Dr. Catherine Ovitt Secures $2.4M Grant

After Marija Cvetanovska observed young Jayden's behavior as part of the study, she and Kathy Scott-Anne and Kim Flint presented him with a certificate of completion.

Dr. Catherine Ovitt

Secures $2.4M Grant

Dr. Catherine Ovitt, professor, Biomedical Genetics and interim director of the Center for Oral Biology, has received a five-year, $2.4 million new R01 grant, titled “Cellular Plasticity in Salivary Gland Regeneration.” She and her team will determine how cellular plasticity and lineage conversion are involved in the response to injury and regeneration of the salivary glands after radiation treatment. Identification of the cells involved and the conditions driving these processes may yield critical information for development of regenerative approaches to treat xerostomia.

Collaborating investigators include Dr. David Yule, Professor in the Dept. of Pharmacology & Physiology and Dr. Andrew McDavid, Assistant Professor in the Department of Biostatistics and Computational Biology. ♦