BUGSDM Researcher Presents at Oral Biology Research Conference

Sheede Khalil DMD 12, a researcher in the Boston University Goldman School of Dental Medicine (BUGSDM) Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, presented a poster titled, Planar cell polarity in duct elongation during SMG morphogenesis, at the Rochester Oral Biology Research Conference held at the end of June. The conference focused on cutting edge research in the field of salivary gland biology.

Sheede’s presentation examined a novel concept of planar cell polarity pathway as a potential mechanism responsible for duct elongation during mouse submandibular gland branching morphogenesis. This pathway, involving sequential interactions of filamentous actin with active myosin II and E-cadherin, has been recently shown to drive axis elongation in lower eukaryotes. Previous work in the lab has shown that E-cadherin is also required for the survival of differentiating ductal cells.

Sheede has worked in Professor and Director of the Predoctoral Research Program Dr. Maria Kukuruzinska’s lab since the fall of 2005. She will start the DMD program at BUGSDM this year and looks forward to continuing her research adding, "I am fascinated by the process of tissue development, more specifically branching morphogenesis, and trying to understand how groups of cells in the developing submandibular gland are able to coordinate their movement and orientation in order to create higher order structures and eventually differentiated ducts."

Dr. Monica Anand, a volunteer researcher in Dr. Kukuruzinska’s lab, who will be starting the Advanced Standing Program at BUGSDM this year, also contributed to the research and was a co-author of presentation.