Alan Fincham and the era of enamel protein Biochemistry

Enamel research experienced an unprecedented period of growth during the latter part of the 20th century until today. This growth is in part due to the contributions of a number of iconic scientists such as Alan G. Fincham, the focus of the present review. Alan was involved in many of the seminal discoveries of this time, including the identification of the critical amelogenin peptides TRAP and LRAP, the determination of the amelogenin amino acid sequence, the identification of the sole serin-16 phosphorylation site, and the amelogenin nanosphere theory. Alan was also a superb mentor to graduate students and others. His experience and leadership related to problem-based learning greatly affected predoctoral dental education at the University of Southern California and in the United States.

Automated summary

Enamel research has experienced significant growth from the late 20th century until today, largely thanks to influential scientists, such as Alan G. Fincham. Alan played a crucial role in various groundbreaking discoveries during this period, including the identification of key amelogenin peptides, determination of their amino acid sequence, identification of phosphorylation site, and proposing the amelogenin nanosphere theory. Additionally, Alan's mentoring and problem-based learning approach greatly impacted predoctoral dental education at the University of Southern California and in the United States.