The Scope E-NewsletterJune 2010 Pathology Resident Dr. Bruker Presents ODAM Research in Beijing

Charles Bruker, MD, Senior Pathology Resident, recently returned from Beijing, China, where he presented research findings on, "ODAM: A Novel Biomarker for Epithelial Carcinomas," at PepCon 2010, which is a conference focused on cutting-edge peptide and protein research. As the only resident among an international group of scientists and physicians, Dr. Bruker said he felt quite honored to be chosen to represent his research team and the UT Graduate School of Medicine.

Odontogenic Ameloblast associated protein (ODAM) was first detected by Alan Solomon, MD, Director, Human Immunology and Cancer Program and is currently being researched by a team including Daniel Kestler, PhD; Dr. Bruker; Sabina Siddiqui, MD; Keith Gray, MD; James Foster, MD; Sagar Gandhi, MD; John Bell, MD; and James Lewis, MD. Dr. Bruker said that with Dr. Solomon's encouragement, he had the confidence to make a successful presentation in the international arena, which is an uncommon step forward for the institution.

"I feel that I represented the University of Tennessee and the Graduate School of Medicine quite well," Dr. Bruker said. "If the momentum of our ODAM research persists and we continue to have promising results, then it has the potential to have international importance. This is the first step in that growth."

Dr. Kestler and Dr. Bruker recently received funding from the Susan G. Komen Foundation to continue their ODAM research, studying its expression in breast tumors as well as patients' humoral response to this protein.