioral interventions to treat substance abuse and prevent HIV infection.  Dr. Riddle guided the development of a number of community-appropriate interventions and helped tailor interventions for underserved populations.  She has also been active in NIH Roadmap activities, playing a key leadership role in developing the overall evaluation for programs funded via the Interdisciplinary Research Working Group.  She received her Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of Arizona with an emphasis in health psychology, psychometrics and family intervention. She did a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania, where she studied the behavioral and social impact of genetic testing for breast and ovarian cancer.  While at Penn, Dr. Riddle also consulted with a number of faculty members on BSSR methodology and grant writing.

Dr. Mario Rinaudo Appointed Scientific Review Administrator
In May, Dr. Mario Rinaudo was appointed as a scientific review administrator in the Scientific Review Branch (SRB).  Prior to joining the SRB, he was a health scientist administrator (intern) in the Center for Scientific Review where he was in charge of the Topics in Virology Study Section. He has worked at NIH since 1987 in the intramural research programs of several institutes, including the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), the NIDCR, and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. He received his M.D. from the University of Cordoba-Argentina.   

Dr. Rebecca Miller Appointed Scientific Review Administrator 
In June, Dr. Rebecca Wagenaar Miller was appointed as a scientific review administrator in the SRB.  She comes from the Division of Intramural Research where she worked in the Oral and Pharyngeal Cancer Branch investigating pathways of collagen degradation in bone development.   Previously she was a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Cancer Biology at Vanderbilt University.  She received her Ph.D. in cancer biology from Vanderbilt.

NIDCR Names Animal Program Director
Dr. Barton Weick has joined the NIDCR as its new animal program director.  He comes from the National Institute on Drug Abuse where he served as associate director for animal program operations for the past six years.  He joined NIH in 1984 as a fellow in the pharmacology research associate training program and from 1989 to 2000 advanced through positions of increasing responsibility, first at NINDS and then at the National Cancer Institute.  Dr. Weick earned his D.V.M. in 1981 and a Ph.D. in physiology in 1984, both from Washington State University.  He is a 1995 Diplomate of the American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine.

Deputy Chief Information Officer Appointed
Mr. John Prue joined the NIDCR on April 29 as the Institute’s deputy chief information officer and deputy director of the Office of Information Technology.  He comes from the Center for Information Technology, NIH, where he served as the team lead for the Integrated Time and Attendance System (ITAS) project for several years.  Prior to that, he was instrumental in the success of several significant IT projects at NIH and at other Federal agencies and private sector organizations.   Mr. Prue holds a B.S. degree in computer science and a wide variety of industry certifications and brings over 20 years of diverse and active IT industry experience to his position. 

Dr. Bruce Pihlstrom Retires
Dr. Bruce Pihlstrom, acting director of the NIDCR Center for Clinical Research, retired on August 31.  A longtime Institute grantee, he joined the NIDCR in June 2002 and reinvigorated the clinical research program by focusing on Phase III multi-center clinical trials for treatment of oral disease and establishing the dental practice-based research networks.  He also worked behind the scenes with NIH’s National Center for Research Resources to create a new consortium, funded through Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSAs), to transform how clinical and translational research is conducted.  The consortium is designed to provide a home for clinical research at academic health centers around the country.   Dr. Pihlstrom insisted that dentistry be part of these new CTSAs, and several of the new CTSA awardees now support NIDCR grantees.

Prior to joining the NIDCR, Dr. Pihlstrom was the Erwin Schaffer Periodontal Research Professor and director of the Minnesota Oral Health Clinical Research Center, University of Minnesota School of Dentistry.  During his tenure at Minnesota, Dr. Pihlstrom gained extensive experience conducting Phase II and III FDA clinical trials, non-FDA efficacy trials, and field trials of various therapeutic agents for the treatment of oral diseases. 

Dr. Mitchell Max Retires
Mitchell Max, M.D., chief of the Clinical Pain Research Section, DIR, retired August 31.  Dr. Max will direct the Molecular Epidemiology of Pain Program at the University of Pittsburgh where he will be a professor of Anesthesiology, Medicine, and Human Genetics.  After joining the NIDCR pain program in 1983, Dr. Max initially focused on clinical trials for the treatment of nerve injury pain.   He developed original methods for chronic pain clinical trials and established the efficacy of four classes of drugs: antidepressants blocking norepinephrine reuptake blockers, alpha-2 adrenergic agonists, NMDA receptor antagonists, and AMPA/kainate receptor blockers.   For this work he received the American Pain Society’s second lifetime clinical research medal in 1996.  Since 1998, Dr. Max has used the “high-risk, high-reward” focus of the intramural program to examine whether common genetic polymorphisms contribute to variability in pain responses.  He and his collaborators developed the first replicated evidence for such contributions, in polymorphisms of COMT, GCH1, and a potassium channel gene.  This work supports the plausibility of applying whole genome association studies to pain phenotypes.  Dr. Max’s work in Pittsburgh will focus on developing large cohort studies in neuropathic and inflammatory pain conditions.

Sarah Glavin Takes New Position at NIH
Dr. Sarah Glavin left the NIDCR on May 27 to take a position at the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development as a supervisory health science policy analyst.  Ms. Glavin had served as the NIDCR evaluation officer since January 2001.

NIDCR Staff Members Honored
On June 13, several NIDCR scientific and administrative staff received either the 2007 NIH Director’s Award or PHS Commissioned Corps awards at the NIH Director’s Award Ceremony:

• NIH Director’s Award
  Lillian Shum, Ph.D. was recognized for skilled program leadership in identifying immediate research opportunities to address osteonecrosis of the jaw, an emerging public health problem.
  
• NIH Director’s Mentoring Award
  Mary E. Daley was honored for exemplary performance while demonstrating significant leadership, skill and ability in serving as a mentor.

• Group NIH Director’s Awards
  Bruce L. Pihlstrom, D.D.S., M.S., was recognized in a group award initiated by the National Center for Research Resources for his role as a member of the Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) Roadmap Subcommittee and for outstanding contributions leading to the successful launch of the CTSA program. 
  
  Five members of the information technology group were recognized in a group award initiated by CIT in recognition of exception leadership and sustained contributions in information security in support of the NIH mission.  The awardees were: Thomas G. Murphy, E. Victoria Porter, Michael Fuchs, Kiki Davis, and Linh Doan.

• PHS Meritorious Service Medal
  Isabel Garcia, D.D.S., M.P.H., was honored for exhibiting an exceedingly high level of achievement and a genuine sense of public service through outstanding contributions to the mission of the Public Health Service.