Prof. E. Mitsiadis

Contributor

Country -institution

Institute of Oral Biology. University of Zurich, Switzerland

Title

Cell based therapies for tooth repair / regeneration

Dental stem cells play a critical role in tooth homeostasis and repair. Their fate between self-renewal and differentiation is mostly regulated by signals from a specialized microenvironment. Molecular cross-talk with stem cells determine their fate. The control of stem cell fate decisions is a challenge that necessitates a thorough understanding of the cellular and molecular events involved in tooth development, pathology and regeneration. Molecules of the Notch pathway control cell fate specification outcomes.

Severe dental injuries are lethal to odontoblasts and their replacement requires the presence of stem cells that differentiate into a new generation of odontoblasts. In injured teeth, Notch molecules are expressed in cells located at the apex of the roots. Bone marrow stem cells express Notch, suggesting that the Notch-positive cells of the pulp have stem cell properties. Notch activation in endothelial cells after injury may reflect another pool of stem cells. The close association of mesenchymal cells and neovessels in dental diseases and the relation to Notch signaling pathway may be important in the regulation of stem cells to form odontoblasts.

Generation and repair of dental tissues also imply the epithelial compartment of the tooth. In the continuously growing rodent incisors, ameloblast progenitors express Notch molecules and exhibit a clonal potential. Thus Notch signaling plays a role in the maintenance and determination of dental stem cell fates.

The identification of dental epithelial and mesenchymal stem cells and the knowledge of molecules involved in their fate determination is a considerable accomplishment. The engineering of tri-dimensional scaffolds with a composition and shape more or less similar to that of the teeth to reconstruct and the addition of signalling molecules might facilitate the transplantation and the differentiation of stem cells towards the desired fate. This scientific knowledge is likely to instruct development of novel therapies in the near future.

Curriculum Vitae

Thimios A. Mitsiadis PhD, DDS, HDR
Professor
Director of the Institute of Oral Biology
Head of the Department of OroFacial Development and Structure
Date of birth: 17 September 1959
Place of birth: Larissa, Greece
Sex: Male
Marital status: Married with two kids

Qualifications
D.D.S., University of Athens, Dental Institute, 1983
National Certificate of Superior Studies in Paediatric Dentistry, Univ. Lyon-I, 1987
National Certificate of Superior Studies in Conservative Dentistry, Univ. Lyon I, 1989
D.E.A. (M.Sc.), Immunology, Genetics and Differentiation, University Lyon I, 1990
Ph.D. in Developmental Biology, University Lyon I, 1993
HDR (Research Director), Mediterranean University, 1999
Qualified as Professor in Paediatric Dentistry, Ministerial approval, France, 2002
Associate Professor in Genetics, Dental School Athens, Greece, 2004-2005
Professor of Oral Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Zurich, Switzerland, 2006 - date

Education
- Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, USA
Postdoctoral Research Associate in Molecular Biology 2-8/1996
- Karolinska Nobel Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.
Postdoctoral Research Associate in Molecular Biology 1994-1996
- Dental Faculty, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
Postdoctoral Fellow in Developmental Biology. 1993-1994
- Faculty of Dentistry, University LYON I, Lyon, France. 1985-1993
Ph.D. Thesis. Mention "highest honours". 12/1993

Professional Activities
- Faculty of Medicine of Zurich 2006- Professor and Director of the Institute for Oral Biology
- Dental School of Athens 2004§2005 Associate Professor, Department of Oral Biology
- King's College London, Dental School 2003-2006 Clinical Senior Lecturer, Group Leader
- Ecole Normale Superieure de Lyon 2002 Invited Professor
- Natural Implant Company (Biotechnology) Scientific Director 2001
- Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, USA Invited professor 1997
- Faculty of Dentistry, Marseille, France. Head of the Molecular & Developmental Biology Laboratory 1996-2001 Professor in Biological Sciences and Paediatric Dentistry 1996-2001

Clinical duties
- Faculty of Dentistry, Marseille, France. 1996-2002 / Department of Paediatric Dentistry
- Faculty of Dentistry, Lyon, France. 1986-1992 / Assistant at the department of Conservative Dentistry 1991-1992 / Assistant at the department of Paediatric Dentistry 1986-1991
- Croix Rousse Hospital, Lyon, France. 1985-1987 / Assistant at the department of Maxillofacial Surgery

Participation in International Committees
- Management committee in the European COST B23 action in Odontogenesis. Greek Representative.
- Advisory Scientific Committees for different International Dental meetings
- Evaluation Committee of EU research projects

Languages
Reading Writing Speaking
English: Fluent Fluent Fluent
French: Fluent Fluent Fluent
Greek: Fluent Fluent Fluent
Spanish: Basic Basic Basic

Honors and Awards
2007 Organiser of the 9th international 'Tooth Morphogenesis & Differentiation meeting', Switzerland
2005-2008 Invited Editor of the International Journal of Developmental Biology
2006-2008 Evaluator of a new research institute in Strasbourg, France
2005 Organizer of the international COST-ESF meeting on "Modern Dentistry: Oral Pathology, Stem Cells & Dental Engineering", Athens, Greece
2005 Co-organiser of the annual SICB meeting on "Evolution and Development of the Vertebrate Dentition", San Diego, California, USA
2003-2005 Presentation in the Media (French TV: TF1, France2, M6, TCL etc, Greek TV: NET channel, Antenna), French Radio: France Info etc) covering my research activities - interviews in French (Le Monde, Le Figaro, Le Parisien, Liberation, etc), Spanish (ABC), Belgian (Le Soir), UK (The Times), Greek (To Vima) etc newspapers.
2003- date External evaluator for the INSERM medical-scientific organisation, France
2003-2007 Greek representative and member of the MC in the European COST B23 action
2001-2004 Advisory Scientific Committee for the 7th and 8th 'Tooth Morphogenesis & Differentiation meeting'
2000-2007 Evaluator for Research Grant Applications: NMRC Singapore, CERH Texas, MRC, BBSRC, COST, EU, French Association of Dentistry
2000-2002 Editorial Board in the 'Journal of Dental Research'
2000 Scientific Committee for the "6th world Hellenic Biomedical Congress", Athens, Greece
1999 Organiser of the international meeting on "Molecular aspects of Odontogenesis", France
1995 Invitation at the Nobel Price Ceremony, Stockholm, Sweden
1992 First Price for Dental Sciences, French Dental Biology Society Seminars Given (Invitations)

Invited speaker

more than 85 international invitations Related publications
1. T. Mitsiadis, M. Lardelli, U. Lendahl, I. Thesleff. (1995). Journal of Cell Biology 130: 407-418.
2. T. Mitsiadis, I. Thesleff, U. Lendahl. International Journal of Developmental Biology Suppl 1: 113-114.
3. T. Mitsiadis, D. Hernique, I. Thesleff, U. Lendahl. (1997). Development 124: 1473-1483
4. T. Mitsiadis, E. Hirsinger, U. Lendahl, C. Goridis. (1998). Developmental Biology 204: 420-431.
5. T. Mitsiadis, K. Fried, C. Goridis. (1999). Experimental Cell Research 246: 312-318.
6. L. Pouyet, T. Mitsiadis. (2000). Mechanisms of Development 91: 399-402.
7. I. About, T. Mitsiadis. (2001). Advances in Dental Research 15: 59-62.
8. T. Mitsiadis, O. Gayet, N. Zhang, P. Carroll. (2001). Mechanisms of Development 109: 399-403.
9. N. Prakash, Hansson, Betsholtz, T. Mitsiadis, Lendahl. (2002). Experimental Cell Research 278: 31-44.
10. T. Mitsiadis, A. Roméas, U. Lendahl, et al. (2003). Experimental Cell Research 282: 101-109.
11. T. Mitsiadis, L. Regaudiat, T. Gridley. (2005). Archives of Oral Biology 50: 137-140.
12. H. Lovschall, T. Mitsiadis, K. Poulsen, K. Jensen, A. Kjeldsen, (2007). International Journal of Developmental Biology 51(8):715-21