The studies conducted in my lab on the role of BSP and other related mineralized tissue proteins are done for the most part in collaboration with members of the CIHR Group in Skeletal Development and Remodeling.  In collaboration with Dr. Graeme Hunter, we have shown that BSP nucleates hydroxyapatite formation in vitro and that this activity is mediated by the glutamic acid-rich domains in BSP.  We have also determined the collagen-binding site in BSP and the mechanism of interaction with collagen.  Protein expression systems, for both wild type and mutated proteins, in prokaryotes and eukaryotic cells are used extensively to study the functional properties.