Teeth and Bones:

Chunlin Qin, D.D.S., Ph.D., assistant professor of endodontics, Dental Branch

Teeth and bones have a lot in common, and Qin’s research is aimed at finding out what goes wrong in such diseases as osteoporosis and dentinogenesis imperfecta, in which teeth become discolored, greatly weakened and easily lost.

Chunlin Qin, D.D.S., Ph.D.

Before plans for intervention and treatment for such diseases can be developed, much fundamental information must be discovered about how bone and dentin – the predominant ivory substance forming the mass of a tooth – are formed.

The organic components of bone and dentin include collagen and non-collagenous proteins, Qin explained.

“My research work is mainly focused on the non-collagenous proteins that play vital roles in the formation and maintenance of bone and dentin. Based on my recent discoveries, I postulate that some non-collagenous proteins need to be processed into active forms (fragments) before they can function in the formation and maintenance of bone and dentin. Currently, a major part of my research work is to test this hypothesis,” he said.

“As a dentist in China who dealt with bone (jaw bones) and dentin on a daily basis, I had a clear understanding about the importance of mineralized tissue research,” he said. “With this in mind, I decided to work in this research area 11 years ago when I entered my Ph.D. program in Japan.”