Fifth Annual Grant Winners 2004-2005

Peter Murray, Ph.D., HPD – College of Dental Medicine

Dean Robert Uchin, HPD – College of Dental Medicine

Title: Innovative Dental Tissue Engineering at NSU

Abstract:

Currently 200 million restorative dental treatments fail and millions of teeth are extracted each year in the United States. There remains a tremendous potential to improve dental treatments using scientific advances in cell culture technology to regenerate tooth tissues. The goal of this research proposal is to initiate tissue engineering research activity at NSU. The objective of this research is to regenerate tooth tissues in vitro, as part of the longer-term objective of creating a tissue engineering therapy to regenerate the diseased and injured teeth of patients. The purpose of this research proposal is to investigate the proliferation, chemotaxis, differentiation, and mineralizing activity of pulp stem cells. The raw data will be assessed using Analysis of variance, Chi-square, and Spearmans Rho statistical tests applied at a significance level of P<0.05. Partial funding for this project has already been obtained from the American Association of Endodontists. This project has a good potential to generate more grant income, increase NSU name recognition among the worldwide scientific community, and generate valuable publicity for NSU for its role in developing improved patient treatment regimens. The development of a tissue engineering therapy to regenerate teeth has the potential to improve the quality of life for millions of ordinary people.