Yang Chai Professor Center for Craniofacial Molecular Biology School of Dentistry

Education:
DMD (MB) 1984 Stomatology - Beijing Medical University, Beijing, China
PhD 1991 Craniofacial Biology - University of Southern California, Los Angeles
DDS 1996 Dentistry - University of Southern California, Los Angeles

Postdoctoral Research Fellowship:
1991-1994 University of Southern California, Los Angeles

Started at USC: 1987

Research Topics: Developmental Biology

Research Description

RESEARCH PROJECTS ONGOING OR COMPLETED DURING THE LAST 3 YEARS

"Center for Craniofacial Molecular Biology"

. Principal Investigator for Project 4: Yang Chai, DDS, PhD

. Agency: National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, NIH

. Type: P50 DE09165; Period: September 20, 1989 to September 19, 1999

. The integrated and complementary scientific research projects in this center grant, using recombinant DNA technology, genetics, biochemistry, developmental biology, mouse animal models, cell and organ culture. and computer-assisted molecular modeling, provide substantial molecular inforn1ation towards understanding the etiology and molecular pathogenesis of congenital craniofacial malformations.

"TGF-ß signaling and mandibular morphogenesis"

. Principal Investigator: Yang Chai, DDS, PhD

. Agency: National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, NIH

. Type: R01 DE12711; Period: January 1,1999 to December 31, 2003

. The major goal of this project is to identify and determine the critical molecules in TGF- ß signaling pathway and how TGF- ß signaling regulates the expression of transcription factor Lefl during the specification and morphogenesis of tooth, Meckel's cartilage and tongue.

"Craniofacial Developmental Molecular Biology"

. Principal Investigator for Project 1: Yang Chai, DDS, PhD

. Agency: National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, NIH

. Type: P01 DE12941; Period: August 1, 1999 to July 31,2004

. The major goal of this project is to identify how growth factor signaling can regulate the expression of transcription factors during tooth and cartilage formation by using the first arch explant as a study model. And how genetic mutations of the molecules in this pathway can lead to craniofacial malformations.

Selected Publications

Zhao H, Oka K, Bringas P, Kaartinen V, Chai Y. - TGF-beta type I receptor Alk5 regulates tooth initiation and mandible patterning in a type II receptor-independent manner. - Dev Biol [ 2008 ] Apr 15; . PubMed

Chen H, Zhuang F, Liu YH, Xu B, Del Moral P, Deng W, Chai Y, Kolb M, Gauldie J, Warburton D, Moses HL, Shi W. - TGF-{beta} receptor II in Epithelia Versus Mesenchyme Plays Distinct Role in Developing Lung. - Eur Respir J [ 2008 ] Mar 5; . PubMed

Takamori K, Hosokawa R, Xu X, Deng X, Bringas P Jr, Chai Y. - Epithelial fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 regulates enamel formation. - J Dent Res [ 2008 ] Mar;87(3):238-43 . PubMed

Ko SO, Chung IH, Xu X, Oka S, Zhao H, Cho ES, Deng C, Chai Y. - Smad4 is required to regulate the fate of cranial neural crest cells. - Dev Biol [ 2007 ] Dec 1;312(1):435-47 . PubMed

Pemberton TJ, Li FY, Oka S, Mendoza-Fandino GA, Hsu YH, Bringas P Jr, Chai Y, Snead ML, Mehrian-Shai R, Patel PI. - Identification of novel genes expressed during mouse tooth development by microarray gene expression analysis. - Dev Dyn [ 2007 ] Aug;236(8):2245-57 . PubMed

Oka S, Oka K, Xu X, Sasaki T, Bringas P Jr, Chai Y. - Cell autonomous requirement for TGF-beta signaling during odontoblast differentiation and dentin matrix formation. - Mech Dev [ 2007 ] Jul;124(6):409-15 . PubMed

Chai Y, Maxson RE Jr. - Recent advances in craniofacial morphogenesis. - Dev Dyn [ 2006 ] Sep;235(9):2353-75 . PubMed

Sasaki T, Ito Y, Bringas P Jr, Chou S, Urata MM, Slavkin H, Chai Y. - TGFbeta-mediated FGF signaling is crucial for regulating cranial neural crest cell proliferation during frontal bone development. - Development [ 2006 ] Jan;133(2):371-81 . PubMed

Hosokawa R, Urata MM, Ito Y, Bringas P Jr, Chai Y. - Functional significance of Smad2 in regulating basal keratinocyte migration during wound healing. - J Invest Dermatol [ 2005 ] Dec;125(6):1302-9 . PubMed

Plikus MV, Zeichner-David M, Mayer JA, Reyna J, Bringas P, Thewissen JG, Snead ML, Chai Y, Chuong CM. - Morphoregulation of teeth: modulating the number, size, shape and differentiation by tuning Bmp activity. - Evol Dev [ 2005 ] Sep-Oct;7(5):440-57 . PubMed