The Craniofacial Developmental Molecular Biology Program will consist of investigators from the University of Southern California, Schools of Dentistry and Medicine who participate in a multi-disciplinary research team focused on investigations of craniofacial genetics and developmental biology. The faculty collaboration includes investigators from the USC Institute of Genetic Medicine, the USC Comprehensive Cancer Center and the USC Center for Craniofacial Molecular Biology. The overall Program theme will use molecular biology approaches to investigate fundamental mechanisms required for normal development of the craniofacial complex. These findings will be applicable to further the understanding of normal developmental regulation and the molecular etiology of craniofacial birth defects. The Craniofacial Developmental Molecular Biology Program will consist of five Research Projects and one Core Resource. Project 1 (Dr. Yang Chai), """"""""Characterization of Genes Involved in the Specification of Tooth and Meckel's Cartilage Morphogenesis,"""""""" will characterize the Smad- related intracellular signaling pathway that is activated during mandibular morphogenesis. Project 2 (Dr. Larry Kedes) """"""""Co-Activators and Repressors of Muscle Transcription,"""""""" will investigate the activity of Twist, p300/CBP and PCAF during the differentiation of muscle cells. Project 3 (Dr. Yi-Hsin Liu) """"""""Genes Involved in Skull Suture Morphogenesis,"""""""" will examine patters of gene expression unique to the cranial sutures that may be correlated with abnormal suture development resulting in craniosynostosis. Project 4 (Dr. Robert Maxon) """"""""Function of MSX2 and Twist in Calvarial Morphogenesis,"""""""" will examine the regulation and activation of interacting transcription factors Twist and Msx2 during bone cell commitment and differentiation. Project 5 (Dr. Charles Shuler) """""""" Mechanisms of Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transformation during Palatogenesis,"""""""" will investigate the molecular mechanism underlying the epithelial-mesenchymal transdifferentiation of the medial edge epithelium during palatal fusion. The activities of the Program will be supported by an Administrative Core that will provide support for purchasing, manuscript preparation, scheduling for seminars and collaborative research planning and financial management. The Program will benefit from the availability of several other established cores at the University of Southern California available to support the research activities of all the Projects. This program will continue a long-term series of collaborations that have provided an excellent scientific environment to advanced the understanding of the molecular mechanisms underling craniofacial development.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Dental & Craniofacial Research (NIDCR)
Type
Research Program Projects (P01)
Project #
5P01DE012941-04
Application #
6523861
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZDE1-GH (46))
Program Officer
Small, Rochelle K
Project Start
1999-08-01
Project End
2004-07-31
Budget Start
2002-08-01
Budget End
2003-07-31
Support Year
4
Fiscal Year
2002
Total Cost
$1,085,664
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Southern California
Department
Dentistry
Type
Schools of Dentistry
DUNS #
041544081
City
Los Angeles
State
CA
Country
United States
Zip Code
90089
Nakajima, Akira; Ito, Yoshihiro; Tanaka, Eiji et al. (2014) Functional role of TGF-? receptors during palatal fusion in vitro. Arch Oral Biol 59:1192-204
Nakajima, Akira; Tanaka, Eiji; Ito, Yoshihiro et al. (2010) The expression of TGF-?3 for epithelial-mesenchyme transdifferentiated MEE in palatogenesis. J Mol Histol 41:343-55
Ting, Man-Chun; Wu, Nancy L; Roybal, Paul G et al. (2009) EphA4 as an effector of Twist1 in the guidance of osteogenic precursor cells during calvarial bone growth and in craniosynostosis. Development 136:855-64
Zhuang, Fengfeng; Nguyen, Manuel P; Shuler, Charles et al. (2009) Analysis of Msx1 and Msx2 transactivation function in the context of the heat shock 70 (Hspa1b) gene promoter. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 381:241-6
Zhuang, Fengfeng; Yen, Philip; Zhao, Jiangyue et al. (2008) Dynamic intracellular distribution of Eaf2 and its potential involvement in UV-Induced DNA damage response. DNA Cell Biol 27:649-56
Maxson, Robert; Ishii, Mamoru (2008) The Bmp pathway in skull vault development. Front Oral Biol 12:197-208
Fu, Hualin; Ishii, Mamoru; Gu, Ying et al. (2007) Conditional alleles of Msx1 and Msx2. Genesis 45:477-81
Nakajima, Akira; Ito, Yoshihiro; Asano, Masatake et al. (2007) Functional role of transforming growth factor-beta type III receptor during palatal fusion. Dev Dyn 236:791-801
Chen, Yi-Hui; Ishii, Mamoru; Sun, Jingjing et al. (2007) Msx1 and Msx2 regulate survival of secondary heart field precursors and post-migratory proliferation of cardiac neural crest in the outflow tract. Dev Biol 308:421-37
Kong, Kimi Y; Kedes, Larry (2006) Leucine 135 of tropomodulin-1 regulates its association with tropomyosin, its cellular localization, and the integrity of sarcomeres. J Biol Chem 281:9589-99

Showing the most recent 10 out of 36 publications