USC researchers replicate the neurocognitive symptoms of the craniofacial defect in mice and successfully treat it with stem cells. ONE OUT OF EVERY 2,500 INFANTS BORN IN THE UNITED STATES will suffer from craniosynostosis — a craniofacial defect caused by the premature fusion of the different bones that comprise the human skull. In a typically developing infant, […]
The findings, published in the journal Science Advances, could mean more effective treatment (and even prevention) for craniofacial defects. CRANIOFACIAL BIRTH DEFECTS, WHICH INCLUDE CLEFT LIP, CLEFT PALATE, jaw deformities and malformed or missing teeth, are among the most common of all birth defects. Cleft lip and cleft palate alone occur in 1 in 1,000 […]
In a new Development journal article, the research team shares some of its decade’s worth of datasets and invites new contributors to participate. IT HAS BEEN A LITTLE MORE THAN A DECADE since the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) launched FaceBase, a central repository for craniofacial datasets and tools meant to advance […]
To regenerate tissues, you need stem cells. But for stem cells to work, you have to understand their neighborhood. A new paper dives into it. A LONG-HELD GOAL IN DENTAL RESEARCH IS TO HARNESS THE POWER OF STEM CELLS to regenerate bone and dental tissue. But to do so, it’s important to fully understand the […]
USC researchers probe the world of heart progenitor cells, with an eye on potential treatments to regrow heart tissue. HEARTS ARE TOUGH ORGANS. Over the course of a lifetime, they beat ever second of every day, keeping the entire body nourished with life-giving blood. But, even with all that stamina, heart tissue lacks the ability […]
USC researchers are looking for ways to create a less painful injection for kids at the dentist. It takes a collaborative, interdisciplinary team to get the research done. IN DENTISTRY, injecting local anesthetic represents the greatest source of fear and anxiety, especially in children. Alleviating that injection pain is one of the main struggles in […]
The prestigious designation puts him in the company of fewer than 20 faculty members across USC. ASSOCIATE DEAN OF RESEARCH Yang Chai PhD ’91, DDS ’96 has been appointed a University Professor, making history as Ostrow’s first faculty member to achieve such distinction. The designation, held by fewer than 20 other faculty members across the university, […]
The initiative aims to propel USC forward as the epicenter of tissue and organ regeneration research. THE STUDIES SEEM LIKE something straight out of science fiction. There’s one focused on using stem cells to regenerate skull bone for patients with skull defects. Another aims to develop a hydrogel patch that could reduce scarring and regenerate […]
USC researcher Pinghui Feng investigates a potential way to stop cancer cell growth. FOR CELLS IN THE BODY, inflammation and cell proliferation — a rapid increase in numbers — are opposing forces. Cells that proliferate more quickly tend to have a lower inflammatory response than those that don’t. The reason behind this has been investigated […]
A new study finds how a specific gene can impact neurodevelopment and lead to macrocephaly and autism spectrum disorder. When brains begin developing, there are a lot of moving parts — and when mutations happen in early neurodevelopment, it can lead to disorders like macrocephaly and autism. But scientists don’t know much about the ways […]
