Dental Olympians

NEWS

DENTAL OLYMPIANS in Cornwall, has put her dental Individual Foil competition at the As you read this issue of career temporarily on hold as she Melbourne Olympic Games in 1956 the BDJ, you will probably prepares to compete at this year’s at the age of 28 (she became a still be recovering from the Olympics in the track cycling team member of the BDA the same year). excitement generated by pursuit. Dr Houvenghal has been a Gillian, who went to school in Kent Danny Boyle’s Opening full-time athlete for six years, won then studied dentistry at University Ceremony of the London a silver medal in the individual College Hospital, London, was the 2012 Olympic Games. pursuit in track cycling at the surprise winner of the gold medal. Dentist Wendy Beijing Olympic Games in 2008 She went on to win the British Houvenghal, 37, origi- and gold in the team pursuit at Empire and Commonwealth title in nally from Northern the 2008, 2009 and 2011 Track 1958 and in 1960 won her tenth Ireland but now based World Championships. and final British Championship. Another notable dental Gillian, whose married name is A clipping from the Olympian was fencer Gillian Donaldson, later settled in New British Dental Journal Sheen, who received a gold York where she joined her husband 1956; 101: 457 medal for winning the Women’s in a dental practice.

DENTAL PULP STEM CELLS PLAY ARMY DENTAL DUO TRAIN WITH TEAM GB VITAL ROLE Members of the British Dental GB 2012 medal hopes. Athletes Mesoblast, a leading global stem cell therapy devel- Association (BDA) Armed Forces included long jumper and three- opment company, has taken out exclusive rights to travelled to Monte Gordo, time Olympian Chris Tomlinson, patents covering dental pulp stem cells (DPSC), with Portugal in May with the Army heptathlete Louise Hazel, sprint the hope of treating conditions such as Parkinson’s Medical Services (AMS) Athletics sensation Adam Gemili and world disease and stroke. Team to complete a training triple jump medallist Philips Idowu. In their presentation to the Jeffries Annual Global camp before the outdoor military Inspired by their encounters Healthcare Conference in June,1 Mesoblast suggested athletics season got underway. and the revelation that Philips DPSC will play a vital role in their new corporate Major Tom Konarzewski was an avid BDJ reader, the strategy for product development to treat neurologic (pictured left – Defence Dental Army pair returned to the UK conditions. Recent studies have shown that due to Services, Chester) and Captain where Major Konarzewski won their neural crest origin, DPSC have unique properties, Rich Smith (right – Army a bronze medal in the javelin which make them more effective in the protection Foundation College, Harrogate) at the Army Champs and Capt and repair of neural cells and tissues than other adult are serving officers in the Royal Smith went on to win his fifth stem cells. Research by Karaöz et al.2 emphasises the Army Dental Corps. Inter-Services 400 m hurdle special characteristics of DPSC, with an in vitro study The dental duo were represent- title competing against the RAF demonstrating how the pulp stem cells were able to ing the AMS alongside combat and Navy. Capt Smith has also differentiate into neural cells as well as vascular epi- medics, doctors and medical staff been selected to be a part of the thelial cells. The conclusions of the study are promis- of the British Army at the Real De London 2012 Medical Team in ing for the development of clinical uses of DPSC for San Antonio Sports Complex and his spare time, providing dental neurodegenerative diseases. found themselves training along- cover at various venues in the DPSC are STRO-1 (a stem cell marker) positive, side some of this summer’s Team Olympic Village. making them highly suitable for regenerative treat- ments. As producers of high levels of neurotrophic factors, Mesoblast is focusing on using their potential in the treatment of Huntington’s and Parkinson’s, affecting almost 135,000 in the UK; stroke, affecting around 150,000 each year in the UK; and acute spinal cord injury, paralysing approximately 1,200 each year in the UK.

1. Mesoblast. Presentation to the Jeffries Annual Global Healthcare Conference. 2012. Online presentation available at www.mesoblast. com/investors/presentations/ (accessed June 2012). 2. Karaöz E, Demircan P C, Sağlam O, Aksoy A, Kaymaz F, Duruksu G. Human dental pulp stem cells demonstrate better neural and epi- thelial stem cell properties than bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells. Histochem Cell Biol 2011; 136: 455–473. Olympic gold medal hope Philips Idowu (centre) catching up on his verifiable CPD By Laura Pacey