Dr. Daniel Clark is a clinician-scientist and assistant professor in the Department of Periodontics and Preventive Dentistry. He is actively engaged in basic and translational science research as well as the clinical practice of periodontics. Dr. Clark received his PhD from the University of California San Francisco. He received his DDS from the University of Michigan School of Dentistry and completed a residency in periodontology at the University of California San Francisco. He is a diplomate of the American Board of Periodontology
Dr. Clark’s laboratory focuses generally on the cellular and molecular mechanisms that regulate inflammation in bone. He is specifically interested in understanding how the macrophage acts to propagate inflammation in disease or after injury as well as to resolve inflammation and promote tissue regeneration. The laboratory utilizes animal models of bone regeneration and periodontal disease and employs RNAseq, flow cytometry, and a variety of immunological and biomolecular laboratory techniques. In support of Dr. Clark’s research, he has received funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the International Association of Dental Research, and the American Academy of Implant Dentistry, and he has received awards from various basic science and clinical organizations including the International Association of Dental Research and American Academy of Periodontology.
Dr. Clark’s laboratory focuses on the following areas of research
Osteoimmunological approach to bone regeneration
Injury to bone initiates a highly coordinated immune response that involves the propagation of inflammation, active resolution of inflammation, and promotion of regeneration. Towards an improved understanding of the regulation of inflammation within bone, the lab investigates mechanisms that regulate macrophage activity, phenotype, and the interactions with other immune and tissue progenitor cells. The goal of this work is to translate our findings to the clinic as there is a clinical need for improved bone regeneration in the oral cavity as a result of disease, trauma, or in preparation for dental implant placement.
Age-related inflammatory dysregulation
The laboratory is interested in aging biology and specifically how the regulation of inflammation becomes perturbed with increasing age. Age-related inflammatory dysregulation has been attributed to the increased prevalence of many diseases as we age. However, less is understood about the consequences of age-related inflammatory dysregulation within bone. The laboratory focuses on the age-related molecular and genetic perturbations that promote a pathogenic macrophage phenotype or activity. Dr. Clark utilizes this basic science approach to address clinical problems that face older adult populations, such as the increased prevalence of periodontal disease and decreased healing potential.