Skip to main content
Explore URMC
menu

Catherine E. Ovitt, Ph.D.

Contact Information

Phone Numbers

Office: (585) 275-2920

Fax: (585) 276-0190

Research Labs

Faculty Appointments

Biography

Research

Normal function of the salivary glands is critical for the maintenance of oral health. Radiation treatment of patients with head and neck cancers, as well as autoimmune diseases such as Sjögren's syndrome cause cellular damage in the salivary glands that is usually severe, irreversible, and impairs normal function. The long-range goal of this laboratory is to establish therapeutic strategies for repair or regeneration of the salivary glands. Basic research projects in our laboratory include the identification and characterization of progenitor cells involved in salivary gland development and regeneration, and the factors required for differentiation of secretory cells. Applied projects address strategies for protection of the salivary glands from radiation-induced damage, and for promoting regeneration of damaged glands.

Credentials

Education

1977
BS | University of Connecticut
Arts & Sciences

1987
PhD | Washington University
Molecular Biology

Post-doctoral Training & Residency

1987 - 1997
Postdoctoral Fellow, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany

Awards

2016
Elected "Salivary Gland Researcher of the Year"
Sponsor: IADR Salivary Gland Research Group

2016
International Association of Dental Research Innovation in Oral Care Award
Sponsor: International Association of Dental Research

1987 - 1990
Postdoctoral Fellowship Award
Sponsor: Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, Germany

VIEW ALL expand_more

Publications

Journal Articles

5/5/2023
Mereness JA, Piraino L, Chen CY, Moyston T, Song Y, Shubin A, DeLouise LA, Ovitt CE, Benoit DSW. "Slow hydrogel matrix degradation enhances salivary gland mimetic phenotype." Acta biomaterialia.. 2023 May 5; Epub 2023 May 05.

10/20/2022
Uchida H, Ingalls MH, Maruyama EO, Johnston CJ, Hernady E, Faustoferri RC, Ovitt CE. "Short-term and bystander effects of radiation on murine submandibular glands." Disease models & mechanisms.. 2022 Oct 20; Epub 2022 Oct 20.

3/30/2022
Song Y, Uchida H, Sharipol A, Piraino L, Mereness JA, Ingalls MH, Rebhahn J, Newlands SD, DeLouise LA, Ovitt CE, Benoit DSW. "Author Correction: Development of a functional salivary gland tissue chip with potential for high-content drug screening." Communications biology.. 2022 Mar 30; 5(1):315. Epub 2022 Mar 30.

VIEW ALL PUBLICATIONS