Yang Chai

D.D.S., Ph.D.

Professor

School of Dentistry
Center for Craniofacial Molecular Biology

Dr. Chai is interested in pattern formation in the developing first brachial arch. He has shown that several TGF-beta isoforms exerts differential control over tissues destines to participate in the formation of the jaws. He is pursuing molecular biology studies of Smads during embryonic day 10 through day 16 as well as a novel model for first branchial arch development in a chemically defined environment. This work was carried out with a long standing collaborator, Dr. Harold Slavkin, who is on temporary leave of absence to the NIDR. In addition, studies on the fusion of the mandibular prominence along the midline have been undertaken with Dr. Charles Shuler, another mentor, to seek a mechanism by which medial epithelial cells are absented from the fusion site. These studies involved cell lineage analysis using the novel explant model for first brachial arch development pioneered at the Center for Craniofacial Molecular Biology.

 

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