Ophir Klein, PhD, MD | UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center

Research Summary

I am a developmental biologist as well as a pediatrician and clinical geneticist, and I am interested in translating an understanding of developmental mechanisms into advances for regenerative medicine. After completing the MD/PhD degrees and a pediatric residency, I trained in Medical Genetics. As a physician scientist, I treat patients with various syndromes, including those that predispose patients to cancer. As the Chief of the Division of Genetics at UCSF and Chair of the Division of Craniofacial Anomalies at UCSF, I take a strong interest in integrating clinical and research activities. Work in my research group centers on organ development and regeneration, with a major focus on understanding the processes underlying stem cell-based renewal and on integrating evolutionary and developmental approaches.

Research Funding

September 5, 2014 - August 31, 2024 - The roles of regional specialization, mechanical forces and epigenetic memory after perturbation and injury of the intestinal stem cell microenvironment, Principal Investigator. Sponsor: NIH/NIDDK, Sponsor Award ID: U01DK103147
September 22, 2016 - June 30, 2024 - Harnessing natural stem cell-based strategies for mammalian dental renewal, Principal Investigator. Sponsor: NIH/NIDCR, Sponsor Award ID: R35DE026602
July 1, 2019 - April 30, 2024 - Cellular and molecular control of tooth morphogenesis, Principal Investigator. Sponsor: NIH/NIDCR, Sponsor Award ID: R01DE028496
March 1, 2018 - January 31, 2023 - Regulation of organogenesis through regional variations in tissue mechanics, Principal Investigator. Sponsor: NIH/NIDCR, Sponsor Award ID: R01DE027620

Education

University of California, Berkeley, B.A., 1993, Spanish
Yale University, New Haven, CT, Ph.D., 1999, Genetics
Yale University, New Haven, CT, M.D., 2000
Yale-New Haven Hospital, New Haven, CT, 2000-2003, Pediatrics
University of California, San Francisco, 2003-2007, Clinical Genetics

Honors & Awards

2010
New Innovator Award, National Institutes of Health
2013
Physician Scientist Award, California Institute of Regenerative Medicine
2013
Elected Member, American Society for Clinical Investigation
2013
Outstanding Faculty Mentorship Award, UCSF Graduate Students' Association
2014
Larry L. Hillblom Distinguished Professor in Craniofacial Anomalies, UCSF
2014
Elected Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
2015
E. Mead Johnson Award, Society for Pediatric Research
2015
Faculty Research Lecturer Award, UCSF School of Dentistry
2016
Charles J. Epstein Professor of Human Genetics, UCSF
2016
Inaugural Sustaining Outstanding Achievement in Research (SOAR) R35 Award, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research
2017
Craniofacial Biology Distinguished Scientist Award, International Association for Dental Research
2017
Lawrence A. Tabak Lecturer, University of Rochester
2018
Elected Member, National Academy of Medicine (NAM)

Selected Publications

Wong JC, Perez-Mancera PA, Huang TQ, Kim J, Grego-Bessa J, Del Pilar Alzamora M, Kogan SC, Sharir A, Keefe SH, Morales CE, Schanze D, Castel P, Hirose K, Huang GN, Zenker M, Sheppard D, Klein OD, Tuveson DA, Braun BS, Shannon K KrasP34R and KrasT58I mutations induce distinct RASopathy phenotypes in mice. View on PubMed
Toda S, McKeithan WL, Hakkinen TJ, Lopez P, Klein OD, Lim WA Engineering synthetic morphogen systems that can program multicellular patterning. View on PubMed
Lu Y, Deng R, You H, Xu Y, Antos C, Sun J, Klein OD, Lu P Asymmetric Stratification-Induced Polarity Loss and Coordinated Individual Cell Movements Drive Directional Migration of Vertebrate Epithelium. View on PubMed
Krivanek J, Soldatov RA, Kastriti ME, Chontorotzea T, Herdina AN, Petersen J, Szarowska B, Landova M, Matejova VK, Holla LI, Kuchler U, Zdrilic IV, Vijaykumar A, Balic A, Marangoni P, Klein OD, Neves VCM, Yianni V, Sharpe PT, Harkany T, Metscher BD, Bajénoff M, Mina M, Fried K, Kharchenko PV, Adameyko I Dental cell type atlas reveals stem and differentiated cell types in mouse and human teeth. View on PubMed
Samuels BD, Aho R, Brinkley JF, Bugacov A, Feingold E, Fisher S, Gonzalez-Reiche AS, Hacia JG, Hallgrimsson B, Hansen K, Harris MP, Ho TV, Holmes G, Hooper JE, Jabs EW, Jones KL, Kesselman C, Klein OD, Leslie EJ, Li H, Liao EC, Long H, Lu N, Maas RL, Marazita ML, Mohammed J, Prescott S, Schuler R, Selleri L, Spritz RA, Swigut T, van Bakel H, Visel A, Welsh I, Williams C, Williams TJ, Wysocka J, Yuan Y, Chai Y FaceBase 3: analytical tools and FAIR resources for craniofacial and dental research. View on PubMed
Sweat YY, Sweat M, Yu W, Sanz-Navarro M, Zhang L, Sun Z, Eliason S, Klein OD, Michon F, Chen Z, Amendt BA Sox2 Controls Periderm and Rugae Development to Inhibit Oral Adhesions. View on PubMed
Wu J, Tian Y, Han L, Liu C, Sun T, Li L, Yu Y, Lamichhane B, D'Souza RN, Millar SE, Krumlauf R, Ornitz DM, Feng JQ, Klein O, Zhao H, Zhang F, Linhardt RJ, Wang X FAM20B-catalyzed glycosaminoglycans control murine tooth number by restricting FGFR2b signaling. View on PubMed
Goodwin AF, Chen CP, Vo NT, Bush JO, Klein OD YAP/TAZ Regulate Elevation and Bone Formation of the Mouse Secondary Palate. View on PubMed
Hagerling C, Owyong M, Sitarama V, Wang CY, Lin C, van den Bijgaart RJE, Koopman CD, Brenot A, Nanjaraj A, Wärnberg F, Jirström K, Klein OD, Werb Z, Plaks V LGR5 in breast cancer and ductal carcinoma in situ: a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker and a therapeutic target. View on PubMed
Bannister JJ, Crites SR, Aponte JD, Katz DC, Wilms M, Klein OD, Bernier FPJ, Spritz RA, Hallgrímsson B, Forkert ND Fully Automatic Landmarking of Syndromic 3D Facial Surface Scans Using 2D Images. View on PubMed
Hallgrímsson B, Aponte JD, Katz DC, Bannister JJ, Riccardi SL, Mahasuwan N, McInnes BL, Ferrara TM, Lipman DM, Neves AB, Spitzmacher JAJ, Larson JR, Bellus GA, Pham AM, Aboujaoude E, Benke TA, Chatfield KC, Davis SM, Elias ER, Enzenauer RW, French BM, Pickler LL, Shieh JTC, Slavotinek A, Harrop AR, Innes AM, McCandless SE, McCourt EA, Meeks NJL, Tartaglia NR, Tsai AC, Wyse JPH, Bernstein JA, Sanchez-Lara PA, Forkert ND, Bernier FP, Spritz RA, Klein OD Automated syndrome diagnosis by three-dimensional facial imaging. View on PubMed
McKinley KL, Castillo-Azofeifa D, Klein OD Tools and Concepts for Interrogating and Defining Cellular Identity. View on PubMed
Wall E, Scoles J, Joo A, Klein O, Quinonez C, Bush JO, Martin GR, Laird DJ The UCSF Mouse Inventory Database Application, an Open Source Web App for Sharing Mutant Mice Within a Research Community. View on PubMed
Körber I, Klein OD, Morhart P, Faschingbauer F, Grange DK, Clarke A, Bodemer C, Maitz S, Huttner K, Kirby N, Durand C, Schneider H Safety and immunogenicity of Fc-EDA, a recombinant ectodysplasin A1 replacement protein, in human subjects. View on PubMed
Bahar Halpern K, Massalha H, Zwick RK, Moor AE, Castillo-Azofeifa D, Rozenberg M, Farack L, Egozi A, Miller DR, Averbukh I, Harnik Y, Weinberg-Corem N, de Sauvage FJ, Amit I, Klein OD, Shoshkes-Carmel M, Itzkovitz S Lgr5+ telocytes are a signaling source at the intestinal villus tip. View on PubMed
Trentesaux C, Striedinger K, Pomerantz JH, Klein OD From gut to glutes: The critical role of niche signals in the maintenance and renewal of adult stem cells. View on PubMed
Yu T, Klein OD Molecular and cellular mechanisms of tooth development, homeostasis and repair. View on PubMed
Rajendra C, Wald T, Barber K, Spence JR, Fattahi F, Klein OD Generation of Knockout Gene-Edited Human Intestinal Organoids. View on PubMed
Byrd KM, Piehl NC, Patel JH, Huh WJ, Sequeira I, Lough KJ, Wagner BL, Marangoni P, Watt FM, Klein OD, Coffey RJ, Williams SE Heterogeneity within Stratified Epithelial Stem Cell Populations Maintains the Oral Mucosa in Response to Physiological Stress. View on PubMed
Blutt SE, Klein OD, Donowitz M, Shroyer N, Guha C, Estes MK Use of organoids to study regenerative responses to intestinal damage. View on PubMed

Ophir D. Klein, MD, PhD