Title: Enamel Biomineralization and its Biomimetics

Speaker: Janet Moradian-Oldak, University of Southern California

Time: 9:30 a.m., July 9, 2013

Venue: Room 410, Teaching Building B12, SCUT South Campus, Guangzhou Higher Education Mega Center

Sponsor: School of Materials Science and Engineering

Introduction to Professor Janet Moradian-Oldak: Dr. Janet Moradian-Oldak is a professor of biomedical science at Center for Craniofacial Molecular Biology, University of Southern California. She works to understand the principles that govern the formation and mineralization of dental enamel by learning how the intricate matrix of proteins and minerals come together to form this remarkable bioceramic. The ultimate goal is to help scientists develop new dental materials that more closely mimic the structure and function of natural tooth enamel. Her area of research integrates physical chemistry, biochemistry, molecular biology, biotechnology, and biomaterial sciences.

The following specific projects are currently ongoing in her laboratory: 1) molecular mechanisms of amelogenin self-assembly, 2) investigation of amelogenin configuration by NMR spectroscopy, 3) amelogenin interactions with other enamel proteins, 3) amelogenin-mineral interactions, 4) biomimetic strategies for enamel bioceramic, 5) proteolysis and apatite crystal growth. Professor Oldak has published more than 100 papers in SCI indexed journals including Science, Angew Chem Int Ed, J Biol Chem, Biomaterials, J Struct Biol etc.