Studying Salivary Gland Disorders
Olga Juliana Baker Lab
Research Interests
The Baker lab studies the autoimmune disorder Sjögren’s syndrome and its impact on saliva production. They strive to discover treatments and preventions for hyposalivation.
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Olga Juliana Baker
Principal Investigator, Bond LSC
Professor of Otolaryngology
Professor of Biochemistry
phone(573) 882-3804
Olga Juliana Baker is a professor in the Department of Otolaryngology and the Department of Biochemistry.
ABOUT THE LAB
Dr. Baker has pioneered the use of lipid mediators known as resolvins in salivary gland (SG) research, demonstrating that the resolvin D1 (RvD1) is biosynthesized in SGs. Specifically, she and her team revealed the mechanisms by which RvD1 activates its receptor (ALX/FPR2) to block pro-inflammatory cytokines and promote tissue healing. Additionally, Dr. Baker’s lab demonstrated the degree to which the RvD1 receptor ALX/FPR2 is critical for resolution of inflammation in SG, as mice lacking it display markedly increased reactivity to endotoxins.
The significance of these findings is that her lab may have found a means to more effectively manage hyposalivation observed in Sjögren’s syndrome (SS) patients, with results to date demonstrating that systemic treatment with RvD1 of a mouse model for SS preserves and restores SG secretory function. A second of Dr. Baker’s ongoing research programs is conducted in partnership with Dr. Stelios Andreadis of the University at Buffalo. For this project, her team has designed a matrix consisting of fibrin hydrogels (FH) linked to basement proteins and growth factors and introduced it into damaged SG with the aim of forming new tissue and recovering lost secretory function. Particularly, Dr. Baker’s lab has demonstrated that the structural protein Laminin-1 (L1) promotes SG differentiation when polymerized within FH; however, because L1 is not optimal for translational research in light of its tumorigenic properties, they designed alternate peptide sequences corresponding to pertinent L1 regions that promote intact SG formation and conjugated them to FH. In so doing, this scaffold has retained the fertile characteristics of L1 without the associated dangers, thereby increasing the chances of producing new tissue with minimal risk for side effects. Furthermore, Dr. Baker and colleagues have tested this L1-modified FH scaffold in irradiated mouse SG and successfully applied it in vivo to restore SG function, thereby confirming that new and well-organized salivary tissue with intact secretion can be produced using this novel matrix.
LAB MEMBERS
Kihoon Nam
Research Assistant Professor
In the news
Oct. 20, 2023
Baker lab IDs rare tuft cells in salivary glands that may prove significant in Sjögren’s disease
Lab of Olga Baker, a Bond LSC researcher and professor of otolaryngology at the University of Missouri. From left to right, Harim Tavares dos Santos, Olga Baker, Kihoon Nam, and Frank Maslow. | Photo by Sarah Kiefer, Bond LSC By Sarah Kiefer A digital declutter is a way to get rid of the seemingly endless files of old photos and documents, but when Harim Tavares dos Santos started sorting through computer files from the Baker Lab at Bond LSC, one image stood out and led him down a rabbit hole. The picture showed tuft cells, a rare…
April 13, 2022
Receptors Found to Help Patients with Sjögren’s Disease
The Baker lab poses for a group photograph. The lab has been working with specialized pro-resolving lipid mediators in efforts to help patients with Sjögren’s Disease. Photo by Karly Balslew, Bond LSC By Karly Balslew | Bond LSC Saliva is probably not the first thing that comes to mind when we think about eating our favorite foods. The clear liquid washes away food debris and bacteria, and it plays a vital role in maintaining our dental hygiene and oral health. You may take it for granted, but for patients with Sjögren’s disease, life without saliva is…
Oct. 19, 2020
Four months in, Baker lab hits the ground running and won’t be stopping anytime soon
Post doctorate Harim Tavares from the Baker lab works in “the hood,” which is a space used to prevent researchers and other outside factors from contaminating cells. By Lauren Hines | Bond LSC Saliva is often something people take for granted. It helps break down food, maintain teeth and keep the oral cavity feeling comfortable. But head and neck cancer patients lose those benefits when chemotherapy treatments damage their salivary glands. Olga Baker set out to research tissue regeneration for these cancer patients by collaborating with the Michael Petris and Gary Weisman labs after setting up…