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Brian L. Foster, PhD

Academic Title

Assistant Professor

Academic Division

Biosciences

Education

MS/Specialty
​Central Michigan University, 2000, Microbiology

PhD
​University of Washington, 2011, Oral Biology

Contact

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Email: 
foster.1004@osu.edu
Phone: 
614-247-5760
Office Address: 
4163 Postle Hall
305 W. 12th Avenue
Columbus, OH 43210

Lab

Foster Lab
Lab Address: 
4010 Postle Hall
305 W. 12th Avenue
Columbus, OH 43210

Professional Profile Links

ResearchGate

NCBI

Courses Taught

Course Director:

DENT 6500 Histology, Development, and Cell Biology of Oral Tissues
DENT 7921 Oral Biology Journal Club
DENT 8008 Advanced Histology and Embryology
DENT 8840 Oral Biology Current Issues

Research Interests

I study the molecular biology of tooth root development and mineralization, with interests including genes, mechanisms, diseases, and novel regeneration strategies.

Research Summary

My overarching objective as a researcher in the dental-oral-craniofacial field is to understand the molecular mechanisms driving tooth root formation and bring that insight to novel approaches for regenerating tissues and restoring function. To date, specific areas of inquiry have included phosphate/pyrophosphate metabolism and dentoalveolar development and regeneration, developmental regulators of cementum, functions of extracellular matrix proteins in dental development and mineralization, and manifestations of skeletal and endocrine diseases in the craniofacial and dental tissues. More broadly, I am also interested in how knowledge gained from the study of dental-oral-craniofacial connective tissues may also be applied to skeletal development, disease, wound healing, and regeneration.

Research Support

09/01/19 - 08/31/24
R01 NIDCR
Functions of extracellular matrix proteins in dental and skeletal mineralization

06/15/19 - 05/31/21
R03 NIDCR
Role of tissue-nonspecific alkaline phosphatase in dentoalveolar development and disease

06/18/19 - 06/18/20
Clinical Scholars Grant OSU College of Dentistry
Genetic and dental analysis of a novel form of dentinogenesis imperfecta

04/01/19 - 03/31/21
R03 NIDCR                                                                     
Function of cementocytes in cellular cementum formation and resorption

05/01/18 - 06/30/20
Ultragenyx Pharmaceuticals
Effects of KRN23 (UX023) on Dental Mineralization in X-linked Hypophosphatemia

Publications

View Dr. Foster's publications on NCBI.

Recent publications:

  1. Kramer K, M.B. Chavez, Tran AT, Farah F, Tan MH, Kolli TN, Lira dos Santos EJ, Wimer HF, Millán JL, Suva LJ, Gaddy D, Foster BL. Dentin defects in the primary dentition associated with hypophosphatasia from biallelic ALPL mutations. Bone, Accepted, November 2020.
  2. Giovani PA, Martins L, Salmon CR, Mofatto LS, Leme AFP, Puppin-Rontani RM, Kolli TN, Foster BL, Nociti Jr. FH, Kantovitz KR. Comparative proteomic analysis of dental cementum from deciduous and permanent teeth. J Periodontol Res, Accepted, September 16, 2020. PMID: Pending. PMCID: Pending.
  3. Das A, Wang X, Kang J, Coulter A, Shetty AC, Bachu M, Brooks SR, Dell'Orso S, Foster BL, Fan X, Ozato K, Somerman MJ, Thumbigere-Math V.  Monocyte subsets with high osteoclastogenic potential and their epigenetic regulation orchestrated by IRF8. J Bone Mineral Res, Accepted, August 17, 2020. PMID: 32804442. PMCID: Pending.
  4. Chavez, MB, Kramer, K, Chu EY, Thumbigere-Math V, Foster BL. Insights into disparate dental effects from inherited mineralization disorders. J Struct Biol 212(1):107597, 2020. PMID: 32758526. PMCID:PMC7530110.
  5. Martins L, dos Santos EJL, Almeida AB, Machado RA, Lyrio AM, Foster BL, Kantovitz KR, Coletta RD, Nociti FH.  A novel de novo heterozygous ALPL nonsense mutation associated with adult hypophosphatasia.  Osteoporosis Int, In press, June 3, 2020. PMID: 32572521. PMCID: Pending.
  6. Wang SK, Zhang H, Chavez MB, Hu Y, Seymen F, Koruyucu M, Kasimoglu Y, Colvin CD, Kolli TN, Tan MH, Wang YL, Lu PY, Kim JW, Foster BL, Bartlett JD, Simmer JP, Hu JCC. Dental malformations associated with biallelic MMP20 mutations. Mol Genet Genomic Med 8(8):e1307, 2020. PMID: 32495503. PMCID: PMC7434610.
  7. Chu EY, Vo TD, Chavez MB, Nagasaki A, Mertz E, Nociti FH, Aitken SF, Kavanagh D, Zimmerman K, Li X, Stabach PR, Braddock DT, Millán JL, Foster BL, Somerman MJ.  Genetic and pharmacologic modulation of cementogenesis via pyrophosphate regulators. Bone, Epub ahead of print, March, 26, 2020. PMID: 32224162. PMCID: PMC7482720.
  8. Xu H, Lenhart SA, Chu EY, Chavez MB, Wimer HF BS, Dimori M, Somerman MJ, Morello R, Foster BL, Hatch NE. Dental and craniofacial defects in the Crtap-/- mouse model of osteogenesis imperfecta type VII. Dev Dyn249(7):884-897, 2020. PMID: 32133710. PMCID: Pending.
  9. Zhang H, Chavez MB, Kolli TN, Tan MH, Fong H, Chu EY, Li Y, Ren X, Watanabe K, Kim D-G, Foster BL. Dentoalveolar defects in the Hyp mouse model of X-linked hypophosphatemia. J Dent Res 99(4): 419-428, 2020. PMID: 31977267. PMCID: PMC7088204.
  10. Chavez MB, Kolli TN, Tan MH, Zachariadou C, Wang C, Embree MC, Lira Dos Santos EJ, Nociti FH Jr, Wang Y, Tatakis DN, Agarwal G, Foster BL.  Loss of Discoidin Domain Receptor 1 Predisposes Mice to Periodontal Breakdown.  J Dent Res 98(13)1521-1531, 2019. PMID: 31610730. PMCID: PMC6873285.