Lauren Sheppard Graduate Student (Master. Program) Major Professor: Dr. Anita Oberbauer Phone: (530)752-1046 FAX: (530)752-0175 Email: lesheppard@ucdavis.edu
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Education: 

B.S., Animal Science, University of Cal, Davis 2002
M.S., Animal Science Physiology, University of Cal, Davis 'In Progress'

Project 

Title:  The Effects of Pamidronate on the Resorptive Function of Osteoclasts

Hormone therapy is being used now to treat patients with crippling bone diseases, such as Osteogenesis Imperfecta (OI). One such exogenous hormone is pamidronate and has been clinically shown to effectively reduce bone loss associated with OI. This study plans to examine the effects pamidronate has on bone and its cells specifically. By staining for tartrate resistant acid phosphatase, an enzyme specifically produced by osteoclasts, the study will be able to quantitatively measure the effects of pamidronate.
Pamidronate has been shown to reduce bone resorption by acting on osteoclasts, a cell which is responsible for bone breakdown. This study will be able to visually explain this hormone's consequence of either causing osteoclast apoptosis or somehow reducing the cell's function. Thus the goal of better understanding bone physiology, as well as treating the debilitating disease of OI, will be achieved.