Oral Biology PhD Program Faculty
In alignment with the institutional goals, scientific research is the most prominent activity of the faculty in the Division of Biosciences. Within the past few years, the volume and scope of research in the section has increased greatly. All faculty have substantial external funding, and a major NIH-funded training grant for dental, graduate, and post-doctoral students and junior faculty. The myriad of ongoing multidisciplinary research programs focus on: Molecular and Cellular Biology, inflammation and Immunity, Developmental Biology, Chemical Senses, Musculoskeletal Biology, Microbiology, and Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering. The broad range of projects provided ample opportunities for scientific collaborations among faculty as well as offer opportunities for scientific collaborations among faculty as well as offer opportunities for graduate and post-doctoral students to obtain versatile training in modern approaches to biology.
Sudha Agarwal, PhD
Professor Emeritus, Division of Biosciences
College of Dentistry
The focus of my lab is in three areas that are related to Mechanobiology/bioengineering of cells of the musculoskeletal tissues: (i) mechanical stress-mediated intracellular signal transduction pathways that are involved in enhancing tissue's ability to self regenerate and repair cartilage and muscle; (ii) mechanisms of bone adaptation to mechanical forces; and (iii) synthesis of polymers for use as cell/gene delivery scaffolding matrix for cartilage and bone tissue engineering.
Prosper Boyaka, PhD
Professor, Department of Biosciences
College of Veterinary Medicine
Currently, my research interests focus on the regulation of immunity and inflammation in mucosal surfaces. We also investigate means to utilize mucosal surfaces for provision of immunity against infectious diseases and strategies to control mucosal pathologies such as allergic reactions. For this purpose, we study adjuvants that could be used in mucosal vaccines to induce both mucosal and systemic immunity. Regulation of mucosal immunity by cytokines/chemokines and other innate factors represent the other major area of our research.
Xi Chen DDS, PhD
Associate Professor, Division of Restorative and Prosthetic Dentistry
College of Dentistry
My research focuses on end-of-life dental care, oral health management for older adults with dementia, quality of care and clinical decision making for medically compromised elderly patients, and community-based oral health intervention for older adults with special needs.
Brian L. Foster, PhD
Assistant Professor, Division of Biosciences
College of Dentistry
I study the molecular biology of tooth root development and mineralization, with interests including genes, mechanisms, diseases, and novel regeneration strategies.
Ann Griffen, DDS, MS
Professor, Division of Pediatric Dentistry
College of Dentistry
Our research group studies the human oral microbiome and its relationship to health and disease. We currently have projects underway to study both dental caries and periodontitis. Our approach is interdisciplinary, using molecular biology, epidemiology, bioinformatics, community biology and ecology, and phylogenetics to study the relationship of bacterial communities to human health and disease.
William Johnston, PhD
Professor, Emeritus Division of Restorative and Prosthetic Dentistry
College of Dentistry
Chemical, physical and biological properties of dental biomaterials; Optical properties of esthetic biomaterials and the theoretical bases for determining optical characteristics; Mathematical modeling of properties of biomaterials; Optimization of chemical compositions; Research design.
Justin Kaspar, PhD
Assistant Professor, Division of Biosciences
College of Dentistry
Dr. Kaspar's research interests center on the microbial interactions that occur within the human oral cavity. Specifically, the lab is exploring physical contact-dependent interactions between early colonizers of supragingival biofilm communities and pathogens such as Streptococcus mutans that drive sequential changes within the microbiome during initial colonization and subsequent biofilm formation.
Do-Gyoon Kim, PhD
Associate Professor, Division of Orthodontics
College of Dentistry
Dr. Kim's research interest entails Mechanobiology of Bone-Implant Interface, Tissue-Biomaterial Interactions, Bone Tissue Engineering, Mechanics of Total Joint Replacement, Micromechanics of Dental Implant Interface, Spine Mechanics, Computational Biomechanics, and Mechanics of Tooth Movement.
Binnaz Leblebiciooglu, DDS, MS, PhD
Associate Professor, Division of Periodontology
College of Dentistry
Currently, my primary research interest is to investigate the possible mechanisms involved in delayed type mucosal wound healing. I collaborate with Oral Biology Division and Comprehensive Wound Center at OSU. We conduct both clinical and basic science research. I am also conducting several clinical research projects related to treatment outcome following implant placement surgery. We investigate early healing process at periodontal/peri-implant tissues. We combine clinical documentation with various molecular biology methods to evaluate different phases of healing.
Gene Leys, PhD
Professor, Division of Biosciences
College of Dentistry
We use an integrated approach that utilizes molecular biology, microbiology and epidemiology to study the molecular and population genetics of periodontitis-associated and other oral bacteria. We have developed a system for the detection and identification of bacterial strains (clonal types) of oral bacteria.By using PCR with species-specific primers, bacteria are detected directly from oral samples without the need for culturing. PCR products are sequenced to determine the genetic identity for individual clonal types and phylogenetic relationships among strains.
Susan Mallery, DDS, PhD
Professor, Division of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology
College of Dentistry
Clinical Interests: Oral pathology, Research Interests: Oral cancer initiation; AIDS-related oral cancer; chemoprevention
Sarah Peters, MS, PhD
Assistant Professor, Division of Biosciences
College of Dentistry
I am interested in how peptidergic neurons communicate with dental pulp stem cells during early postnatal development to create a sensory tooth. I'm similarly interested in how an injury affects this communication in an adult tooth to help maintain and repair the tooth organ.
Peter Reiser, PhD
Professor, Division of Biosciences
College of Dentistry
My research is focused on the roles of sarcomeric protein isoforms in regulating contractile properties of muscle. Specific areas of interest include craniofacial (extraocular, jaw-closing and laryngeal) muscles, limb skeletal muscles and cardiac muscle, with an emphasis on comparative muscle physiology and biochemistry. The approach is based primarily on analyses of contractile properties and protein composition of single, isolated muscle cells.
Abhay Satoskar, MD, PhD
Professor and Vice Chair, Experimental Pathology
Wexner Medical Center
Dr. Satoskar’s research focuses on studying how cytokines regulate innate and acquired immune responses during infection and determining the strategies used by the parasite Leishmania to evade host immunity. The Laboratory uses murine model as well as variety of in vitro experimental approaches for these studies. Another area of interest in the laboratory is developing a vaccine against Leishmania by identifying and characterizing possible candidate antigens and optimizing effective vaccination strategies for them. Finally, a relatively new direction of the laboratory involves studying immune mechanisms that determine the outcome of a bioterror agent Francisella.
Scott Schricker, PhD
Associate Professor, Division of Restorative and Prosthetic Dentistry
College of Dentistry
My research involves developing new polymeric materials for traditional dental materials and tissue engineering scaffolds. Projects involves synthesizing new materials, using cell culture to evaluate cell-material interactions and characterization of dental materials.
Robert Seghi, DDS, MS
Professor, Division of Restorative and Prosthetic Dentistry
College of Dentistry
My research is focused on Dental Ceramics - Modeling and Laboratory Simulation of All-Ceramic Failure Mechanisms Optical and mechanical property evaluations of ceramic materials.
Dental Polymers/Ceramic Composites - Simulated wear characteristics of dental composites. New nanoparticulate reinforced polymers for dental applications. Polymerization shrinkage stress and strain of dental composite systems.
Dental Adhesion - Issues related to the bonding of materials to enamel and dentin.
John Sheridan, PhD
Professor, Division of Biosciences
College of Dentistry
Interactions among the nervous, endocrine and immune systems as they relate to viral pathogenesis, immunity, and tissue repair. Inflammatory and immune responses during viral infection and would healing. Effects of aging and stress on immunity; lymphocyte trafficking and activation; neuroendocrine regulation of cytokine and chemokine gene expression.
Zongyang Sun, DDS, PhD
Assistant Professor, Division of Orthodontics
College of Dentistry
Dr. Sun's research interest is in the field of craniofacial growth and adaptation in response to mechanical loading. His research involves cranial sutures, mandibular osteodistraction sites, craniofacial periosteum and the dental alveolus.
Joseph Travers, PhD
Professor, Division of Biosciences
College of Dentistry
Circuits in the brainstem reticular formation are necessary for coordinated oromotor function. Our lab is using neuroanatomical, neurophysiological and neuropharmacological approaches to analyze how these circuits process sensory information to switch between multiple behaviors.
Susan Travers, PhD
Professor, Division of Biosciences
College of Dentistry
Research in my lab investigates how the central nervous system processes sensory signals arising from the mouth. The oral cavity is richly innervated and supplies the organism with information critical to regulating eating and drinking. Our focus is the sense of taste, but we also study oral tactile and thermal sensations because all these modalities interact to give rise to the complex experience of flavor.
John D. Walters, DDS, MMSc
Professor Emeritus, Division of Periodontology
College of Dentistry
My interests include inflammation, signaling mechanisms involved in activation of polymorphonuclear leukocytes, PMN chemotactic peptide receptor polymorphisms and their association with aggressive periodontitis, and characterization of membrane transporters that move antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory agents used in periodontal therapy.