Dr Jelena Kosoric, BDS, PhD

Clinical Lecturer

Biography

Degrees:
2002-2005 PhD Full time; Biophysics Group, Centre for Oral Growth and Development, Institute of Dentistry, Queen Mary and Westfield College, University of London (QMUL)
Supervisors:  Prof. Mark P. Hector and Dr. Paul Anderson
Title of thesis: The influence of salivary proteins on de- and remineralisation of human enamel and hydroxyapatite. An in vitro scanning microradiographic study.

1993-2000 BDS, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Belgrade, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia

Awards:
Mineralised Tissue Group Prize (British Society of Dental Research Conference, Dundee, April 2005), £1000 for a travel to a conference or centre of excellence in mineralised tissue research

Queen Mary and Westfield College’s  Award (to match ORS awards for cover of overseas tuition fees for two years), July 2003

Scholarship – Commission Federal des bourses pour étudiants étrangers (Swiss Federal Commission’s Scholarship for Foreign Students), Berne, Suisse, April 2001

Previous Institutions and Posts:
1/11/2005-1/11/2006   Wellcome Trust Post-Doctoral Fellowship, Centre for Oral Growth and Development, QMUL on the project: Structural and functional aspects of statherin and related biologically important calcium-binding proteins and their role in dental enamel homeostasis

2001 - 2002     School of Dental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Department of Biomaterials; Research Assistant on project entitled: “Fibre reinforced composites for implant-supported reconstructions”, funded by Swiss Federal Commission’s Scholarship for foreign students

Publications:

Key Publications

Kosoric J, Anderson P, Hector MP, Williams RAD  A synthetic peptide based on a natural salivary protein reduces demineralisation in model systems for dental caries and erosion
International journal of peptide research and therapeutics (in press)

Anderson P, Kosoric J, Hector MP  The “calcium management” action of salivary proteins for caries and erosion prevention CPD Dentistry (in press)

Kosoric J, Cattani-Lorente M, Bouillaguet S, Godin C, Meyer JM  Reinforcement of two laboratory composite resins with glass fibres and effect of adhesives in “The Third International Symposium on Fibre-Reinforced Plastics in Dentistry”, Vallittu PK (ed), Kirjapaino Grafia Oy, Turku, Finland, 2003, pp 84-5 ISBN: 951-29-2436-6

Kosoric J, Cattani-Lorente M, Godin C, Meyer JM  Effets du renforcement à l’aide de fibres de verre et de la post-polymérisation sur les propriétés mécaniques de deux résine composites de laboratoire Journal du Biomatériaux Dentaires, 2002, vol.17, p 62-6

UK Patent: Use of synthetic statherin polypeptide for use in artificial saliva and other dental products Anderson P, Hector MP, Williams RAD, Kosoric J. Patent No GB 0505975.3.

Publications since 2001

Santos O, Kosoric J, Lindh L, Hector MP, Anderson P Adsorption of salivary protein statherin and its subunit onto hydrophobic and hydrophilic surfaces: a model study of salivary biofilm formation using ellipsometry, J Colloid Sci Interface 2008; 318 (2), p.175-182

Kosoric J, Anderson P, Hector MP, Williams RAD, A synthetic peptide based on a natural salivary protein reduces demineralisation in model systems for dental caries and erosion, Int J Pept Res Ther 2007 (DOI: 10.1007/s10989-007-9085-0)

Anderson P, Kosoric J, Hector MP, The "calcium management" action of salivary proteins for caries and erosion prevention; CPD Dentistry 2007; 6(2), p 31-7

UK Patent: Use of synthetic statherin polypeptide for use in artificial saliva and other dental products Anderson P, Hector MP, Williams RAD, Kosoric J. Patent No PCT/GB 2006/001085.

Kosoric J, Cattani-Lorente M, Bouillaguet S, Godin C, Meyer JM  Reinforcement of two laboratory composite resins with glass fibres and effect of adhesives in “The Third International Symposium on Fibre-Reinforced Plastics in Dentistry”, Vallittu PK (ed), Kirjapaino Grafia Oy, Turku, Finland, 2003, pp 84-5 ISBN: 951-29-2436-6

Kosoric J, Cattani-Lorente M, Godin C, Meyer JM  Effets du renforcement à l’aide de fibres de verre et de la post-polymérisation sur les propriétés mécaniques de deux résine composites de laboratoire Journal du Biomatériaux Dentaires, 2002, vol.17, p 62-6

Research interests:

The role of saliva with regard to dental hard tissues is to maintain homeostasis of both enamel and dentine. Salivary proteins, in particular statherin, are responsible for this function by stabilizing high concentration of calcium and phosphate in saliva, required for prevention of demineralisation and enabling remineralisation. Also, statherin is known as a salivary pellicle precursor and is an excellent lubricant. My research is based on studying the influence of salivary proteins on kinetics of de- and remineralisation of hydroxyapatite, enamel and dentine. Also studies on the structure of the Ca-binding domain of salivary proteins, their role in interfacial molecular recognition at the mineral surfaces, and formation of protein biofilms are done through internal and external collaboration. These studies are part of the long term project aiming to understanding of the processes of protein controlled biomineralisation relevant to dental hard tissues and dental hard tissue diseases. This forms a basis for the future improvements of an early and effective diagnosis and caries risk assessment (e.g. using salivary pH, buffering capacity, particular salivary proteins etc.) that can help modify the oral conditions into more favorable environment.

Examples of research funding:

University of London Central Research Fund (ULCRF), March 2005. Study of the characterisation and structural determination of the calcium binding domain of the salivary protein statherin?, £2809