Prof. Dr. Mark Darling
Professor, Department of Pathology
Dr. Mark Darling is Professor, Department of Pathology at the University of Western Ontario. He holds the degrees BChD, MSc (Dent), MSc (Med), and MChD (Oral Pathology). He is a member of the IAOP, AAOM, AAOMP, USCAP, and the IADR. He has served on the Publications and Fellowships Committees and currently serves on the Oral Care and Innovations Committee of the IADR. He has served on the editorial boards of Oral Surgery, Oral Medicine, Oral Pathology, Oral Radiology, Head and Neck Pathology, International Dental Journal, and Case Reports in Dentistry; and was an Associate Editor for the Journal of Investigative and Clinical Dentistry. He has 89 peer-reviewed publications, 42 published abstracts, and 127 presentations at scientific meetings.
All Sessions by Prof. Dr. Mark Darling
Guest Lecture - S100A7 as a predictor of malignancy
Oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMDs) are a diverse group of conditions with an elevated risk of transforming into oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). We investigated the molecular landscape, evaluated the accuracy of clinical diagnoses offered by surgeons, and assessed protein expression, with S100A7 as a focus, in OPMD. Findings revealed elevated S100A7 expression in dysplastic lesions compared to normal oral mucosa, which correlated with higher grades of dysplasia, highlighting its potential as a biomarker for early malignancy risk detection. Immunohistochemical staining of selected markers suggested the occurrence of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in the OPMD cohort. The identified molecular alterations offer promising targets for early intervention and risk prediction, highlighting the critical importance of effective management of OPMDs.