The candidate is a new investigator with a clinical doctoral degree in dentistry and a basic science doctoral degree in oral biology. The objective of this proposal is to combine the candidate's clinical and basic science background so that he may independently and competently carry out and mentor patient-centered research in the future. A multi-disciplinary study within the environment of the General Clinical Research Center (GCRC) at the UTM is proposed. A fully integrated research career development plan includes training in epidemiology, biostatistics, and study design leading to matriculation from the UTM Master's in Epidemiology Program. The candidate will also receive training in experimental design and analysis of results, publication and presentation of results, and grantsmanship. The proposed interdisciplinary biomedical research project focuses on monocyte expression of tissue factor (TF), a cell surface-bound glycoprotein receptor with procoagulant and proinflammatory functions, in a systemic disease, diabetes mellitus, and an oral complication, periodontitis. The project includes direct patient contact: a dental examination and collection of a blood sample and complementary laboratory research of monocyte TF expression, the role of TF in the monocyte secretory phenotype, and the role of TF in monocyte transcriptional activity. Immediately the career development award will allow the candidate to broaden his knowledge in epidemiology, biostatistics, and research design while at the same time providing the opportunity to expand his research skills in molecular biology techniques and studies in transcription regulation. In the long-term the career development award will provide the candidate with the background necessary to carry out and mentor quality research in the rapidly expanding and exciting area of biomedical research examining the inter-relationship of systemic and oral diseases.
