Craniofacial Biology
Keith L. Kirkwood, DDS, PhD - Division Co-director
Caroline Westwater, PhD - Division Co-director

Areas of Research Interest

The Craniofacial Biology Division is a diverse and multidisciplinary program created to foster the development of graduate students interested in dental-related sciences at the Medical University of South Carolina. The goal of this program is to train outstanding students to become advanced research scientists and the next generation of leaders in oral health-related research. Through a multidisciplinary approach, students will obtain a thorough understanding of the expanding research needs in craniofacial biology. The program offers an interactive research experience with the necessary foundation for advancing basic, clinical, and translational research.

The Craniofacial Biology Program is composed of basic science and clinical faculty with research interests and expertise in dental, oral and craniofacial health and disease. Research opportunities are numerous and include studies examining bone and tooth development; microbial pathogenesis and oral immunology; stem cell biology; inflammatory based-oral diseases; oral complications of systemic diseases; temporomandibular joint disorders; cancer biology; and novel biomaterial development. Students who select the Craniofacial Biology track as their major emphasis will have access to advanced courses in Craniofacial Biology, a track-specific journal club, and an Oral Health Sciences Seminar Series (organized through the Department of Craniofacial Biology). Successful candidates are expected to complete publishable research under the direction of a Program mentor and are strongly encouraged to use the resources and expertise of both clinical and basic science faculty.

Craniofacial Biology Course Descriptions

Cell and Molecular Biology of Mineralized Tissues
This course will cover the biologic principles and cellular/molecular processes of mineralized tissue development, composition and regulation in health and disease. Important topics in osteoimmunology, a new discipline in the bone field, will address new and emerging concepts in this area of research. The course will be designed to develop the student's ability to critically analyze literature in the field of mineralized tissue that pertains to craniofacial biology. Students will be expected to achieve a high level of expertise in at least one topic area of mineralized tissue. Relevant material will be presented through a combination of lectures, current literature discussion, student presentations, and exams.
Credits: 3
Course director: Keith Kirkwood DDS PhD
Offered in spring or fall semester of alternate years.

Advanced Oral Microbiology & Immunology
This course will teach microbiological and immunological concepts through in-depth study of infectious diseases. Emphasis will be placed on the major bacterial, fungal, and viral infections affecting the oral cavity and associated craniofacial structures. Course topics will focus on the pathogen, the host response to the pathogen, and strategies used to prevent or treat these diseases. Students will also be introduced to topics such as biofilm formation, quorum sensing, and the oral-systemic disease connection. Classes will include lecture and primary literature analysis. Student performance will be assessed by problem solving exercises, presentation of assigned paper(s), and exams.
Credits: 3
Course director: Caroline Westwater PhD
Offered in spring or fall semester of alternate years.

Craniofacial Biology Journal Club
Current and emerging topics in craniofacial biology will be presented and discussed in a Journal Club style format. Initially, a faculty member will introduce and direct all students in the discussion of literature concerning a single oral-related research topic. Subsequently, students will present topics using faculty-approved papers from top-tiered journals. Students will be expected to participate in active class discussion with other graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and faculty.

Craniofacial Biology Faculty

W. Scott Argraves, Ph.D.
Professor
Cell Biology & Anatomy
Extracellular matrix (ECM) signaling in
development and disease. One ECM protein being
studied is fibulin-1. Investigators in the Argraves
lab have found that mice deficient in fibulin-1
recapitulate many of the phenotypes associated
with 22q11 deletion/DiGeorge syndrome (DGS),
which occurs with a frequency of 1:4000 human births.
The spectrum of malformations observed in fibulin-1
nulls is consistent with fibulin-1 playing a critical role
in the migration and survival of cranial neural crest cells. Studies are ongoing to determine the signaling pathways involved in craniofacial morphogenesis that are regulated
by fibulin-1.

Lauren E. Ball , Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Pharmacology
Diabetic Complications in Periodontal Ligament and Alveolar Bone

Amy Bradshaw, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine
Cellular mechanisms that control extracellular matrix turnover, particularly collagen fibers, in the periodontal ligament in both healthy and diseased tissues

Angela Chi, D.M.D.
Assistant Professor
College of Dental Med/Stomatology
Tobacco-related oral carcinogenesis, cytochrome p450 metabolism

Terry A. Day, M.D.
Professor
Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery
Novel therapies int he treatment of head and neck cancer; Molecular markers in the diagnosis and treatment of head and neck cancer; Quality of life and functional outcomes in head and neck Cancer

M. Boyd Gillespie, M.D., M.S., FACS
Associate Professor
Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery
Human papillomavirus-associated head and neck cancer, sleep apnea, iatrogenic xerostomia prevention

Monika Gooz, M.D., Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Medicine
Role of ADAMs in inflammation and tumorigenesis

Courtney J. Haycraft, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine
cilia function in bone development and homeostasis, cilia function in tooth patterning and morphogenesis, signal transduction pathway regulation

Yan Huang, M.D., Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Medical Genetics
Department of Medicine
Pathogenesis of periodontal disease in diabetes with
a focus on inflammation

Michael J. Kern, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Cell Biology & Anatomy
Defining the molecular/genetic circuitry in bone
and orofacial development and regeneration

Keith Kirkwood, Ph.D.
Associate Dean for Research, Associate Professor
College of Dental Medicine
Periodontal Inflammation and Bone Loss

Robin C. Muise-Helmericks, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Angiogenesis as it pertains to normal vessel development, tumor vascularization and wound healing focusing
on the role of the Akt family of kinases

Anna-Liisa Nieminen, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Pharmaceutical Sciences
Photodynamic therapy of head and neck cancers, special emphasis on the interplay between lysosomes and mitochondria. Cell and molecular imaging.

James S. Norris, Ph.D.
Chair, Department of Microbiology and Immunology
Head and neck cancer and prostate cancer gene therapy, small molecule inhibitors of sphingolipid metabolism

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Besim Ogretmen, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Roles and mechanisms of action of sphingolipid metabolism and signaling in the regulation of human head and neck cancer pathogenesis and therapy

Visu Palanisamy, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Craniofacial Biology
Regulation of mRNA stability mechanisms in oral cancer

Chris H. Parsons, M.D.
Assistant Professor
Infectious Diseases Division
HIV/AIDS, viral malignancies

Sakamuri V. Reddy, Ph.D.
Professor
Pediatrics
Our objectives are to understand normal and pathologic bone remodeling with a focus on osteoclast and osteoblast cell development/function in the bone micrenvironment. First, we are interested in studying pathobiology and development of novel therapeutic agents against bone diseases such as Paget's disease of bone, osteopetrosis, spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) and bone loss under microgravity conditions in space. Second, to unravel the molecular mechanisms and prevention of tumor osteolysis associated with cancer types such as oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), prostate cancer, multiple myeloma, osteosarcoma and giant cell tumor of bone (osteoclastoma)

Susan G. Reed, DDS, DrPH
Associate Professor
College of Dental Medicine
Vitamin D and periodontal disease; Oral microbial ecosystems and oral cancer

Steven A. Rosenzweig, Ph.D.
Professor
Department of Pharmacology

Michael Schmidt, Ph.D.
Professor
Microbiology & Immunology
Bacterial pahtogenesis, controlling acquisition of hospital infections, indigenous microflora and their role in chronic diseases

Natalie A. Sutkowski, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Microbiology & Immunology
Viral-associated head and neck cancers

Dennis Watson, Ph.D.
Professor
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Molecular genetics and regulation of cancer

Xuejun Wen, M.D., Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Clemson-MUSC Bioengineering Program
Novel biomaterials, stem cell biology, cell/tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, nanotechnology, controlled drug delivery/release

Caroline Westwater, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Craniofacial Biology
Candida pathogenesis; Fungal quorum sensing; Fungal oxidative stress resistance; Plant-derived antimicrobials; Indigenous microflora and their role in chronic diseases

Hai Yao, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Clemson-MUSC Bioengineering Program
Cartilage mechanics and mechanobiology, Functional tissure engineering, Molecular imaging

M. Rita Young, Ph.D.
Professor
Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery
Mechanisms by which tumors suppress anti-tumor immune defenses and developing approaches to overcome this tumor-induced immune dysfunction

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 




 

 

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