BOSTON, Massachusetts – The Forsyth Institute has announced the appointment of Lin Xu, MD, PhD, as the Milton & Renée Glass Family Fellow in Jaw Joints & Allied Musculo-Skeletal Research. Dr. Dominick DePaola, President and Chief Executive of Forsyth said, “I am delighted with the appointment and with the entry into this exciting new field of research for Forsyth. It represents a breakthrough in the application of basic science into a craniofacial disorder affecting millions of Americans.” Dr. Xu’s current research focuses on the underlying causes including genetic factors, of osteoarthritis in the jaw joints. Arthritis is widely considered a co-morbid condition of temporomandibular muscle (jaw) joint disorders/disease (TMJ/TMJD) the same painful and disabling condition that affects other joints in the body.

Dr. Xu’s experience and breadth of scientific inquiry fits well within the fellowship mission to explore growth and development of healthy jaw joints in children as they develop pre- and post- natally. Subsequently, the investigation will explore the disorders/diseases of the temporomandibular joints and overlapping or co-morbid health disorders, through genetic and molecular science.

“This is a landmark appointment for Forsyth,” said Dr. Richard Pharo, Vice President of Operations for Forsyth and Chairman of the Fellowship Mission and Procedures Committee. “Dr. Xu’s fellowship under the tutelage of Forsyth’s scientists, and with mentorship by Dr. Susan Rittling, PhD, in her genetics laboratory, will enable a new paradigm in TMJD research. Together we can work to gain a new understanding of the genetic makeup of these disorders.”

Dr. Lin Xu joins Forsyth from the Harvard School of Dental Medicine, where she worked as a Research Associate in the Department of Developmental Biology. During the past three years, Dr. Xu’s research examined the pathogenetic mechanisms of non-inflammatory degenerative disorders, with a specific focus on the jaw joints. She has published 15 scientific papers on her research. Dr. Xu obtained her medical degree from Beijing Capital Medical School in China and her doctorate degree in molecular biology from Brigham Young University.

The Milton & Renée Glass Family Fellowship supports the research efforts of postdoctoral fellows at The Forsyth Institute for the study of temporomandibular joints disease and related musculo-skeletal disorders with the goal of understanding the disease, preventing it, and identifying effective therapies for its treatment. The TMJ research program at Forsyth also will provide a unique opportunity to promote awareness of TMJD with special emphasis on TMJD in children.

This Fellowship honors Milton L. Glass, who has served as a member of the Board of Directors and Board of Trustees of the Institute since 1986. The fellowship also recognizes and honors his wife, Renée Glass, for her dedication to Forsyth and to the issue of Temporomandibular Joint and Muscle Diseases and Disorders.

“In our work in awareness and prevention of TMJD we stress the fact that healthy Jaw Joints are critical to whole body health. TMJD has long been the “stepchild of the healing arts.” We hope to re-join the jaw joints to all other joints in the body and in the process engage the medical community along side the dental community in resolving this devastating disorder/disease,” said Renée Glass.

“By bringing basic scientific research into the TMJD paradigm and co-joining medical and dental science at Forsyth, this is a giant step forward of historic proportions for the multitudes suffering from jaw-joint diseases/disorders. It offers hope where misconceptions, misdiagnosis, stigmatism and mistreatment of TMJ sufferers have been the rule. It breaks a logjam,” said Milton.

The Glasses founded the Jaw Joints & Allied Musculo-Skeletal Disorders Foundation (JJAMD), a 501(c)(3) organization, in 1982. JJAMD is the nation’s pioneer TMJD patient advocacy organization. Their passion and dedication have increased public awareness of the debilitating medical and oral health disorder. JJAMD’s work with NIH/NIDCR has earned them membership on the NIHTMJD Interagency Working Group, where they participate in planning and discussions involved with a number of governmental agencies either actively involved or potentially participants in TMJD research. Through close collaboration with Forsyth, JJAMD is addressing an NIH initiative involving advocacy organizations in research. Further information can be obtained by accessing JJAMD’s web site www.tmjoints.org.

The Forsyth Institute is the world’s leading independent nonprofit research organization focused on oral, craniofacial, and related biomedical science. Established in 1910, Forsyth’s mission is to lead the discovery, communication, and application of breakthroughs in oral health and disease prevention that will significantly improve the health and well-being of the nation and the world. For more information about Forsyth visit its web site at www.forsyth.org.

SOURCE: The Forsyth Institute

[  Printer-friendly page ]