Director's Report to Council: January 2009

ACTIVITIES OF THE NIDCR DIRECTOR

On November 12, Dr. Raynard Kington, Acting Director of NIH, appointed Dr. Lawrence Tabak as Acting Principal Deputy Director of NIH.  While serving in this temporary role, Dr. Tabak will continue to direct the NIDCR. 

Over the past few months, the NIDCR Director has met with professional organizations, research associations, and dental schools to discuss the future of dental, oral, and craniofacial research and has delivered presentations at scientific symposia and meetings.  He also continued to co-chair the Research Teams of the Future component of the NIH Roadmap and the NIH-wide Pain Consortium and to serve on the NIH Scientific Management Review Board that is providing recommendations for enhancing NIH’s mission.

In October, the NIDCR Director spoke to the Canadian Dental Association about how research will influence the future of dentistry.  The interview is available online.  That same month, he chaired a Science of Science Management Workshop session on the “Current State of Knowledge Assessment” sponsored by the Office of Portfolio Analysis and Strategic Initiatives (OPASI).  The purpose of this meeting was to define priority areas in science management and to initiate the development of tools to assess science for progress and impact.  He then met with the American Association for Dental Research (AADR), the American Dental Association (ADA), and the American Dental Education Association (ADEA) to discuss the National Advisory Dental and Craniofacial Research Council report on training and career development programs.  He also provided an update on NIDCR’s Five-Year Strategic Plan at a meeting of the AADR Government Affairs Committee in Alexandria, VA and spoke at the National Academies of Science in Washington, D.C., where he addressed the National Research Council committee that is studying the National Research Service Award program.  He provided comments on the committee’s report and spoke about concerns related to the future of dental research.  

On October 22, together with Congressman C. W. Bill Young (R.-FL), Dr. Tabak spoke at a luncheon at St. Petersburg College to officially announce the University of Florida College of Dentistry cooperative agreement award focusing on reducing disparities in oral cancer.  Dr. Tabak discussed oral health disparities and the importance of research in helping to address them.  The luncheon was co-hosted by the University of Florida College of Dentistry, St. Petersburg College, and the American Dental Association.   While in Florida Dr. Tabak also delivered two talks at the University of Florida College of Dentistry in Gainesville—one on advances in oral health research entitled “Molecular Medicine Enters the Mouth” and the other on “Why Research Matters.”  During his visit he also met with members of the junior faculty as well as with pre-and post-doc trainees.

On October 26, Dr. Tabak spoke at the memorial service in New York for Dr. Jonathan Ship, who was the network chair and principal investigator on the NIDCR grant that established a regional Practice-Based Research Network at New York University (NYU).  Dr. Ship was professor of oral and maxillofacial pathology, radiology and medicine at the NYU College of Dentistry and director of NYU’s Bluestone Center for Clinical Research.

Dr. Tabak also participated in OPASI’s NIH Roadmap Recognition Celebratory Event and provided comments about the early discussions and evolution of the Roadmap in a special farewell to NIH Director Elias A. Zerhouni who stepped down as Director at the end of October (see NIH Update).  

In November, the NIDCR Director gave a presentation on “The Case for Developing and Nurturing Scientific Leadership at Dental Schools” at the ADEA 50th Annual Deans Conference held in Tempe, Arizona.  The theme of the conference was “Who Will Lead Dental Education?  10 Years of Progress, But We’re Not Through Yet.”  Dr. Tabak’s talk focused on strategies to retain and nourish new scientists within dental schools.  He also met with the ADA Commission on Dental Accreditation when they came to the NIDCR to conduct their site visit for NIDCR’s Dental Public Health Residency Program (see NIDCR Update), met with members of the National Foundation for Ectodermal Dysplasias, participated in a live web chat Q & A for NIH extramural staff regarding peer review, and gave a talk on “Molecular Medicine Enters the Mouth” as the OPASI Rounds Lecture speaker. 

On December 5, Dr. Tabak gave a presentation on Peer Review Implementation at the meeting of the NIH Advisory Committee to the Director.  He then attended the NIH Summit: The Science of Eliminating Health Disparities” session on “Understanding and Eliminating Oral Health Disparities” held December 17, as well as the meeting of the salivary based diagnostics grantees on December 18, and the 2007 PECASE Award Ceremony Reception at the White House on December 19 (see NIDCR Update about grantee who won PECASE award).  

ACTIVITIES OF THE NIDCR DEPUTY DIRECTOR

Strategic Plan
NIDCR Deputy Director Isabel Garcia continued to lead the development of NIDCR’s Strategic Plan, which has now been drafted.

In mid-September, the strategic planning process entered its final phase.  Conclusions were drawn from input received from key stakeholder groups and the research community, and institutional priorities were identified as a framework for drafting goals and objectives for the 2009-2013 period. 

Following a meeting in early October with the Strategic Planning Steering Committee, five work sessions were held with senior staff from the Division of Extramural Research; the Division of Intramural Research; the Division of Extramural Activities and the Research, Training, and Career Development Branch; the Office of Science Policy and Analysis and Office of Communications and Health Education; and the Office of the Director.  Each session aimed to identify the most critical institutional priorities to be incorporated into the Strategic Plan.

In November, the outcomes from the work sessions were consolidated into a draft priorities statement that the Strategic Planning Steering Committee reviewed.  Work then began on a detailed outline, followed by the development of successive “working drafts” of the Strategic Plan in December and in January  2009.  The latest draft of the Strategic Plan has been submitted to Council for comment and following modification will be posted on the NIDCR website for public comment.  Completion is expected in April 2009.

Additional Activities
In October, Dr. Garcia hosted a group of representatives from agencies and organizations with an interest in international oral health issues.  Representatives from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American Association for Dental Research/International Association for Dental Research, Federation Dentaire Internationale, the American Dental Education Association, and the Pan American Health Organization were present. This informal group meets throughout the year to keep abreast of oral health topics that have broad implications for international and global health. 

On November 11, Dr. Garcia gave a presentation on “The Impact of Dental Research on the Future of Dentistry” at the Association of Military Surgeons of the United States meeting in San Antonio, TX.  The following day, she delivered the keynote address at the opening session of the Hispanic Dental Association meeting in Carefree, AZ.   Her talk was entitled “Lighting the Path.”

Dr. Garcia also gave a presentation at NIH’s second annual Time for Diversity meeting sponsored by the NIH Diversity Council and the Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity Management on December 4.  She participated in the panel discussion entitled “Leadership in Diversity, Retention, Respect, and Recruitment.” In addition to Dr. Garcia, the session featured several NIH Deputy Directors, including Dr. Louise Ramm from the National Center for Research Resources; Dr. Jack Killen from the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine; Dr. Yvonne Maddox from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development; Mr. Al Whitley from the Center for Information Technology, who served as moderator; and Dr. Richard Nakamura, who until recently was Deputy Director of the National Institute of Mental Health and is now its Scientific Director.

Dr. Garcia also serves on the Trans-NIH Working Group on the Health Effects of Climate Change, led by the Fogarty International Center.  The group is charged with examining current evidence for health effects, analyzing the current NIH portfolio in this area, and identifying gaps.  Over the coming year, the group plans to convene a workshop to gather expert views that will contribute to NIH’s strategic direction on the health effects of climate change-related research.  They also will draft a report on NIH’s current activities and potential opportunities. 

BUDGET UPDATE

FY 2009
The President’s Budget Request (February 2008) would provide $390.5 million for NIDCR. See the table below for the distribution by budget mechanism; the complete NIDCR budget justification to Congress is available online. 

The FY 2009 budget reported out by the Senate Appropriations Committee contained $401.4 million for NIDCR; a bill passed by the House Appropriations Subcommittee contained $404.0 million.  Presently, NIDCR and NIH are operating at basically last year’s level under a continuing resolution that expires March 6.  It is unclear whether the resolution will be extended or if an appropriations bill will be enacted.

FY 2010
A “placekeeper” budget request for FY 2010 may be submitted by the President to Congress in February.  A revised budget request may subsequently then be submitted.

DHHS/NIH UPDATE

Daschle Picked To Lead Health and Human Services
Former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle is President-elect Barack Obama’s choice to lead the Department of Health and Human Services.  Daschle, 60, served three terms as a senator from South Dakota and led Senate Democrats from 1995 to 2004.  He was majority leader of the Senate for 18 months of the 107th Congress.  Since 2004, Daschle has worked as an advisor for the lobbying firm Alston & Bird and has served as a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, a Democratic think tank.  Last February he published a book, “Critical: What We Can Do About the Health-Care Crisis.”  The confirmation hearing for Mr. Daschle was held by the U.S. Senate on January 9th.

Elias A. Zerhouni Ends Tenure as Director of the National Institutes of Health
Elias A. Zerhouni, M.D., director of the National Institutes of Health since 2002, stepped down at the end of October 2008 to pursue writing projects and explore other professional opportunities.  Dr. Zerhouni, a physician scientist and world-renowned leader in radiology, led the agency through a challenging period that required innovative solutions to transform basic and clinical research into tangible benefits for patients and their families. Among the hallmarks of his tenure was the launch of the NIH Roadmap for Medical Research and new programs to encourage high-risk innovative research and a major reform of the translational and clinical research system in the United States.  Dr. Raynard Kington is now serving as Acting NIH Director.  

NIH Announces Initial Implementation Timeline for Enhancing Peer Review
On September 30, NIH announced that it will begin implementing changes to enhance its peer review system, after an extensive year-long review.  External and internal working groups--co-chaired by NIDCR Director Lawrence Tabak--deliberated on challenges and recommendations regarding enhancements to the review system.  The resulting set of recommendations led to changes in four core priority areas:

• Continue to Engage the Best Reviewers 
• Improve the Quality and Transparency of Review 
• Ensure Balanced and Fair Reviews across Scientific Fields and Career Stages, and Reduce Administrative Burden 
• Continuous Review of Peer Review
  
  See additional information about the peer review changes. 
  Also see the peer review website.

New NIH Policy to Fund Meritorious Science Earlier
NIH has announced a new policy to ensure earlier funding of high quality applications and improve efficiency in the NIH peer review system. Beginning January 25, NIH will decrease the number of times an amended grant application may be resubmitted from two to one.  The new policy applies both to new applications and competing renewal applications. Failure to receive funding after two submissions (the original and the single amendment) will mean that the applicant should substantially redesign the project rather than simply change the application in response to previous reviews.  See the news release about the new resubmission policy and the related Notices:
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-09-003.html
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-09-016.html

New NIH Policy Establishes Goals to Support Scientists Early in Their Careers
NIH has issued a policy establishing goals to encourage funding for scientists new to NIH and those who are at an early stage in their careers.  The aim is to allow new investigators to achieve success rates comparable to those of established scientists submitting grant applications.  NIH hopes to support 1,650 or more new investigators across all Institutes and Centers in FY 2009. 

As a first step, NIH has created a new "Early Stage Investigator" category to accelerate the early transition of new scientists to research independence.  Early stage investigators are defined as new or first-time investigators who are within 10 years of completing their last research degree or are within 10 years of completing their medical residency (or equivalent).  See the related Notice about Early Stage Investigators.

Early stage investigators seeking NIH funding for the first time are encouraged to apply for research project grants (R01s), rather than small grants (R03s) or exploratory/developmental grants (R21s) that are limited in scope and period of support. 

See the news release about the new policy.  
Also see the Notice about revised new and early stage investigator policies.

New Transformative R01 Program
NIH's new Transformative R01 Program (T-R01s) will allow highly creative, "out-of-the-box" projects to be supported.  The T-R01 represents a High Risk/High Reward Demonstration Project in which novel approaches to peer review and program management are to be piloted.  The application submission period began December 29, 2008 and ends January 29, 2009.  See more more information about the new Transformative R01 Program.

Human Microbiome Project Awards
NIH has announced the first awards for its Human Microbiome Project, which will lay a foundation for efforts to explore how complex communities of microbes interact with the human body to influence health and disease.  The funding, estimated to be up to approximately $21.2 million for 2- and 3-year projects, will support the development of innovative technologies and computational tools, coordination of data analysis, and an examination of some of the ethical, legal and social implications of human microbiome research.  See the news release about the Human Microbiome Project Awards.

The Human Microbiome Project is part of the NIH Roadmap for Medical Research and is managed by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIDCR, the National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases and the National Human Genome Research Institute. The Roadmap is a series of initiatives designed to pursue major opportunities and gaps in biomedical research that no single NIH institute could tackle alone.  See additional information about the NIH Roadmap.

NIH Announces Funding for New Epigenomics Initiative
NIH has announced funding for the new NIH Roadmap Epigenomics Program.  Epigenetic processes control normal growth and development, and epigenomics is a study of epigenetic processes at a genome-wide scale.  The NIH will invest more than $190 million over the next five years to accelerate this emerging field of biomedical research.  The first grants will total approximately $18 million in 2008.

The overall hypothesis of the NIH Roadmap Epigenomics Program is that the origins of health and susceptibility to disease, are, in part, the result of epigenetic regulation of the genetic blueprint.  Researchers believe that understanding how and when epigenetic processes control genes during different stages of development and throughout life will lead to more effective ways to prevent and treat disease.  See more information about the epigenomics initiative.
 
NIH's Genes Environment and Health Initiative Adds Six Studies
The NIH Genes, Environment and Health Initiative (GEI) has awarded grants estimated to be up to $5.5 million over two years for six studies aimed at finding genetic factors that influence the risks for stroke, glaucoma, high blood pressure, prostate cancer and other common disorders.  The grantees will use a genome-wide association study to rapidly scan markers across the complete sets of DNA, or genomes, of large groups of people to find genetic variants associated with a particular disease, condition or trait. 

GEI is a collaboration between genetic researchers and environmental scientists.  Six GEI-supported genome-wide association studies, overseen by the National Human Genome Research Institute, are already under way.  Two additional GEI studies, supported and managed by the NIDCR, have also begun.  See additional information about the Genes Environment and Health Initiative.

Launch of NIH Bone Marrow Stromal Cell Transplantation Center
On October 1, the NIH Bone Marrow Stromal Cell Transplantation Center was launched with the support of NIDCR, the National Cancer Institute, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, and the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering.  The operation of the new center will be coordinated by Dr. Pamela Gehron Robey, chief of the NIDCR Craniofacial and Skeletal Diseases Branch, and Dr. Harvey G. Klein from the NIH Clinical Center.  Bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) have been found to be immunomodulatory and are being used in a small number of studies around the world to treat patients with a variety of immune disorders.  The new center will provide clinical grade human bone marrow stromal cells to investigators in the intramural research program for use in Institutional Review Board (IRB)-approved clinical protocols aimed at treating disorders such as graft-versus-host disease and inflammatory bowel diseases.  It also will provide assistance in preparing investigational new drug applications and clinical protocols.    

Health Disparities Summit
On December 16-18, NIH held a summit on "The Science of Eliminating Health Disparities.”  The event, which
showcased NIH's collective contribution to developing new knowledge in this area, featured plenary sessions highlighting the intersections of science, practice, and policy in health disparity research; interactive breakout sessions to examine health disparities from multiple disciplines; an awards banquet to recognize individuals who have demonstrated extraordinary contributions towards the elimination of health disparities; and a town hall meeting to gather input from audience members.  NIDCR grantees Drs. Amid Ismail, Gary Rozier and Jane Weintraub participated in a session examining oral health disparities.

NIH Grantees Win 2008 Nobel Prizes 
The 2008 Nobel Prize in chemistry is shared by two NIH grantees, Martin Chalfie, Ph.D. of Columbia University and Roger Y. Tsien, Ph.D., of the University of California at San Diego.  The two researchers share the award with a former NIH grantee, Osamu Shimomura, Ph.D., of the Marine Biology Laboratory in Woods Hole, MA.  The three researchers are honored for discovering a fluorescent protein, GFP, in a colorful jellyfish and developing it into a key tool for observing previously invisible processes, such as the development of nerve cells in the brain or how cancer cells spread.  By using DNA technology, researchers can now connect GFP to other interesting, but otherwise invisible proteins.  The glowing marker allows them to watch the movements, positions, and interactions of the targeted proteins. 

NIH Forum for Students Focuses on Clinical Research Advances, Opportunities
Nearly 350 medical and dental students from 78 U.S. academic medical centers came to the NIH on November 6-7 for the sixth annual Clinical Investigator Student Trainee Forum.  The educational experience helped prepare students for careers in clinical and translational research.  Experts from across NIH and the nation discussed biomedical advances and addressed practical aspects of career development in clinical research, including the importance of mentoring.  Attendees also were given an in-depth look at the NIH Clinical Center. 

NIH Launches New Web Site for Parents on Medical Research Studies for Children
From asthma and cancer treatments to vaccines, research in children saves lives and improves their health and
well-being.  A new web site from NIH, "Children and Clinical Studies," offers parents and health care providers an
insider's guide to children's medical research.  The web site combines information about how clinical studies in youth are conducted with award-winning video of children, parents, and healthcare providers discussing the rewards and challenges of participating in research.  See the new web site on Medical Research Studies for Children.

Linda Birnbaum Named NIEHS Director
Linda S. Birnbaum, Ph.D., D.A.B.T., A.T.S., has been named the new director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) and the National Toxicology Program.  Before joining NIEHS, Dr. Birnbaum was a senior advisor at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) where she served for 16 years as director of the Experimental Toxicology Division. 

Dr. Li Steps Down as NIAAA Director
Ting-Kai Li, M.D., director of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) since 2002, retired at the end of October. Kenneth R. Warren, Ph.D., NIAAA Deputy Director since February 2008 is serving as acting director of the Institute until a new Director is appointed.  

NIDCR UPDATE

Dr. Harold Varmus Delivers 2008 David E. Barmes Global Health Lecture
On December 16, Dr. Harold Varmus, former Director of the National Institutes of Health and co-recipient of a Nobel Prize for studies of the genetic basis of cancer, delivered the 2008 David E. Barmes Global Health Lecture on the NIH campus.  The title of his lecture was "The U.S. Commitment to Global Health."  Dr. Varmus, who is president of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York, also chairs the Scientific Board of the Gates Foundation Grand Challenges in Global Health and leads the Advisory Committee for the Global Health Division.  In addition, he co-chaired the Institute of Medicine’s consensus study, “The U.S. Commitment to Global Health,” which examined and articulated the case why the U.S. government and private sector should make a deeper commitment to global health.  Most recently he was named by President-elect Obama to be co-chair of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.
 
The annual lecture series honors the late David E. Barmes, a longstanding World Health Organization employee, special expert for international health at NIDCR, and ardent spokesman for global health.  The lecture was jointly sponsored by the NIDCR and the Fogarty International Center and is available for viewing via videocast.

NIDCR Grantee Receives Prestigious Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE)
NIDCR grantee Dr. Suchitra Nelson of Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, OH, was one of 12 NIH-supported researchers awarded the nation’s highest honor for scientists at the outset of their professional careers.  Ten NIH grantees—including Dr. Nelson—and two intramural NIH scientists were selected by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy to receive the prestigious 2007 Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE).  The investigators were honored in a ceremony held at the White House with President George W. Bush on December 19.  Dr. Nelson is conducting research on factors that lead to dental caries in low birth weight infants.  

Dental Public Health Residency Program Undergoes Successful Review
In November 2008, the NIDCR Dental Public Health Residency Program underwent a successful periodic review and site visit by representatives of the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA).  Thanks to a team effort by program faculty, residents, and administrators, the reviewers have recommended to the CODA that the program continue to be fully “accredited without recommendations,” which is the most desirable classification.  Established in 1980, the dental residency program prepares dentists who have earned an MPH or equivalent degree to practice as specialists in Dental Public Health (DPH), one of nine dental specialty areas recognized by the American Dental Association.  The residency program is co-directed by Drs. Isabel Garcia and Kathy Hayes.

Other Dental Public Health Residency Program achievements during the latter part of calendar year 2008 include the finalization of Memoranda of Understanding with the Montgomery County Primary Care Coalition and the District of Columbia Department of Health.  In both cases, the memoranda formalize agreements allowing NIDCR DPH residents to gain field experience within these respective organizations.  Residents can experience firsthand how epidemiological, behavioral, and other research supported by NIDCR is translated into public health practice and policy.  One resident has already completed a successful field experience resulting from these agreements; similar assignments are expected in the future.  

Other Training and Career Development News
During the last year, four K99 awardees accepted independent tenure-track positions and transitioned to the R00 phase
of their awards:

• Michael Passineau, PhD, accepted an appointment as a full-time scientist at the Allegheny-Singer Research Institute, Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology.  His R00 research project is entitled, “Salivary Gland-Based Gene Therapy for Lysosomal Storage Diseases.”
• Sunita Ho, PhD, accepted an appointment as an assistant professor in the Department of Preventive and Restorative Dental Sciences at the University of California, San Francisco School of Dentistry.  Her R00 project is entitled, “Biomimetic Properties of Cementum and Its Interfaces.”
• Johann Eberhart, PhD, accepted an appointment as an assistant professor at the University of Texas at Austin,
  School of Biological Sciences.  His R00 project is entitled, “Genetic Hierarchies and Cellular Behaviors during Zebrafish Palatogenesis.”
• Jens Kreth, PhD, accepted an appointment as an assistant professor at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, College of Medicine, Department of Microbiology and Immunology.  His R00 project is entitled, “Interspecies Streptococcal Antagonism in Oral Biofilms.”

In addition, former NIDCR T32 postdoctoral trainee Chunhao Li, MD, received his first R01 (AI078958) entitled
“Understanding Unique Aspects of Motility and Chemotaxis in Borrelia burgdorferi.”  Dr. Li is an assistant professor in the Department of Oral Biology at the SUNY Buffalo School of Dental Medicine.

NIDCR continues to provide support for training and career development in a wide range of scientific areas.  (Also see Publications at the end of this report for recent publications from K awardees). 

Hinman Student Research Symposium
NIDCR cosponsored the Hinman Student Research Symposium held in Memphis, TN, on October 31-November 2.  The annual symposium is organized and hosted by the University of Tennessee College of Dentistry with support from several sources and is a national meeting of dental students and graduate trainees who have participated in dental and craniofacial research projects. 
 
Meetings, Workshops and Conferences

NIDCR Patient Advocates Forum
Planning has begun for the 10th annual Patient Advocates Forum, which will be held April 23 on the NIH campus.  The one-day meeting is an opportunity to enhance communication between the leadership of patient advocacy organizations and NIDCR and to bring the patient perspective to Institute planning and research.

2008 Salivary Diagnostics Annual Grantees Meeting
Dr. Lillian Shum, director of the Integrative Biology and Infectious Diseases Branch, organized and moderated the 2008 Salivary Diagnostics Annual Grantees Meeting, held December 18-19 in Bethesda, MD. The goals of the meeting were to assess the progress of the four salivary diagnostics projects funded by the NIDCR (RFA-DE-06-003, “Development and Validation of Technologies for Saliva-Based Diagnostics”); to provide feedback to the grantees for formulating and adjusting milestones for the next project period; and to discuss the overall direction of the Salivary Diagnostics Program.

Workshop on Salivary Gland Tumor Research: Current Status and Future Directions
Dr. Yasaman Shirazi, director of the Epithelial Cell Regulation and Transformation Program, organized the second NIH-sponsored workshop on salivary gland tumors, entitled “Workshop on Salivary Gland Tumor Research: Current Status and Future Directions.”  The workshop, which took place November 17-18 in Bethesda, featured national and international basic and clinical scientists who addressed urgent research needs in salivary gland tumor research. It also highlighted research gaps and opportunities in the basic and clinical arenas. The workshop was cosponsored by the NIH Office of Rare Diseases.

Steering Committee on Oral and HIV/AIDS Research Alliance (OHARA)
In collaboration with NIDCR leadership, Dr. Isaac Rodriguez-Chavez, director of the AIDS and Immunosuppression Program, organized and led the first steering committee meeting of the NIDCR-funded Oral and HIV/AIDS Research Alliance (OHARA) to assess clinical research activities, the research agenda, and accomplishments to date.  The meeting was held in San Francisco on November 17-18.  OHARA, developed in 2006, is a highly regarded network of experts who are conducting research in HIV/AIDS-related oral manifestations. The alliance is nested within the AIDS Clinical Trials Group (ACTG), an NIAID-funded network, to maximize the use of existing resources and infrastructure set up by the Federal Government.
 
Other Meetings Attended by NIDCR Staff:

• Trans-NCI Extramural Awareness Group (TEAG) meeting held September 16 to discuss NIDCR’s programs in funding oral cancer research.  TEAG sponsors seminars to inform NCI’s extramural community about cancer-related activities across the NIH.
• The NCI Translational Science Meeting, held November 7-9 in Washington, D.C. Through the Clinical Trials Working Group and its successor, the Translational Research Working Group, NCI has identified a series of developmental pathways that are instrumental to moving laboratory discoveries into early stage clinical trials. The meeting brought translational cancer researchers together to identify the most promising early translational laboratory research opportunities that can rapidly and efficiently be moved toward the clinic.
• The Squamous Cell Head and Neck Cancer and the Human Papillomavirus State of the Science Meeting held November 9-10 in Washington, D.C. The meeting addressed a number of issues, including the prevention and treatment of a group of head and neck cancers that are linked to HPV infection. 
• The 48th Annual Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (ICAAC) held October 25-28 in Washington, D.C.
• The Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting held November 15-19 in Washington, D.C.  Staff manned the NIDCR booth, attended platform and poster sessions, and met with NIDCR grantees and potential grantees.
• The U.S.-Japan Brain Research Collaborative Program held in Bethesda, MD on November 19. This was an annual meeting where planning for future directions of the program were discussed. Staff also participated in the review of collaborative research travel grant applications and U.S.-Japan international workshop applications.
• The 11th International Conference on Malignancies in AIDS and Other Acquired Immunodeficiencies held on the NIH campus October 6-7.  NIDCR staff discussed funding opportunities offered through the AIDS and Immunosuppression Program and also met with grantees to discuss research progress.
• A workshop on Identifying Priority Research Questions on the Interaction of Nutrition and the Clinical Management of HIV/AIDS held October 23-24 in Gaithersburg, MD.  Staff also participated in the NIH Office of AIDS Research Advisory Council Meeting, which featured discussion of the development of a potential future program initiative on AIDS-related oral manifestations and the connection with nutrition.
• The International Caries Detection and Assessment System Committee, which met in Groningen, Netherlands, in June 2008.

Board of Scientific Counselors Reviews Intramural Investigators
On December 7-9, the Board of Scientific Counselors and ad hoc panel members carried out quadrennial reviews of Drs. Indu Ambudkar, Bruce Baum and Jay Chiorini of the Molecular Physiology and Therapeutics Branch, in addition to Dr. Lynne Angerer of the Developmental Mechanisms Unit.

Science Updates, News Releases, and Interviews with Oral Health Researchers
Since the last meeting of the NADCRC, NIDCR communications staff produced a number of “Science News in Brief” summaries of recent research findings.  Topics included calcium signaling as it relates to salivary flow, the genetics of dentin disorders, oral bacteria and ventilator-associated pneumonia, the use of a fungal molecule to kill tumor cells, teledentistry in rural communities, the prevalence of periodontitis, the discovery of a new pain receptor enhancer, salivary biomarkers, and an automated approach for analyzing protein structure.  Staff also wrote a news release about a gene variant that may account for 20 percent of isolated cleft lip, interviewed NIDCR grantees and intramural scientists about the future of periodontal care for “Facing the Future,” and developed a Q&A about dentin disorders for the "Inside Scoop" section of the Institute’s web site.

Public Inquiry Response and Publication Distribution 
NIDCR’s Office of Communications and Health Education (OCHE) and its National Oral Health Information Clearinghouse responded to approximately 12,000 public inquiries and distributed more than 2.3 million publications in 2008.  As in previous years, the most popular publications distributed were “A Healthy Mouth for Your Baby” and “Seal Out Tooth Decay” (in both English and Spanish), and “Periodontal (Gum) Disease.” 

Exhibits
Since the last NADCRC meeting, Institute staff exhibited and distributed NIDCR patient and health professional
education materials at the Hispanic Dental Association in Carefree, AZ, and the NIH Summit: The Science of Eliminating Health Disparities in National Harbor, MD, December 16-18.  NIDCR materials were also displayed at Telemundo’s Feria de la Familia (Family Fair) in Washington, D.C., November 2.

New Oral Cancer Education Materials Developed Specifically for African American Men
NIDCR’s new “Oral Cancer: What African American Men Need to Know” series is aimed at raising African American men’s awareness of their risk for oral cancer and the importance of early detection.  Pretested with African American men in Washington, D.C., Chicago, Los Angeles, and Columbia, South Carolina, the “Are you at risk for oral cancer?  What African American men need to know” booklet explains that most cases of oral cancer are linked to cigarette smoking, heavy alcohol use, or the use of both tobacco and alcohol together.  The booklet also includes a list of possible symptoms and the message that it’s important to see a dentist or doctor if symptoms last more than two weeks.  Complementary fact sheets, posters, and information on the oral cancer exam complete the series.  All materials were produced and will be disseminated in partnership with the National Cancer Institute. 

Partnership with NIDDK
OCHE has launched a partnership with the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) to promote and disseminate NIDCR’s two new organ transplantation publications through its established networks in the transplant community. NIDDK will disseminate “Dental Management of the Organ Transplant Patient and Organ Transplantation and Your Mouth” at patient and professional meetings, incorporate the publications in relevant sections of its website and publicly accessible health information database, feature their availability on NIDDK’s publication order form and when responding to public inquiries, and seek new promotion opportunities through its public outreach efforts.

FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

Recent Program Announcements

Pre-Application for the 2009 NIH Director’s Pioneer Award Program (X02)
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-09-012.html

Pre-Application for the 2009 NIH Director’s New Innovator Award Program (X02)
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-09-013.html

National Institutes of Health Rapid Access to Interventional Development (NIH-RAID) Program (X01)
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-09-027.html

Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award (K23)
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-09-043.html

Mentored Clinical Scientist Research Career Development Award (K08)
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-09-042.html

Mentored Quantitative Research Development Award (K25)
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-09-039.html

Independent Scientist Award (K02)
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-09-038.html

Midcareer Investigator Award in Patient-Oriented Research (K24)
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-09-037.html

NIH Pathway to Independence Award (K99/R00)
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-09-036.html

Recent Requests for Applications

The FaceBase Consortium: Functional Genomics of Craniofacial Development and Disease (U01)
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-DE-09-003.html
This RFA solicits grant applications to develop projects that will collaborate and interact to form the FaceBase Consortium.  The Consortium is designed to be a resource for the research community in advancing our understanding of normal craniofacial development and the genetic and environmental perturbations that lead to diseases and disorders.  The accumulated datasets will be housed in a database termed FaceBase.  This initiative embraces the elements of experimental data collection and annotation, data coordination and integration, systems level analyses, and clinical application.  This particular FOA solicits three types of applications: i) data coordination and management hub, ii) research projects that will focus on mid-face development and orofacial clefting, and iii) technology development projects. Dr. Lillian Shum, together with Dr. Emily Harris, director of the Translational Genomics Research Branch, attended the Annual Meeting of the Society of Craniofacial Genetics on November 11 in Philadelphia to promote community interest in this RFA.

Replication and Fine-Mapping Studies for the Genes Environment and Health Initiative (GEI) (R01)
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-CA-09-003.html

2009 NIH Director’s Pioneer Award Program (DP1)
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-RM-09-001.html

2009 NIH Director’s New Innovator Award Program (DP2)
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-RM-09-003.html

Institutional Clinical and Translational Science Award (U54)
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-RM-09-004.html

Patient-Reported Outcomes Management Information System™ (PROMIS) Network Center (U54)
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-RM-08-022.html

Patient-Reported Outcomes Management Information System™ (PROMIS) Research Sites (U01)
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-RM-08-023.html

Patient-Reported Outcomes Management Information System™ (PROMIS) Technology Center (U54)
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-RM-08-024.html

Patient-Reported Outcomes Management Information System™ (PROMIS) Statistical Center (U54)
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-RM-08-025.html

Central Nervous System Intersections of Drug Addiction, Chronic Pain and Analgesia (R01)
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-DA-09-017.html

Central Nervous System Intersections of Drug Addiction, Chronic Pain and Analgesia (R21)
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-DA-09-018.html

Central Nervous System Intersections of Drug Addiction, Chronic Pain and Analgesia (R03)
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-DA-09-019.html

New Methodologies for Natural Products Chemistry (R01)
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-RM-09-005.html

SCIENCE ADVANCES

Scientists Identify Gene Variant Involved in Isolated Cleft Lip
About 20 percent of isolated cleft lip, one of the world’s most common birth defects, may be due to a one-letter difference in the DNA sequence of a gene involved in facial development, researchers report.  The scientists say the discovery, published in the journal Nature Genetics, could lead to DNA tests to help couples better gauge their risk of having a child with an isolated cleft lip.  They also note that the gene variation provides a valuable clue to the complex developmental puzzle of cleft lip.  Coupled with other recent gene discoveries and alterations, the scientists say they now can account for about 30 percent of isolated cleft lip.  A generation ago, they had yet to identify a single gene alteration. “This finding will improve our ability to explore the causes of cleft lip, develop better ways of treating clefts, and provide information on whether they might occur again in a family,” said the paper’s senior author Jeff Murray, M.D., a scientist at the University of Iowa and NIDCR grantee. “We hope that better prevention strategies can also be an outcome of this work, as it has already been shown that women who smoke during pregnancy can predispose their babies to develop a cleft.”  About one in every 600 babies in the United States is born with isolated cleft lip and/or palate (roof of the mouth).  Though the condition usually is correctable with several surgeries, families undergo tremendous emotional and economic hardship during the process, and children often require many other services, including complex dental care and speech therapy.  Collaborating with Dr. Murray on the study were Rahimov F, Marazita ML, Visel A, Cooper ME, Hitchler MJ, Rubini M, Domann FE, Govil M, Christensen K, Bille C, Melbye M, Jugessur A, Lie RT, Wilcox AJ, Fitzpatrick DR, Green ED, Mossey PA, Little J, Steegers-Theunissen RP, Pennacchio LA, and Schutte BC.

Researchers Assemble Panel of Salivary Biomarkers
The year 2008 was an exciting one in the incremental development of salivary diagnostics.  In March, a consortium of NIDCR-supported scientists completed the first catalogue of the human salivary proteome, or the full set of 1,166 proteins present in saliva.  This online tool, like a dictionary to a writer, will help enable the future testing of saliva as a standard body fluid to detect early signs of disease. As published in October in the journal Clinical Cancer Research, a team of NIDCR grantees has now assembled the first panel of salivary protein biomarkers to detect oral squamous cell carcinoma, or OSCC, the most common form of the oral cancers. The panel consists of five biomarkers that were measurably different in the pooled whole saliva sample of 16 OSCC patients compared to the one from 16 healthy volunteers.  The biomarkers were then validated individually in 48 new OSCC patients and 48 healthy control subjects.  According to the group’s initial analyses, the panel yielded 93 percent sensitivity and 83 percent specificity in detecting OSCC. Sensitivity refers to how well a test correctly identifies people who have a disease, while specificity characterizes the ability of a test to correctly identify those who are well.  The authors, however, stressed that these potential biomarkers still “need to be extensively validated” in follow up laboratory and clinical studies.  This follow-up work is already well under way.  Collaborating on the project were Hu S, Arellano M, Boontheung P, Wang J, Zhou H, Jiang J, Elashoff D, Wei R, Loo JA, and Wong D from the University of California at Los Angeles.

New Automated Approach Analyzes Protein Structure
As the leaders of the Human Genome Project pondered the prospect of full-scale DNA sequencing in the mid 1990s, one of the primary topics of conversation was automation.  Could the existing DNA sequencing technology be automated on an industrial scale to churn out vast amounts of data?  Now a decade later, that same question has arisen on the next level of the biological realm, proteins.  Is it possible to automate on a large scale the analysis of a protein's structure to predict its biological function?   Although the answer remains very much a work in progress, NIDCR-supported scientists and colleagues have developed a progressive - and potentially more efficient - strategy.  As published in the September issue of PLoS Computational Biology, the approach pushes aside existing functional definition schemes to take a more quantitative look at the role of existing amino acid residues in protein function.  As the authors explain, "To calculate the quantitative values of each residue, we used a combined approach, the metafunctional signature (MFS), which takes into account the individual scores from various function prediction algorithms and generates a composite score for each amino acid residue in a given protein."  The MFS is a composite of four biological factors:  sequence conservation, evolutionary conservation, structural stability, and amino acid type.  The scientists note that in their preliminary work, MFS scores outperform other algorithms that track a single category of information.   The work was conducted by Wang K, Horst J A, Cheng G, Nickle D C, and Samudrala R at the University of Washington, Seattle, and Children’s Hospital, Philadelphia.  

NIDCR Scientists Find Pain Receptor Enhancer
In the October 15 issue of the journal Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry, NIDCR scientists and their NIH colleagues report they have discovered an enhancer for the vanilloid receptor 1, or TRPV-1.  The authors explained that TRPV-1 resides on the plasma membrane of certain neurons, where various chemical stimuli can activate it to open a specific ion channel and ultimately transmit the unpleasant sensations of heat and pain to the brain.  The newly discovered enhancers are novel chemical derivatives of existing calcium channel blockers called 1,4-dihydropyridines, or DHP.  In their studies, the researchers found the DHP derivatives greatly increased the maximum flow of ions stimulated by capsaicin, the neuroactive component of chili peppers.  Interestingly, the derivatives had minimal or no agonistic, or inhibitory, activity of their own.  Commenting on their initial data, the authors stated that the enhancers open up the much needed therapeutic possibility of selectively regulating TRPV1 receptors in the nerve endings of skin and deep tissue and thus one day better controlling certain types of chronic pain.  Investigators on the study were Roh JE, Keller JM, Olah Z, Iadarola MJ, and Jacobson KA at NIDCR and the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease.

New Analysis of Periodontitis Prevalence
In the October 2008 issue of the journal Community Dentistry Oral Epidemiology, an NIDCR grantee and colleague report that using data from the latest National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1999-2004), they examined whether race/ethnicity, income, and education are independently associated with periodontitis before and after adjusting for selected characteristics, such as smoking and diabetes, two risk factors for the condition.  They then investigated the effects of adjusting for income and education on the association between race/ethnicity and periodontitis.  The researchers found that the overall prevalence of periodontal disease was 3.6 percent.  The prevalence data broke down along racial/ethnic lines:  Black people - 7.2 percent, Mexican Americans - 4.4 percent, and White people - 3.0 percent.  According to the authors, race/ethnicity, education, and income were independently associated with periodontal disease.  For instance, Black adults are 2.66 times more likely than White adults to have periodontitis.  When education and income were factored into the model, the association remained.  Regardless of their education and income, Black adults remained 1.94 times more likely to have periodontitis than White adults from the same demographic categories.  “This study indicates that social constructs, race/ethnicity, education, and income are associated with periodontal health,” the researchers concluded.  “These findings have been consistently reported in the U.S. over the years.  Thus, the pathways by which race/ethnicity and socioeconomic indicators, separately or combined, lead to health or disease should be investigated.”  Researchers on the study were Borrell LN and Crawford ND at the Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York.

Study Shows Fungal Molecule Can Kill Tumor Cells
Over the last two decades, scientists have learned that large doses of farnesol-- a key intermediate in the synthesis of cholesterol in mammalian cells--can kill certain tumor cells, causing them to undergo programmed cell death (apoptosis).  More recently, scientists identified farnesol as a quorum sensing molecule produced by Candida albicans, the most common pathogenic fungal species for humans. Farnesol was shown to inhibit the ability of C. albicans to adhere to surfaces or form biofilms, a property crucial to its pathogenesis.

These two strands of investigation have recently converged to identify an unlikely association between this fungal-produced quorum sensing molecule and human oral squamous carcinoma cells.  As published in the September issue of the journal Neoplasia, a team of NIDCR-supported researchers had demonstrated in their previous studies that C. albicans modulates its production of farnesol and, at high concentrations the compound can kill the fungal cell. These findings led to in-depth investigations to determine whether the farnesol produced by C. albicans as it grows in a biofilm exerts an apoptotic effect on the cancer cells. By analyzing apoptotic markers and through global proteomic analyses, the scientists compared the effects of fungal and synthetic forms of farnesol on the cancer cells. The findings demonstrated for the first time that C. albicans-secreted farnesol can inhibit tumor cell growth by triggering apoptosis through the same cellular apoptotic pathways as its synthetic counterpart. Sifting through their datasets for further details, the researchers analyzed 36 differentially expressed proteins following treatment, of which 25 were positively identified.  Interestingly, of the 26 up-regulated proteins, many already were known to play a role in inhibiting cancer, metabolism, and protein binding and folding.  Of the 10 down-regulated proteins, several were known to inhibit apoptosis, while others are frequently over-expressed in epithelial carcinomas.  “Future studies using our proteomic analysis could potentially delineate how farnesol preferentially targets transformed cells,” the authors noted.  Active investigations are currently underway in their laboratories to evaluate the therapeutic potential of farnesol as an anti-tumor agent.  The study was conducted by Scheper MA, Shirtliff ME, Meiller TA, Peters BM, and Jabra-Rizk MA at the University of Maryland, Baltimore.
 

NIDCR PERSONNEL UPDATE

Dr. Alicia Dombroski Appointed Director, Division of Extramural Activities
Dr. Alicia Dombroski has been appointed director of the NIDCR Division of Extramural Activities where she served as deputy director for the past two years.  As division director, she oversees the scientific review, grants management, and research training and career development branches, and represents NIDCR on NIH-wide extramural activities.  Dr. Dombroski also is executive secretary of the National Advisory Dental and Craniofacial Research Council and the Board of Scientific Counselors.

Before joining NIDCR in 2006, Dr. Dombroski was a health scientist administrator in the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases where she played a leading role in planning and building NIAID’s biodefense program.  She came to NIH in 2001 as a scientific review administrator at the Center for Scientific Review.  Dr. Dombroski was an associate professor of microbiology and molecular genetics at the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston before moving to NIH.

Dr. Amy Adams Appointed Acting Director, Office of Science Policy and Analysis
Dr. Amy Bany Adams, Ph.D., is the new acting director, Office of Science Policy and Analysis.  Dr. Adams has four years of NIH experience within the Office of the (NIH) Director.  She arrived at NIH in 2004 as the first American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Science Policy Fellow and worked with the Director and Deputy Director, NIH on a wide range of efforts including the NIH Reform Act of 2006 implementation, and with the Revitalizing NIH Peer Review Team.  Her most recent position has been special assistant to the NIH Director.  Dr. Adams earned her Ph.D. in cell biology from the Yale University School of Medicine and her B.S. in biology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Dr. Leslie Frieden Named Extramural Training Officer
Dr. Leslie Frieden has joined the Research Training and Career Development Branch as the new extramural training officer.  Dr. Frieden did her undergraduate work at Johns Hopkins University and earned her PhD from Harvard.  She completed her postdoctoral training at Vanderbilt where she studied the role of ephrin-A1 in cardiac valve development.  In addition to her scientific knowledge, Dr. Frieden has experience in NIH training and research career development, having received both predoctoral and postdoctoral support through T32 programs.  She also has participated in the writing of NIH fellowship and research project grant applications and has published her work in peer-reviewed journals. 
 
John Prue Appointed Chief Information Officer
Mr. John Prue has been appointed NIDCR chief information officer (CIO) and director of the Office of Information
Technology (OIT).  Mr. Prue came to NIDCR from the Center for Information Technology, NIH, where he served for many years as the team lead for the ITAS project.  He also played a key role in the success of several other significant IT projects at NIH, as well as at several Federal agencies and private sector organizations. Mr. Prue holds a BS degree in computer science, a wide variety of professional and industry certifications, and brings over 20 years of diverse IT industry experience to his position.  Most recently he served as acting CIO and acting director of OIT. 

Mr. Gabriel Hidalgo Named Program Analyst
Mr. Gabriel Hidalgo has joined the Division of Extramural Activities as a program analyst.  He is assisting with the analysis and evaluation of extramural programs and general extramural program support activities.  Previously, he managed programs for a private non-profit health care organization.  He earned a B.S. in biology from George Washington University and is currently working toward an M.S. in business administration at George Mason University.  

Jeff Thurston Appointed Grants Management Specialist
Mr. Jeff Thurston joined the Grants Management Branch in 2008 as a grants management specialist. From 1999-2003 he was a grants management specialist at NIAMS before moving out of the area.  During that time he was involved in the grants management community providing training to co-workers and to grantee institutions.  He also participated in annual meetings of the Society of Research Administrators International. He holds a B.A. from the University of Colorado.
 
Dr. Norman Braveman Retires 
On December 31, Dr. Norman Braveman, assistant to the Director, NIDCR, retired with almost 30 years of government service at the NIH.  His previous positions at the NIDCR included serving as assistant director for program development in the NIDCR extramural program from 1992 to 2001.  Earlier in his NIH career he was a health scientist administrator in the Office of the Director, NIH and at the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute.  Dr. Braveman holds a Ph.D. in psychobiology from Washington State University. 

Dr. Mario Rinaudo Leaves NIDCR
Dr. Mario Rinaudo left the NIDCR in August to take a position with the National Institute of Nursing Research as a health scientist administrator.  Dr. Rinaudo had served as a health scientist administrator in the NIDCR since 2007.

Dr. Ken Yamada Appointed to Journal of Dental Research Editorial Board
Dr. Kenneth Yamada, chief of the Laboratory of Cell and Developmental Biology (LCDB), joins Dr. Ashok Kulkarni, chief of the Functional Genomics Section, LCDB, in serving on the editorial board of the Journal of Dental Research.

PUBLICATIONS

Publications from NIDCR Staff:
Kingman A, Susin C, and Albandar J (2008). Effect of partial recording protocols on severity estimates of periodontal disease. J Clin Periodontal; 35(8):659-667.

Hirai H, Miura J, Hu Y, Larsson H, Larsson K, Lernmark A, Ivarsson SA, Wu T, Kingman A, Tzioufas AG, Notkins AL (2008). Selective screening of secretory vesicle-associated proteins for autoantigens in type 1 diabetes: VAMP2 and NPY are new minor autoantigens Clin Immunol 127(3):366-74

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

Domingo DL, Freeman AF, Davis J, Puck JM, Wu. TX, Holland SM and Hart TC (2008).  Novel intraoral phenotypes in hyperimmunoglobulin-E syndrome. Oral Disease, Jan;14(1):73-81

Pihlstrom BL, Michalowicz B, Atkinson J, Kingman A. Clinical trials involving oral diseases.  Chapter on Dental Clinical Trials, in Clinical Trials Handbook, John Wiley, NY.

Bandyopadhyay BC, Ong HL, Lockwich TP, Liu X, Paria BC, Singh BB, Ambudkar IS. TRPC3 Controls Agonist-
stimulated Intracellular Ca2+ Release by Mediating the Interaction between Inositol 1,4,5-Trisphosphate Receptor and RACK1. J Biol Chem. 283:32821-32830, 2008. 

Chalmers NI, Palmer RJ Jr., Cisar JO, Kolenbrander PE. Characterization of a Streptococcus spp.-Veillonella sp. community micromanipulated from dental plaque.  J Bacteriol. 190:8145-54, 2008  (cover article & feature article) 

Choi SJ, Roodman GD, Feng JQ, Song IS, Amin K, Hart PS, Wright JT, Haruyama N, Hart TC. In vivo impact of a 4 bp deletion mutation in the DLX3 gene on bone development. Dev Biol. Oct 25, 2008. [Epub ahead of print] 

Gavard J and Gutkind JS. Protein Kinase C-related Kinase and ROCK are required for thrombin-induced endothelial cell permeability downstream from Gα12/13 and Gα11/q. J Biol. Chem. 283:29888-29896, 2008.  
 
Jakubovics NS, Gill SR, Vickerman MM, Kolenbrander PE. Role of hydrogen peroxide in competition and cooperation between Streptococcus gordonii and Actinomyces naeslundii. FEMS Microbiol Ecol.66:637-44, 2008 (featured in Nature Reviews Microbiol.)

McKnight DA, Simmer JP, Hart PS, Hart TC, Fisher LW. Overlapping DSPP Mutations Cause Dentin Dysplasia and Dentinogenesis Imperfecta. J Dent Res. 2008 87:1108-1111, 2008. 

Ortolano S, Di Pasquale G, Crispino G, Anselmi F, Mammano F, Chiorini JA. Coordinated control of connexin 26 and connexin 30 at the regulatory and functional level in the inner ear. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 105:18776-81, 2008.

Packard BZ, Artym VV, Komoriya A, Yamada KM. Direct visualization of protease activity on cells migrating in three-dimensions. Matrix Biol. Oct 29. Epub ahead of print, 2008. 

Roh EJ, Keller JM, Olah Z, Iadarola MJ, Jacobson KA. Structure-activity relationships of 1,4-dihydropyridines that act as enhancers of the vanilloid receptor 1 (TRPV1). Bioorg Med Chem. 16(20):9349-9358, 2008

Squarize CH, Castilho RM, and Gutkind JS. Chemoprevention of experimental Cowden’s Disease by mTOR inhibition with rapamycin. Cancer Research. 68:7066-7072, 2008. 

Voutetakis A, Zheng C, Metzger M, Cotrim AP, Donahue RE, Dunbar CE, Baum BJ.  Sorting of transgenic secretory proteins in rhesus macaque parotid glands following adenoviral mediated gene transfer. Hum Gene Ther. 2008 Sep 2. [Epub ahead of print] 

Yaguchi S, Yaguchi J, Angerer RC, Angerer LM.  A wnt-FoxQw-nodal pathway links primary and secondary axis specification in sea urchin embryos.  Dev Cell.  14:97-107.

Zhang L, Zhang Y, Ten Hagen KG. A mucin-type O-glycosyltransferase modulates cell adhesion during development. J Biol Chem. 283:34076-86, 2008.

Publications from K Awardees:

Adams DS. A new tool for tissue engineers: ions as regulators of morphogenesis during development and regeneration. Tissue Engineering: Part A 2008;14(9):1461-1468.

Bryant SJ, Nicodemus GD, Villanueva I. Designing 3D photopolymer hydrogels to regulate biomechanical cues and tissue growth for cartilage tissue engineering. Pharm Res 2008 Oct;25(10):2379-86.

Sahoo S, Chung C, Khetan S, Burdick JA. Hydrolytically degradable hyaluronic acid hydrogels with controlled temporal structures. Biomacromolecules 2008 Apr;9(4):1088-92.

Brey DM, Erickson I, Burdick JA. Influence of macromer molecular weight and chemistry on poly(beta-amino ester) network properties and initial cell interactions. J Biomed Mater Res A 2008 Jun 1;85(3):731-41.

Chung C, Erickson IE, Mauck RL, Burdick JA. Differential behavior of auricular and articular chondrocytes in hyaluronic acid hydrogels. Tissue Eng Part A 2008 Jul;14(7):1121-31.

Shigeta Y, Ogawa T, Venturin J, Nguyen M, Clark GT, Enciso R. Gender- and age-based differences in computerized tomographic measurements of the orophaynx. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod 2008 Oct;106(4):563-70.

Fisher MA, Taylor GW, Papapanou PN, Rahman M, Debanne SM. Clinical and serologic markers of periodontal infection and chronic kidney disease. J Periodontol 2008 Sep;79(9):1670-8.

Hill EG, Schwacke JH, Comte-Walters S, Slate EH, Oberg AL, Eckel-Passow JE, Therneau TM, Schey KL. A statistical model for iTRAQ data analysis. J Proteome Res 2008 Aug;7(8):3091-101.

McCoy LC, Wehler CJ, Rich SE, Garcia RI, Miller DR, Jones JA. Adverse events associated with chlorhexidine use: results from the Department of Veterans Affairs Dental Diabetes Study. J Am Dent Assoc 2008 Feb;139(2):178-83.

Gibson G, Reifenstahl EF, Wehler CJ, Rich SE, Kressin NR, King TB, Jones JA. Dental treatment improves self-rated oral health in homeless veterans--a brief communication. J Public Health Dent 2008 Spring;68(2):111-5.

Kim RH, Yochim JM, Kang MK, Shin KH, Christensen R, Park NH. HIV-1 Tat enhances replicative potential of human oral keratinocytes harboring HPV-16 genome. Int J Oncol 2008 Oct;33(4):777-82.

Lai SY, Ziober AF, Lee MN, Cohen NA, Falls EM, Ziober BL. Activated Vav2 modulates cellular invasion through Rac1 and Cdc42 in oral squamous cell carcinoma. Oral Oncol 2008 Jul;44(7):683-8.

Palanisamy V, Park NJ, Wang J, Wong DT.  AUF1 and HuR proteins stabilize interleukin-8 mRNA in human saliva.  J Dent Res 2008 Aug;87(8):772-6.

Teixeira CC, Agoston H, Beier F. Nitric oxide, C-type natriuretic peptide and cGMP as regulators of endochondral ossification. Dev Biol 2008 Jul 15;319(2):171-8.

Wadhwa S, Kapila S. TMJ disorders: future innovations in diagnostics and therapeutics. J Dent Educ 2008 Aug;72(8): 930-47.