Student Interview Ben Shelling

Ben Shelling D’24

Can you tell me an overview of your research?

Right now, I am finishing up a project where my lab and I are looking at Fusobacterium nucleatum’s effect on aging-mediated pathways in gingival epithelial cells.

What is the AADOCR Student Research Fellowship, and how did you earn this opportunity?

I learned about the AADOCR Student Research Fellowship from my principal investigator (PI), Dr. Esra Sahingur, who graciously agreed to be my faculty advisor and helped me write a research proposal, which was then submitted and accepted. The fellowship provides students who are interested in oral, craniofacial, and dental research with a stipend and travel grant to conduct their research and present it at the 2023 AADOCR annual meeting.

Why is research important to you?

I chose Penn Dental Medicine because of its heavy emphasis on contemporary evidence-based-dentistry. Being a part of PDM’s premier research is important to me because the field of dentistry is dynamic, and research allows me to be at the forefront of groundbreaking dental research and innovation. I also appreciate that research makes me think, and I particularly relish when information gained performing research or reading papers appears in the classroom and in the clinic.

What advice do you have for dental students interested in research?

My advice for dental students interested in research is to pick a good PI/mentor and team. I am fortunate to have a PI who serves as my mentor and is constantly encouraging and pushing me not only in research but also scholastically and in life. I am also a part of an excellent team of researchers consisting of a Doctor of Science in Dentistry (DScD) student, postdoc, fourth year dental student, lab managers and a summer student. In the lab, there is a collaborative environment where everyone learns from each other, and we work as a team to teach each other new techniques or more effective protocols to accomplish our shared goal, which makes research fun and enjoyable.

Fun fact about yourself?

A fun fact about myself is that I am the co-president of PDM’s Jewish Dental Student Society. Feel free to join our page on Facebook and stay tuned for more fun events!