RESEARCH

Dr. Darnell Kaigler

Dr. Darnell Kaigler, a research fellow in the Department of Periodontics and Oral Medicine and adjunct clinical lecturer, received the William Gies Award for the best paper published in 2006 in the Journal of Dental Research.

Presented during the IADR's annual session, Kaigler was recognized for his article, "Transplanted Endothelial Cells Enhance Orthotopic Bone Regeneration."

Kaigler described a study where he examined the influence of blood vessel precursor cells (endothelial cells) on bone precursor cells (bone marrow stromal cells) when both types of cells were simultaneously transplanted.

The major finding was that the endothelial cells enhance the activity of bone marrow stromal cells by increasing their ability to regenerate and reconstruct bone.

"By discovering a new mechanism that controls and modulates bone regeneration, we're not only strengthening our understanding of the role blood vessel formation plays in bone regeneration, but we're also bringing the novel tissue engineering approach of cell transplantation a step closer to clinical reality," he said

Only Dentist to be Recognized

A U-M School of Dentistry postdoctoral fellow is the first and only dentist in the nation to receive a new award presented by a foundation committed to fostering and developing the next generation of faculty members and research scientists.

Dr. Darnell Kaigler, who simultaneously pursued and earned a dental degree and a PhD degree in the School's Oral Health Sciences DDS/PhD program, was the only dentist...and one of just 20 persons nationwide...to receive a Career Award for Medical Scientists (CAMS) from the Burroughs Wellcome Fund. Nationwide, 153 individuals applied.

Winning the award means Kaigler will receive $700,000 during the next five years to help him make the transition from postdoctoral researcher to becoming a junior faculty member.

"I'm very honored to have been selected because it was a very competitive process," he said. Kaigler said each university and college, including the University of Michigan, had an opportunity to nominate five individuals before being selected to advance to a second level of consideration. In the second phase of competition, Kaigler had to submit detailed information about his research, academic achievements, and career plans, as well as agreeing to be interviewed.

"Being the only dentist in the nation to receive the award speaks highly of this University and for the profession of dentistry," Kaigler said. "It illustrates just how much of an impact dentistry is having on research, and to a great degree, the high regard others have of the research that is being conducted here at this School."

Kaigler's research interests include cell therapy approaches to treat alveolar bone defects. In one approach, cells are taken from a patient, treated, multiplied in a laboratory environment, and eventually reimplanted in the patient's oral cavity.

"Many times, when a person has a tooth extracted, there is insufficient bone remaining in the jaw to restore the area with a dental implant," he said. "So I'm trying to determine if there is a way that a small number of bone cells from a patient can be cultured externally and then transplanted back into the jaw so those cells grow and form new bone to replace the bone that has been lost."

Taking the research knowledge he gained during his postdoctoral studies, Kaigler hopes to begin preliminary clinical studies at the Michigan Center for Oral Health Research within a year. Before any clinical trials can begin, however, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which regulates new therapies and treatments, will have to review and give its approval.