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Departments / Oral Biology
(973) 972-7053 The Oral Biology Department has both teaching and research responsibilities in the dental and medical schools. Teaching includes dental school and post-graduate areas. Members of the department conduct a year-long course for dental students that consists of small group learning modules that are case-based and interactive. The teaching modules include areas in: growth and development, wound healing and tissue repair, caries biology, periodontal disease etiology and oral facial pain. The course encourages active participation where students review scientific articles that form the basis for paradigm shifts in clinical diagnosis and treatment. Student reviews include oral presentations and sessions that include problem-solving. Oral Biology. This full year course includes a comprehensive treatment of oral embryology, growth and development, oral biochemistry, oral genetics and oral physiology. It consists of five modules. Each module presents a comprehensive coverage of the biological principles that apply to the clinical practice of dentistry. Module I - Growth & Development includes biological aspects for the practice of Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics. Knowledge of the development of the cranio-orofacial complex, combined with details of the structure, composition and function of cells, tissues and organs of the oral cavity is presented. Module II - Caries - includes biological aspects that relate to restorative and pediatric dentistry. Detailed information about plaque ecology, specific bacteria that infect enamel and dentin and factors that influence that process will be discussed on a clinical and molecular level. Transmission, colonization of tissues, invasion of the pathogens as well as responses to these organisms will be discussed. Module III - Periodontal Disease - includes biological aspects that relate to periodontology. Detailed information about periodontal epidemiology, specific bacteria that infect periodontal tissues and factors that influence that process will be discussed on a clinical and molecular level. Transmission, colonization of tissues, invasion of the pathogens as well as responses to these organisms will be discussed. Module IV - Wound Healing - includes biological aspects that relate to the practice of oral surgery, periodontics and endodontics. Knowledge of the biological principles of wound healing on a clinical histological, cellular, molecular level and factors that promote or interfere with these events will be presented. Module V - Orofacial Pain - introduces pain concepts with a review of basic neurophysiology of pain and provide basic concepts of pain of musculoskeletal, vascular, neuropathic and psychological origin. Presentations will be developed around specific clinical cases and original research articles that allow the student to use problem based learning tools in small or large group settings. The department also runs a year long course for the post-graduate students that consists of a program called: "Foundations in Oral Biology". This core curriculum course is required for all post-graduate students and consists of modules in: research methods and biostatistics, inflammation and immunology, head and neck anatomy, pathobiology, microbiology, craniofacial growth and development, clinical pharmacology, genetics, social sciences in dentistry, oral facial pain, radiation biology, nutrition and biology of mineralized tissues. The department also administers a program run through the Graduate School of Biological Sciences that confers either a Masters of Science or Ph.D. to students who satisfy the didactic and research requirements. The Microscopic Imaging Suite for the Life Sciences is a core technology laboratory supported by the New Jersey Dental School, Department of Oral Biology for use by all members of the University. The facility serves as a training and service core for members of UMDNJ and the surrounding research community. The facility provides expertise and instrumentation for the state-of-the-art practice of Electron Microscopy and Light Microscopy. Overall the common research theme of members of the department is: host-pathogen interactions which are studied on a molecular level. The research focus of individual department members can be divided into three main areas of interest: microbial genetics, host genetics and mucosal biology. More information about work by individual members of the department can be found by clicking on their names. Faculty Dr. Daniel H. Fine, Professor, Director, Chairman Dr. Amalia Slomiany, Professor Dr. Bronislaw Slomiany, Professor Dr. Scott Diehl, Professor Dr. Gill Diamond, Associate Professor Dr. Chinnaswamy Kasinathan, Associate Professor Dr. Narayanan Ramasubbu, Associate Professor Dr. Vincent K. Tsiagbe, Associate Professor Dr. Scott Kachlany, Assistant Professor Dr. Jeffrey Kaplan, Assistant Professor Dr. Kenneth Markowitz, Assistant Professor Dr. Lisa Ryan, Assistant Professor Dr. Helen Schreiner, Assistant Professor Staff: Nataliya Balashova, Research Associate III |
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