Catherine E. Ovitt, Ph.D.

Contact Information

Phone Numbers

Office: (585) 275-2920

Fax: (585) 276-0190

Research Labs

Lab: (585) 273-3076

Visit Lab Website

Locations

University of Rochester Medical Center
School of Medicine and Dentistry
601 Elmwood Ave, Box 611
Rochester, NY

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

Faculty Appointments

Associate Professor - Department of Biomedical Genetics, Center for Oral Biology (SMD) - Primary

Education

1977
BS | University of Connecticut
Arts & Sciences

1987
PhD | Washington University
Molecular Biology

Publications

Journal Articles

3/1/2017
Shubin AD, Felong TJ, Schutrum BE, Joe DS, Ovitt CE, Benoit DS. "Encapsulation of primary salivary gland cells in enzymatically degradable poly(ethylene glycol) hydrogels promotes acinar cell characteristics." Acta biomaterialia.. 2017 Mar 1; 50:437-449. Epub 2016 Dec 27.

12/2/2016
Weng PL, Vinjamuri M, Ovitt CE. "Ascl3 transcription factor marks a distinct progenitor lineage for non-neuronal support cells in the olfactory epithelium." Scientific reports.. 2016 Dec 2; 6:38199. Epub 2016 Dec 02.

2016
Maruyama EO, Aure MH, Xie X, Myal Y, Gan L, Ovitt CE. "Cell-Specific Cre Strains For Genetic Manipulation in Salivary Glands." PloS one. 2016 11(1):e0146711. Epub 2016 Jan 11.

Books & Chapters

1998
Chapter Title: The molecular biology of Oct-4 in the early mouse embryo
Book Title: Molecular Human Redproduction
Author List: Ovitt Ce; Scholer HR.
Published By: Molecular Human Reproduction1998

1998
Chapter Title: Transgenic analysis of embryonic expression using LacZ as a reporter.
Book Title: Microinjection and Transgenesis. Strategies and protocols.
Author List: Ovitt, C.E.;Yeom, Y.I.; Schöler, H.R.
Edited By: Cid-Arregui, A.; García-Carrancá
Published By: Springer-Verlag1998 in Heidelberg, Berlin

1998
Chapter Title: Oct-4: more than just a POUerful marker of the mammalian germline?
Book Title: APMIS
Author List: Brehm, A.; Ovitt, C.E.; Schöler, H.R.
Published By: APMIS1998

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