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.

Selected Publications:

•  Stoopler ET, Alawi F, Laudenbach JM, Sollecito TP. Bullous amyloidosis of the oral cavity: a rare clinical presentation and review. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Path Oral Radiol Endod 2006;101(6):734-40.
•  Alawi F, Robinson BT, Carrasco LR. Rosai-Dorfman disease of the mandible. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Path Oral Radiol Endod 2006;102(4):506-12.
•  Ziober AF, Patel K, Alawi F, Gimotty P, Feldman MM, Chalian AA, Weinstein GS, Hunt J, Ziober BL. Identification of a Gene Signature for Prediction of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Clin Cancer Res 2006;12(20):5960-71.
•  Pinto A, Lindemeyer RG, Alawi F. Management of a patient with combined autoimmunity: Evans Syndrome, a case report. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Path Oral Radiol Endod 2007;103(4):505-11.
•  Ernst L, Quinn PD, Alawi F. Extending the phenotype of Schimmelpenning syndrome: novel oral manifestations. Am J Med Genet A 2007;143A(8):881-3.
•  Gibson CW, Yuan Z, Li Y, Daly B, Suggs C, Aragon MA, Alawi F, Kulkarni AB, Wright T. Transgenic mice that express normal and mutated amelogenin proteins. J Dent Res 2007; 86(4):331-5.
•  Kreiger PA, Ernst LM, Elden L, Kazahaya K, Alawi F, Russo PA. Hamartomatous tongue lesions in children. Am J Surg Path 2007;31(8):1186-90.
•  Mozaffari E, Marmor DS, Alawi F. Odontogenic keratocyst with a misleading clinical and radiological appearance. Quintessance Int Manuscript in press.
•  Manchandu R, Foote J, Alawi F. Elastofibroma of the oral soft tissues. J Oral Pathol Med Manuscript in press.
•  DeRossi SS, Sarin J, Salazar G, Alawi F. Chronic lesions of the gingiva and mucosa. J Am Dent Assoc Manuscript in press.
•  Alawi F, Lee MN. DKC1 is a direct and conserved transcriptional target of c-MYC. Biochem Biophys Res Comm Manuscript in press.
•  Pinto A, Balasubramaniam R, Alawi F. Lip swelling in a young male. J Am Dent Assoc Manuscript in press.
•  Balasubramaniam R, Alawi F, DeRossi SS. Superficial mucoceles in chronic graft versus host disease: a case report and review of the literature. Gen Dent Manuscript in press.

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