Summer Students Soar at NIDCR

Each summer, NIDCR sponsors high school, college, and dental students to work in research labs on campus to get a taste of what it’s like to embark on a career in science. This year’s group of students investigated salivary gland disorders, early face and skull development, pain, and more. On July 31, they presented their work at an NIDCR-hosted poster session.

Restoring Saliva Flow

Several students investigated the origins of salivary gland dysfunction, which results in dry mouth that can increase the risk of tooth infection or decay. For example, local Poolesville High School student Iris Duan worked in the laboratory of Lasker Scholar Jacqueline Mays, D.D.S., Ph.D. Duan studied how the immune system sometimes erroneously attacks the salivary glands after a stem cell transplant in a condition known as graft-versus-host disease.

In the laboratory of Stadtman Investigator Blake Warner, D.D.S., Ph.D.,  Howard University dental student Thomas Savage studied an autoimmune condition marked by dry mouth and eyes called Sjögren’s disease. Working with salivary gland tissue samples collected from patients, he focused on untangling the molecular processes that underlie the disease, in which immune cells attack the salivary glands.

Also in Dr. Warner’s lab, Aishwarya Rao investigated why drugs that weaponize the body’s immune cells against cancer — so-called immune checkpoint inhibitors — can sometimes harm healthy cells in the salivary glands and eyes of patients.

“I’ve seen firsthand how important engaging in dental research is to better address patients’ concerns and oral health issues,” said Rao, who is a predental student at Barnard College in New York City.

Cracking the Code to Early Development

Other students focused on how stem cells form the face, including the bones, nerves, and cartilage, during early embryo development. Bioengineering major Alaya Chubb worked in the lab of Stadtman Investigator Laura Kerosuo, Ph.D. Her work focused on DiGeorge syndrome, a disorder that results from a large DNA deletion and causes problems with face and skull development, among other issues. Chubb created miniaturized organoids from patients and healthy volunteers that replicated living embryos. Once she graduates from the University of Maryland at College Park (UMCP), Chubb plans to attend dental school, where she hopes to merge her passion for regenerative medicine research with dentistry.

Jacob Svoysky, also an undergraduate at UMCP, spent his third summer in the laboratory of Senior Investigator Achim Werner, Ph.D. His project investigated LINKED syndrome, a disorder that affects development of the face and other organs. The condition is caused by a genetic mutation in the enzyme OTUD5, which helps recycle cellular proteins. This year, Svoysky tested how different mutations in the enzyme affected its function.

Mishaps in face and skull development can also happen as a result of errors in cell division. Phyllicia Hemphill studied a gene mutation that damages tiny, cylinder-shaped structures called centrioles, which ensure cells divide properly. Faulty centrioles can lead to malformation of the facial bones. While in the lab of Independent Research Scholar Shaun Abrams, D.D.S., Ph.D., Hemphill helped develop and characterize mouse models of disorders driven by centriole loss.

“This internship deepened my understanding of my current field in dentistry and enhanced my problem-solving skills,” said Hemphill, a Howard University dental student. “Most importantly, it gave me the necessary tools for my future education and career goals.”

Mapping the Brain

One of NIDCR's focuses is to understand how the brain regulates sensations and other bodily functions. Jasmine Gray, a dental student at Howard University, joined the lab of Senior Investigator Mark Hoon, Ph.D., to help identify groups of neurons in the brain involved in modifying pain perception under different circumstances.

Meanwhile, Remi Brebion investigated a group of neurons in the brain that may be linked to sleep apnea, a disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep. Under the guidance of Stadtman Investigator Yuanyuan Liu, Ph.D., Brebion's research focused on tracing the neural circuitry that connects the brainstem to spinal neurons that control the diaphragm, the main muscle responsible for breathing.

"Research serves as the foundation of our treatment and opinions as clinicians, so performing research has allowed me to appreciate each step of the process and critically evaluate and interpret my work," said Brebion, a dental student at the Medical University of South Carolina.

Sugary Molecules that Decorate Proteins and Cells

In many organisms, including humans and bacteria, bulky chains of sugar molecules decorate proteins and cells and influence key biological processes, including the formation of our faces and the immune system’s ability to distinguish “self” from foe.

Howard University dental student Baron Edmonson spent his summer in the lab of NIDCR Associate Scientific Director Kelly Ten Hagen, Ph.D. Edmonson studied large sugary molecules found on cells that are important for developing nasal septum cartilage, which physically supports the structure of the nose and face.

Certain bacteria normally found in the mouth and throat, if they get into the bloodstream, can cause serious infections in babies and young children. The bacteria wear cloaks of sugars that mask them from the body’s immune system. Pablo Cardirola spent his summer in the lab of Stadtman Investigator and Distinguished Scholar Nadine Samara, Ph.D., figuring out the structure of the enzyme that assembles the bacteria’s sugar cloaks. The hope is that one day this work will lead to better therapies. Cardirola recently graduated from Clarksburg High School in Maryland and will start at Duke University in the fall.

Cancer and Regenerative Medicine

After finishing community college in New Jersey, Caden Diaz spent time in the laboratory of NIH Distinguished Investigator Kenneth Yamada, M.D., Ph.D. There he investigated why cancer cells become more active, change shape, and migrate faster in viscous growth conditions that more closely mimic the human body than cells growing in a dish. Diaz is still exploring career options — his next stop is a fellowship in Philadelphia supporting prison education.

In the lab of Senior Investigator Pamela Robey, Ph.D., Bisrat Demissie investigated the role of the HMGB2 protein in cartilage and bone formation. He found that boosting the level of the protein led to increased formation of human bone stem cell clusters in petri dishes, suggesting the protein may be crucial for bone growth and tissue repair.

"It was exciting to see results from my work and know that it could help improve healthcare," said Demissie, a dental student at the University of Pennsylvania. "This experience really motivated me to continue with research."

Interested in applying to work in an NIDCR lab for the summer? You can find more information on these pages:

• NIH Summer Internship Program
• NIDCR Summer Dental Student Award

Related Links

• NIDCR Celebrates Trainees: Past, Present, and Future
• Shaping the Nation’s Smiles with Dental Public Health

Attention Editors

Reprint this article in your own publication or post to your website. NIDCR News articles are not copyrighted. Please acknowledge NIH's National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research as the source.

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