Shane N. White Lab
Principal Investigator
Read BioAbout
Dr. White's research interests broadly include dental biological materials; genetic-structural relationships in tooth enamel; and clinical outcomes.
Much of the rationale and evidence for moving from water-based cements to resinous cements emerged from our lab. Failure mechanisms and modes of artificial dental ceramics were studied and applied to clinical usage of both dental porcelains, glass-ceramics, and tough industrial ceramics such as zirconia. Artificial materials studied include those for endodontic root-end filling and repair, sealers, cements, ceramics, composites and even denture resins. But, these are no match for the natural materials like enamel, dentin, cementum, and bone.
Dental enamel studies have sought to link the flow from genes, their expressed proteins, resultant matrices, through biomineralization to biomechanical function. Key enamel genes have been studied. Two different transgenic animals were engineered to produce enamel harder than the natural wildtype! This work has evolved to include environmental impacts on tooth formation and tooth degradation. This includes using tooth enamel as a biomarker for childhood psychosocial stressors. We have worked to better understand tooth structure and its carious demise through big-science high-energy physics, as well as light microscopy, and fracture mechanics approaches.
Clinical dental expertise in prosthodontics and endodontics has enabled clinical trials and interdisciplinary approaches to the systematic review of clinical outcomes, particularly patient-centered outcomes and the human factors that shape dental care.
We have extensive research experience in dental imaging, mechanical testing, dental materials, bone & tooth structure, particularly tooth enamel, and dental implants. I have conducted many clinical trials, including novel in-vivo and in-vitro imaging technologies.
Current Projects and Grants
These include studies on tooth enamel biomechanical function, ameloblast phosphate transport, minimally invasive restorations, ceramics, dental posts, and patient-centered endodontic outcomes.
Publications
- Biological organization of hydroxyapatite crystallites into a fibrous continuum toughens and controls anisotropy in human enamel. SN White, W Luo, ML Paine, H Fong, M Sarikaya, ML Snead. Journal of Dental Research 80 (1), 321-326
- Ectopic expression of dentin sialoprotein during amelogenesis hardens bulk enamel. SN White, ML Paine, AYW Ngan, VG Miklus, W Luo, HJ Wang, ML Snead. Journal of Biological Chemistry 282 (8), 5340-5345
- Understanding nano-anatomy of healthy and carious human teeth: a prerequisite for nanodentistry. S Gaiser, H Deyhle, O Bunk, SN White, B Müller Biointerphases 7 (1), 4
- Relationship between static chemical and cyclic mechanical fatigue in a feldspathic porcelain. SN White, ZC Li, Z Yu, V Kipnis. Dental Materials 13 (2), 103-110
- Pain prevalence and severity before, during, and after root canal treatment: a systematic review. JG Pak, SN White. Journal of Endodontics 37 (4), 429-438
Lab Members
- Renxing Dang, M.S. in Oral Biology Student
- Yu-Wei Huang, Dental Student
- Linda Nematolahi, M.S. in Oral Biology Student
- Muhammad Rashid, Dental Student
- Srishti Srivastava, ACT and M.S. in Oral Biology Student
Collaborators
List of collaborators within and outside of UCLA:
- Dan Boehne
- Hans Deyhle
- Chunling Ge
- Anvita Maharishi
- Ed McLaren
- Janet Moradian-Oldak
- Bert Muller
- Rikke Ogawa
- Michael Paine
- Malcolm Snead
- Mahmoud Torabinejad
- Shihua Xue
Opportunities
Research opportunities are always coming up for the passionate, committed and responsible, at all career stages.