Faizan Alawi D.D.S. Assistant Professor Diplomate of the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology Contact Information Robert Schattner Center University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine Rm 328-A Levy Building 240 South 40th Street Philadelphia, PA 19104-6030 Phone: 215-573-7638 Email: falawi@path.dental.upenn.edu

Training:

• Resident in Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, New York Hospital Medical Center of Queens, 1998-2001
• Chief Resident in General Practice Dentistry, St. Barnabas Hospital, 1997-1998
• Resident in General Practice Dentistry, St. Barnabas Hospital, 1996-1997
• Doctor of Dental Surgery, McGill University, Montreal, Canada, 1992-1996

Research Interests:
The roles of ribosome biogenesis and telomere maintenance in the pathogenesis of oral cancer are poorly understood. The dyskeratosis congenita 1 gene (DKC1) has important roles in both of these molecular pathways. While germline mutations in DKC1 may precipitate cancer development, in the vast majority of individuals with sporadic cancers, the gene is not mutated. Instead, DKC1 is frequently upregulated. We have recently shown that DKC1 is a direct transcriptional target of the c-MYC oncoprotein. c-MYC is one of the most important cellular proteins; it directly and indirectly regulates many of our most fundamental biological functions. Upregulation of c-MYC has been implicated in the pathogenesis of several different cancer types, including oral cancer. We are currently investigating the role of DKC1 in influencing some of these c-MYC-related functions, including cellular proliferation, genomic stability and cellular transformation.

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