COSTAR

Faculty

    Armen Akopian, PhD
Associate Professor
Department of Endodontic
Research Interests:

Mechanisms of orofacial inflammatory pain; mechanisms of sex-dependent pain; mechanisms of persistent pain related to neuro-degeneration.
akopiana@uthscsa.edu
http://endodontics.uthscsa.edu
     
Kelly Berg, PhD, MS   Kelly Berg, PhD, MS
Associate Professor/Research

Department of Pharmacology
Research Interests:
Research focuses on mu, delta and kappa opioid receptor signaling in sensory neurons with the ultimate goal of understanding peripheral mechanisms of opioid analgesia.
berg@uthscsa.edu
     
Thomas G. Boyer, PhD   Thomas G. Boyer, PhD
Professor
Molecular Medicine
Research Interest:
Transcriptional regulation in development and disease
boyer@uthscsa.edu
http://molecularmedicine.uthscsa.edu/faculty.aspx
     
Cappelli spacer David Cappelli, DDS, PhD
Professor
Department of Community Dentistry
Cross-appointed in the School of Public Health
Research Interests:
Systemic diseases and periodontal disease; periodontal disease in non-human primate model; epidemiology of oral diseases.
cappelli@uthscsa.edu
http://compdent.uthscsa.edu/faculty.asp
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Chen   Shuo Chen, PhD
Associate Professor
Department of Pediatric Dentistry
Research Interests:
Tooth and bone development; genetic diseases and gene regulation
chens0@uthscsa.edu
http://peddentdx.uthscsa.edu
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Xiao-Dong Chen   Xiao-Dong Chen, MD, PhD
Professor
Department of Comprehensive Dentistry
Research Interests:
Understand how extracellular matrix (ECM) as part of the microenvironment or niche maintains the ability of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to both self-renew and respond appropriately to pro-differentiating signals
chenx4@uthscsa.edu
http://compdent.uthscsa.edu/faculty.asp
     
Yong-Hee Patricia Chun, DDS, MS, PhD   Yong-Hee Patricia Chun, DDS, MS, PhD
Assistant Professor
Periodontics, cross-appointed in Cellular and Structural Biology
Research Interests:

Formation and malformation of enamel; mechanisms of enamel proteins and their peptides in the development of dental tissues.
chuny@uthscsa.edu
http://periodontics.uthscsa.edu
     
William P. Clarke, DDS, PhD   William P. Clarke, PhD
Professor
Department of Pharmacology
Research Interests:
Peripheral mechanisms of opioid analgesia, estrogen regulation of inflammatory mediators, G protein-coupled receptors, constitutive receptor activity, ligand functional selectivity and receptor theory
clarkew@uthscsa.edu
http://pharmacology.uthscsa.edu/faculty_profiles.html
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Dong   Lily Dong, PhD
Professor
Department of Cellular & Structural Biology
Research Interests:
Obesity and type 2 diabetes, Molecular pathways in diabetes
dongq@uthsca.edu
https://www.uthscsa.edu/csb/faculty.asp
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Cara Gonzales, DDS, PhD   Cara Gonzales, DDS, PhD
Assistant Professor
Department of Comprehensive Dentistry
Research Interests:

Tumor secreted factors effects on transient receptor potential (TRP) channels using a trigeminal neuron culture model and an animal model for oral and facial pain.
gonzalesc5@uthscsa.edu
http://compdent.uthscsa.edy/faculty.asp
     
Hargreaves   Ken Hargreaves, DDS, PhD
Professor and Chair, Department of Endodontics
President's Council Chair in Dental Research

Cross-appointed in the Departments of Pharmacology and
Cellular & Structural Biology
Research Interests:
Mechanism and management of pain and inflammation; regulation of C fiber neurosecretions; tooth pulp; clinical trials, analgesics
hargreaves@uthscsa.edu
http://endodontics.uthscsa.edu
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Harris   Stephen E. Harris, PhD
Professor
Department of Periodontics
Cross-appointed in the Departments of Cellular & Structural Biology and Biomedical Engineering
Research Interests:
BMP signaling in bone; osteocyte response to mechanical stimulation; transgenic and other mouse models
harris@uthscsa.edu
http://periodontics.uthscsa.edu
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Hinck   Andrew Hinck, PhD
Professor
Department of Biochemistry
Research Interests:
Solution NMR spectroscopy of proteins and nucleic acids; TGF-b and its interaction with the ligand binding domain of the TGF-b types I and II receptors; protein-RNA interactions
hinck@uthscsa.edu
http://www.biochem.uthscsa.edu/department/faculty.html
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Peter Hornsby, PhD   Peter Hornsby, PhD
Professor
Physiology and the Barshop Institute
Research Interests:
:
My research concerns experimental cell transplantation. Cell transplantation can be used for therapeutic purposes (cell therapy) and for pure basic science studies. Under appropriate conditions, transplanted cells can re-form an organ or a tissue structure. If they are genetically modified before they are transplanted they can be used to deliver a gene product, or can be used to detect the levels of a substance in the body (i.e., they can act as a biosensor). If they are genetically modified with oncogenes they can be transformed into a benign or malignant tumor. Over the past few years we have principally used two types of cells in these studies. In the cellular senescence and tumorigenesis work we have focused recently on human fibroblasts. In most of the other work we have used bovine or human adrenocortical cells. The following are the projects that are ongoing in the lab.
HORNSBY@UTHSCSA.EDU
http://physiology.uthscsa.edu/new/research/faculty_view.asp?id=9
     
Nathaniel A. Jeske, PhD   Nathaniel A. Jeske, PhD
Assistant Professor
Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery
Research Interests:
:
Biochemistry of inflammatory signaling, pain physiology, mechanotransduction, orofacial pain
jeske@uthscsa.edu
http://oms.uthscsa.edu/
     
Kadosh   David Kadosh, PhD
Associate Professor
Department of Microbiology
Research Interests:
Control of Candida albicans Filamentous Growth and Virulence; Interaction of the Candida albicans Hyphal Form with Cardiac Cells and Inert Substrates.
kadosh@uthscsa.edu
https://www.uthscsa.edu/micro/faculty/blw/blw-research.html
     
Kraig   Ellen Kraig, PhD
Distinguished Teaching Professor
Department of Cellular & Structural Biology
Research Interests:
T cells in periodontal disease and in autoimmune disorders; molecular biological techniques to study the immune system and alterations in disease
kraig@uthscsa.edu
https://www.uthscsa.edu/csb/faculty.asp
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Leach   Robin Leach, PhD
Professor
Department of Cellular & Structural Biology
Research Interests:
Genetics; prostate cancer; paget disease of the bone; chromosome 18; tumor suppressor gene
leach@uthscsa.edu
https://www.uthscsa.edu/csb/faculty.asp
     
Senlin Li spacer Senlin Li, MD
Associate Professor/Research
Department of Pharmacology
Research Interests:
My primary research interest is to develop autologous hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) gene therapy, particularly HSC-derived macrophage gene therapy for neurodegenerative diseases, atherosclerosis and other inherited blood/immune disorders.
lis1@uthscsa.edu
     
Liu   Feng Liu, PhD
Professor
Department of Pharmacology
Research Interests:
Molecular mechanism of insulin signal transduction; insulin receptors; insulin resistance
liuf@uthscsa.edu
http://pharmacology.uthscsa.edu/faculty_profiles.html
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Marciniak   Robert Marciniak, MD, PhD
Associate Professor
Department of Medicine-Medical Oncology
Cross-appointed in the Department of Cellular & Structural Biology
Research Interests:
Contribution of telomere processing to cancer and age-related changes
marciniak@uthscsa.edu
http://medicine.uthscsa.edu/ https://www.uthscsa.edu/csb/faculty.asp
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Susan Mooberry   Susan Mooberry, PhD
Professor/Greehey Distinguished Chair in Targeted Molecular Therapeutics
Department of Pharmacology
Co-leader of Experimental and Developmental Therapeutics, CTRC at UTHSCSA Ph.D., Medical University of South Carolina

Research Interests:
Our research is dedicated to the discovery of more effective therapies for the treatment of cancer, primarily breast cancer. There are several aspects to our work including drug discovery, identification of the mechanisms of drug action, the nature of drug resistance, identifying rational drug combinations and elucidation of the signaling pathways by which anti-mitotic agents initiate mitotic arrest and apoptosis.
MOOBERRY@UTHSCSA.EDU
http://saci.uthscsa.edu/research
     
Carlos Orihuela, PhD   Carlos Orihuela, PhD
Associate Professor
Department of Microbiology
Research Interests:
Age-associated inflammation increases susceptibility to pneumococcal infection.
orihuela@uthscsa.edu
https://www.uthscsa.edu/micro/faculty/blw/blw-research.html
     
Thomas Patterson, MD   Thomas Patterson, MD
Professor
Department of Medicine-Infectious Diseases
Research Interests:
Fungal infections; oral pharyngeal candidiasis; antifungal therapy and drug resistance
patterson@uthscsa.edu
http://medicine.uthscsa.edu/Infectious/
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Ralph Rawls, PhD   Ralph Rawls, PhD
Professor
Department of Comprehensive Dentistry
Cross-appointed in the Department of Biomedical Engineering
Research Interests:
Dental restorative resins and polymeric biomedical materials; controlled release systems for drugs
rawls@uthscsa.edu
http://compdent.uthscsa.edu/faculty.asp
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Spencer Redding, DDS, Med   Spencer Redding, DDS, Med
Professor and Chair
Castella Dental Chair in Aging Studies

Department of Comprehensive
Research Interests:
Oral medicine; oral HSV and oral Candida infections in immunocompromized patients
redding@uthscsa.edu
http://compdent.uthscsa.edu/faculty.asp
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Werner   Sherry Werner, MD
Professor
Department of Pathology
Research Interests:
Role of growth factors in skeletal and dental development
abboudwerner@uthscsa.edu
http://pathologyweb.uthscsa.edu/faculty/
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Wickes   Brian Wickes, PhD
Associate Professor
Department of Microbiology and Immunology
Research Interests:
Molecular mechanism and genetics of oral Candida infections; Candida albicans biofilm formation; Medical mycology; animal models of invasive aspergillosis
wickes@uthscsa.edu
https://www.uthscsa.edu/micro/faculty/blw/blw-research.html
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Yeh   Chi-Ko Yeh, PhD, BDS
Professor
Department of Comprehensive Dentistry
Cross-appointed in the Department of Cellular & Structural Biology
Research Interests:
Salivary mechanisms in oral diseases; AIDS; Salivary based diagnosis
yeh@uthscsa.edu
http://compdent.uthscsa.edu/faculty.asp