Explorer WINTER 2024 . VOLUME 12
PENN DENTAL MEDICINE VERNON BRIGHTMAN RESEARCH SOCIETY NEWSLETTER
CONTENTS 2 VBRS Executive Board 2 Upcoming Events 3 Research Speed Dating 3 VBRS Faculty/Student Research Mixer
4 Student Research Programs 5 Alumni Spotlight 5 Davey Shammah, D’26 6 2023 DMD Research 8 Myra F. Laird, PhD 9 Riya Patel, D’26 10 Chider Chen, PhD 11 Lindsay Fisher, D’25 12 Edward Lin, DMD 14 Student Publications 15 Lauren Rudolph, D’26 16 Lucas Wall, D’25
A MESSAGE FROM VBRS C0-PRESIDENTS Dear Penn Dental Medicine, We are delighted to present the Winter 2024 edition of PDM Explorer, brought to you by the Vernon Brightman Research Society (VBRS). As the primary student research organization at Penn Dental Medicine and the local chapter of the National Student Research Group (NSRG) affiliated with the American Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research (AADOCR), VBRS serves as a crucial link connecting research activities at PDM with the broader student community. Honoring the legacy of Vernon J. Brightman, a former faculty member at Penn Dental Medicine and a dedicated supporter of student research, VBRS has upheld his vision for over two decades. We are proud of our commitment to fostering interest and active participation in cutting-edge basic science, clinical and public health research within the dental profession. Within this twelfth edition of PDM Explorer, we enthusiastically share our dedication and endeavors aimed at encouraging student engagement in research at Penn Dental Medicine. To start the fall semester, we held the Research Speed Dating Event in a virtual format. Engaging student mentors specializing in basic and translational sciences, clinical, public health and honors research programs, we aimed to showcase a glimpse of the extensive landscape of dental research. With ongoing technological advancements and innovation, the research horizon continues to widen, as reflected in the diverse expertise of our student panel. This event exhibited the varied involvement of our students in research across multiple disciplines. The highlight of the semester was our Annual Research Expo featuring a dynamic Research Student Panel and a lively Faculty/Student Research Mixer. With the enthusiastic participation of more than 50 students and faculty, the occasion was a hub of networking and collaboration, giving a significant push to student research at PDM. Riding high on the energy and success of our second in-person gathering post the COVID-19 pandemic, we are fueled with inspiration to persist in our mission of promoting and diversifying student research at Penn Dental Medicine in the years ahead. In this edition of the PDM Explorer, we are excited to highlight some of the many students and faculty who continue to drive research innovation and advancement at PDM and beyond. You will also have the opportunity to read about our NSRG Nominee for PDM and a Resident Spotlight, both new features of the Newsletter. We are looking forward to continuing to be strong advocates to promote student involvement in research. We thank you for your unwavering support and we hope you enjoy our Winter 2024 edition of the PDM Explorer. Sincerely, Srighana Nadella D’25 and Pankti Rana D’25 VBRS Co-Presidents
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Vernon Brightman Research Society Executive Board The Vernon Brightman Research Society (VBRS) Executive Board members for the current academic year include the following individuals. They invite students with an interest in research to join VBRS. CO-PRESIDENTS: Pankti Rana D’25 (1) and Srighana Nadella D’25 (2) TREASURER: Issa Elabed D’26 (3) SECRETARY: Simran Grewal D’25 (4) DIRECTOR OF EVENTS: Julie Hong D’26 (5) DIRECTOR OF OUTREACH: Jessica Hao D’26 (6) DIRECTOR OF NEWSLETTER: Kevin Tao D’26 (7) D3 REPRESENTATIVE: Teny Odaimi D’25 (8) D2 REPRESENTATIVE: Regina Lekumovich D’26 (9) D1 REPRESENTATIVES: Taylor DeVine (10), Sherry Schneider (11), Liam Safran (12),
John Kim D’27 (13)
VBRS is the primary student research organization at Penn Dental Medicine. Named in honor of Dr. Vernon J. Brightman, a former PDM faculty member and proponent of student research, VBRS has created opportunities and gathered resources for students to help find their niche in research. The society promotes interest, participation, and appreciation of basic and clinical oral health research that keeps dentistry a science and research-based profession. VBRS is PDM’s chapter of the American Association for Dental, Oral and Craniofacial Research (AADOCR) National Student Research Group. Dr. Kang Ko, Assistant Professor in the Department of Periodontics, is the VBRS faculty advisor. This newsletter highlights students’ research accomplishments, past and upcoming events, and student and faculty interviews. 2 EXPLORER . WINTER 2024
UPCOMING EVENTS VBRS PROPOSAL WRITING WORKSHOP In February, VBRS will be hosting our annual proposal writing workshop to aid students applying to the Summer Research Program and Research Honors. Dr. Kang Ko will explain the different components and requirements of the proposal. Anyone interested in applying to these programs should stay tuned for updates on the exact date and plan on attending this workshop.
ACCE DAY 2024 The 3rd annual Advances in Clinical Care and Education Day (ACCE) will take place on May 16th, 2024. This event will showcase PDM’s initiatives in clinical care, education and community outreach. ACCE day was created to celebrate the great amount of clinical and educational achievements at PDM. This is a wonderful opportunity to hear about the clinical accomplishments of students and faculty.
RESEARCH DAY 2024 On May 15th, 2024, PDM will come together for Research Day to celebrate student and faculty research. The event will be held in-person this year. This exciting event will be filled with numerous presentations given by faculty and guest speakers, as well as poster sessions from students in the Summer Research Program and Research Honors. Furthermore, student and junior research will be recognized with the selection of the 2024 AADOCR Travel Grants. Research Day is a great all-day event to learn about the innovative research that is going on in the school.
RESEARCH SPEED DATING EVENT
STUDENT NEWS
The annual VBRS Research Speed Dating event took place virtually on September 21st, 2023. This event granted PDM students the opportunity to speak with other students involved with research both inside and outside of the dental school. The student research panel consisted of students with a variety of research experiences such as the summer research program, research honors, independent projects, etc. This event served as an excellent resource to students interested in pursuing research during their time at PDM.
RESEARCH SPEED DATING PANEL RESEARCH HONORS Pankti Rana D’25 rpankti@upenn.edu Julie Hong D’26 juliejh@upenn.edu
SUMMER RESEARCH
Regina Lekumovich D’26 rlek@upenn.edu Kevin Tao D’26 kevintao@upenn.edu Simran Grewal D’25 simrang@upenn.edu Stephanie Dominguez D’25 sdomin@upenn.edu Teny Odaimi D’25 todaimi@upenn.edu
CLINICAL RESEARCH Alexander Raucci D’26 araucci@upenn.edu
DUAL DEGREE
Srighana Nadella D’25 srighana@upenn.edu
LEONARD DAVIS INSTITUTE
Riya Patel D’26 riyapat@upenn.edu Lauren Hogstrom D’26 lhogst@upenn.edu
INDEPENDENT RESEARCH Jessica Hao D’26 haoje@upenn.edu
VBRS Faculty/Student Research Mixer
FACULTY FEATURED AT THE EVENT
VBRS held our annual Faculty/Student Research Mixer on November 1st in the atrium of the Schattner Center at PDM. The event featured numerous renowned PDM faculty members who are currently performing research and students were given the opportunity to interact directly with faculty to ask them questions about their work. This event was a huge success and allowed PDM students to learn about the variety of research opportunities available at the school.
Dean Dr. Mark Wolff, Dr. Hydar Ali, Dr. Myra Laird, Dr. Katherine France, Dr. Lauren Yap, Dr. YuCheng Chang, Dr. Dana Graves, Dr. Kang Ko, Dr. Esra Sahingur, Dr. Alonso Carrasco-Labra, Dr. Katherine Theken, Dr. Qunzhou Zhang
VERNON BRIGHTMAN RESEARCH SOCIETY 3
STUDENT PROGRAMS STUDENT RESEARCH PROGRAMS // Requirements and Deadlines SUMMER RESEARCH PROGRAM Students work full-time beginning July 8th, 2024 with a faculty preceptor in basic laboratory or clinical sciences. The purpose of this program is to provide dental students experience with hands-on research and introduce the possibility of pursuing a research-oriented career in the oral health field. Students are encouraged to continue working on their research throughout the school year as their schedule permits. Additionally, students are required to present a poster at the Research Day event. REQUIREMENTS TO APPLY:
• C omplete the application • R esearch proposal • G ood academic standing • A vailability to conduct research full-time and attend weekly research meetings
APPLICATION DUE DATE:
March 15th, 2024 CONTACT:
Dr. Esra Sahingur, Associate Dean of Graduate Studies and Student Research, sahingur@upenn.edu MORE INFORMATION:
https://www.dental.upenn.edu/ research/student-research/ summer-research/ https://www.dental.upenn.edu/ research/student-research/ summer-2022-studentresearchers/ Summer Research Program Application: https://app.smartsheet.com/b/ form/876df5fb267f4d3b8ef9 ba079dc341f1
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BASIC & TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH HONORS The Honors in Research Program is open to students in their first or second year at PDM. Students will plan, implement, and execute a hypothesis-driven research project over a one- or twoyear period. All honors scholars participate in Research Day during which they must present a poster. In addition, they are required to write a Research Honors thesis. REQUIREMENTS TO APPLY:
• C omplete the application • 1 st or 2nd year student • M inimum undergraduate science GPA of 3.5 • M inimum GPA of 3.25 in every semester of dental school • L etter of recommendation of past or present research supervisor • T horough research proposal • T imeline for project completion
APPLICATION OPEN ON ROLLING BASIS:
January 15th, 2024
APPLICATION DUE DATE:
March 1st, 2024 CONTACT:
Dr. Kathleen Boesze-Battaglia, Director of Honors Program, battagli@upenn.edu MORE INFORMATION:
https://www.dental.upenn.edu/ research/student-research/ basic-translational-researchhonors-program/ OTHER HONORS PROGRAMS:
https://www.dental.upenn.edu/ admissions-academics/dmdprogram/honors-program/
LEONARD DAVIS INSTITUTE SUMMER
RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP In collaboration with the Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics and the Health Care Management Department of the Wharton School, PDM offers a fellowship for students interested in working on a health services or health policy research project during the summer between their first and second year of dental school. At the conclusion of the 10-12 week program, students present their research findings to faculty, staff, and fellow participants. APPLICATION DUE DATE:
March 1, 2024 CONTACT:
Director of Student Affairs and Engagement, Penn Dental Medicine Margaret Yang, MseD xiaojiao@upenn.edu MORE INFORMATION:
https://ldi.upenn.edu/ education/penn-ldi-trainingprograms/ldi-penn-dentalsummer-health-servicesresearch-fellowship/
DUAL DEGREE Students interested in pursuing a dual-degree program must submit an application to the PDM Dual-Degree Admissions Committee during the spring of their first year. The current dual-degree options are Master of Bioethics, Master of Public Health, Master of Science in Bioengineering, Master of Science in Higher Education, Master of Science in Nutrition Science, Master of Science in Oral and Population Health, Master of Science in Translational Research, Master in Law, Juris Doctor in Law, and Master of Business Administration. Each program has different admissions standards. MORE INFORMATION:
https://www.dental.upenn.edu/ admissions-academics/dmdprogram/dual-degree-options/
AADR 2024 IADR/AADOCR/ CADR Annual Meeting & Exhibition will be held on March 13-16, 2024 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The event will include oral and poster presentations, distinguished lecture series, and an exhibit hall. Students may submit abstracts of their research to be considered. Accepted students will present their research poster at the symposium. MORE INFORMATION:
https://www.iadr.org/events/ upcoming-events/2024iadraadocrcadr-generalsession-exhibition
STUDENT INTERVIEW
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT Gail Schupak (D’83) Dr. Schupak got involved with student research in her first year at Penn Dental Medicine, joining Dr. Zev’s Davidovich’s lab, where she developed her interest in orthodontics. She completed her orthodontics residency at Columbia University’s School of Dental and Oral Surgery. Now, she is an orthodontics provider in Manhattan and a Clinical Associate Professor of Orthodontics at NYU. Dr. Schupak wanted students to benefit from doing research like she did herself, so she established the Schupak Research Fund, which provides $10,000 per year for five years for student research. The funds have gone to the new Schupak Travel Award at Research Day, as well as covering travel expenses for students to attend research conferences such as the Greater New York Dental Meeting.
TO DR. SCHUPAK:
VBRS and the rest of PDM would like to thank you for supporting student research. We really appreciate your presence at Penn Dental and conferences!
Davey Shammah, D’26 Summer Research Program
HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED WITH RESEARCH AT PDM?
Since my first day at PDM, I knew I wanted to get involved in research and when I heard about the summer research program and attended the information sessions, I knew that it was a perfect way for me to get my foot into the door with research since I have never done my own research before. I reached out to a professor whose work interested me and after reading lots of his current research projects, I decided to choose him as my PI.
WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE SUMMER RESEARCH PROGRAM?
I knew that I wanted to stay here for the summer and after attending information sessions for many of the summer opportunities, I knew that I wanted to try research and see if it was for me!
DO YOU HAVE ANY FUTURE PLANS WITH YOUR RESEARCH?
My project is still in the works. I am working with another professor at the University of Louisiana as well and I will be continuing to work on this project with Dr. Zhang and his lab. I hope to present at research day at Penn in the Spring and participate in research conferences to present my study and the results.
WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE MOST IMPORTANT QUALITY OF AN EFFECTIVE RESEARCHER?
I think that persistence and resilience are really important qualities as a researcher. Some days were longer and more hands on then others. Setbacks and challenges come often and every day for me was a new learning experience. I used the challenges that I faced as a way to increase my knowledge and skill set in this particular field. Research isn’t for everyone, but the summer research program is a good amount of time to get a taste of research if you are unsure.
FUN FACT?
I am the middle child of 7 children! My 6 siblings and I all have completely different career paths (dentist, financial analyst, fashion designer, e-commerce operations manager, teacher, salesman, future basketball star)!
“Research isn’t for everyone, but the summer research program is a good amount of time to get a taste of research if you are unsure.” DAVEY SHAMMAH, D’26 VERNON BRIGHTMAN RESEARCH SOCIETY 5
2023 DMD RESEARCH
SUMMER RESEARCH STUDENTS MANUEL ACUNA Investigation of Anti-Adhesive Biomaterial in Multi-Species Oral Biofilm Dynamics Faculty advisor: Geelsu Hwang
DAVID KHAYATA Oct4/Pgc1 Axis Regulates Orofacial Mesenchymal Stem Cells’ Metabolic Switch Faculty advisor: Chider Chen
ANNA BARCKHAUSEN Surface Glass Infiltration of Additive Manufactured Dental Zirconia for Strength and Functionalities Faculty advisor: Yu Zhang
AJAY KUMAR Oral Delivery of Pro Insulin Faculty advisor: Henry Daniell
JOHN BUTTON Investigating the Impact of Different Antibiotic Regimen Faculty advisor: Brian Ford ANGELINA GE Assessing Adolescent Patients’ and Parents’ Attitudes to the Role of Dentists in Human Papillomavirus and Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vaccinations Faculty advisor: Katherine France SARAH GREENBERG State Policies and Population Factors as Predictors for Accepting Dental Administration of Vaccination Faculty advisor: Katherine France MICHELLE JOUNG The Impact of Probiotic Species on Biofilm Formation of Cariogenic Species Faculty advisor: Geelsu Hwang
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MADY KUNG Automated Cone-beam CT Detection and Classification for Improved Recognition of Dens Invaginatus Faculty advisor: Frank Setzer REGINA LEKUMOVICH Regulation of Osteoclastogenesis via Bone Marrow Adipocyte Derived Cxcl12 Faculty advisor: Chider Chen PEYTON MACCARONE The Nature and Rate of Relapse Associated with the Le Fort III Advancement: A Clinical and Cephalometric Study Faculty advisor: Hyun-Duck Nah TIFFANY MIN Efficacy of Photo-modulation Therapy in Preventing Bacterial Proliferation on Human Gingival Keratinocytes Faculty advisor: Geelsu Hwang
MEIGAN NIU Analysis of Patient Knowledge and Perception of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Infection and Vaccine Faculty advisor: Katherine France BRITTNIE PANG 10-Year Clinical Performance Evaluation of Two Fluoride-Releasing Giomers Faculty advisor: Fusun Ozer SNEH PATEL Delivery of Plant Derived Enzymes via Chewing Gum as a Means of Dental Biofilm Disruption Faculty advisor: Henry Daniell ALEXANDER RAUCCI A Retrospective, Single-Cohort Analysis of the Prevalence of Oral Conditions Associated with Anti-VEGF Biologic Agents Faculty advisor: Katherine France ADAM ROSE The Impact of Xerostomic Medications on Salivary Flow in Post-Radiation Head and Neck Cancer Patients: Results of the OraRad Study Faculty advisor: Thomas Sollecito SHERRY SCHNEIDER Utility of Synthetic Secoisolariciresinol diglucoside (LGM2605) in Modulating Aggregatibacter Actinomycetemcomitans Infection Faculty advisor: Kathleen Boesze-Battaglia
2023 DMD RESEARCH EMON SHAAF Investigation of Novel Cell Death Mechanism for Periodontal Inflammation in Humans Faculty advisor: Kang Ko
LAUREN RUDOLPH Dextranase, Mutanase, and Lipase Chewing Gum Enzymatic Biofilm Suppression Faculty advisor: Henry Daniell
JESSICA TAN D’25 Antimicrobial Effects of Zeolite on SilverReinforced Glass Ionomer Cement Faculty Advisor: Fusun Ozer
ANISHA SHAH Investigating the Effect of Fungal-Derived ћ-glucan on Trained Osteoclastogenesis Faculty advisor: George Hajishengallis
MICHAEL TROKA TrokaChat: Identification of Disease-Driving Cell Signaling Interactions in scRNAseq Data Faculty advisor: Dana Graves
LUCAS WALL D’25 Comparison of Naproxen Sodium and Acetaminophen Following Implant Placement Faculty Advisor: Katherine Theken
CLINICAL AND TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH HONORS
MICHAEL TROKA D’26 TrokaChat: Identification of Disease-Driving Cell Signaling Interactions in scRNAseq Data Faculty Advisor: Dana Graves
DAVEY SHAMMAH Near-infrared Fluorescence Imaging Through Radiopaque Zirconia Crowns for Caries Detection Faculty advisor: Yu Zhang KEVIN TAO Dynamic Oral Biofilm Characterization with Customizable 3D Printed Platform Faculty advisor: Geelsu Hwang STEFANIE WYSZKOWSKI In vitro Comparative Study Between FullArch Abutment Level Implant Impressions with Different Scan Bodies – A Pilot Study Faculty advisor: Julián Conejo TIMOTHY YAN The Role of Ferumoxytol in SCAP-Based Bone Graft Faculty advisor: Chider Chen CLAIRE YU Exploring Dental Disparities in the LGBT Community: A Comprehensive Analysis of Oral Health Needs, Barriers to Care, and Culturally Competent Practices Faculty advisor: Joan Gluch JONATHAN ZHOU Examining the Role of Immunoregulatory Oral Fibroblasts in Experimental Periodontitis Faculty advisor: Kang Ko
ELLY CHOI WENDY LEI Exploring caregivers’ experiences when using a smart toothbrush by children with autism spectrum disorder Faculty Advisors: Eugene Ko, Katherine France, Pat Corby, Olivia Urquhart CERJAY LUGTU Literature Review of Inflammatory Salivary Biomarkers in Patients with Burning Mouth Syndrome Faculty Advisors: Eugene Ko
STUDENT PRESENTATIONS AT CONFERENCES BENJAMIN SHELLING D’24 Fusobacterium nucleatum Promotes an Aginglike Phenotype in Gingival Epithelial Cells Faculty Advisor: Esra Sahingur DANA KOST D’25 HPV and COVID- 19 Vaccines in the Dental Office Faculty Advisor: Katherine France
NEDA MAHJOUR, D’25 Effect of Biological Agents on Oral Health Faculty Advisor: Katherine France NILA VEERABAGU, D’25 Oral and Dental Status of Patients Taking Biologic Agents Faculty Advisor: Katherine France SHIVANI SHAH D’25 Periodontal Status of Patients Taking Biologic Medications Faculty Advisor: Katherine France THAO (ROSEMARY) DO D’24 Investigating Expression Dynamics of Interleukin-33 During Oral Wound Healing Faculty Advisor: Kang Ko XUEJING (TRACY) XU D’24 Damage Tolerance of Novel Inhouse Two-step Sintered Dental Faculty Advisor: Yu Zhang YILAN MIAO D’23 Glucanohydrolases Disrupt CrossKingdom Interaction in Saliva via Selective Matrix Degradation Faculty Advisor: Michel Koo
BASIC & TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE HONORS STUDENTS NINA IRADI Diurnal Rhythm is Associated with Opioid Use After Third-Molar Extraction Faculty advisor: Katherine Theken KYUNG JOON PARK Comparison of the Osteogenic Potential of Mesenchymal Stem Cells during Maxillary Expansion between Young and Aged Mice Faculty advisors: Helen Jeon
VERNON BRIGHTMAN RESEARCH SOCIETY 7
FACULTY Q&A MYRA F. LAIRD, PhD Assistant Professor, Department of Basic and Translational Sciences
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your background before coming to Penn Dental? I grew up in Iowa and double majored in anthropology and geoscience at the University of Iowa. I completed my MA and PhD in biological anthropology at New York University, and a three-year postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Chicago in organismal biology and anatomy. Prior to moving to PDM in January of 2023, I was an assistant professor at the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California in anatomy. Outside of PDM, I enjoy running, hiking, traveling, and trying new Philly restaurants.
“My lab studies the
Can you talk about what your ongoing research projects are?
anatomy, behaviors,
My lab studies the anatomy, behaviors, and biomechanics of the feeding system in a comparative context to address the question of how diet has influenced human evolution. We primarily study non-human primates, but commonly include data from humans, other mammals, and the fossil record. Two of our ongoing projects examine the development of hard object feeding and phylogenetic differences in bite force.
and biomechanics of the feeding system in a comparative context to address the question of how diet has influenced human evolution.” MYRA F. LAIRD, PhD
The development project compares tufted and untufted capuchin monkeys with the former routinely consuming hard food objects. Here, we are testing how skeletal morphology, muscle architecture, muscle fiber type, experimental feeding behaviors and biomechanics, and wild behaviors vary across development to map when during ontogeny these species dietarily diverge and how their feeding systems meet their performance demands. This project involves everything from CT scanning to following monkeys in the jungle! For the second project, bite force is an important performance metric of the feeding system and is often cited as a driver of dietary adaptations in primates including humans. However, there are few in vivo bite force data from non-human primates, and it is unknown if bite force differences reflect diet, phylogeny, or other factors such as body size. We are testing in vivo bite forces in a large range of primates, comparing these force estimates with muscle architecture data, and using muscle simulation models to contextualize bite force within extant primates.
Can you describe the roles that students play in your research process? Students play an incredibly important role in my field and laboratory work and are involved in all parts of the research process. Students in my lab typically begin with project planning, collect, process, and analyze their data, and publish or present their results. In addition to working with local students, I am also dedicated to providing research opportunities and training for students in countries where we conduct field work, currently Costa Rica and Brazil.
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STUDENT INTERVIEW
Riya Patel, D’26
What has been the biggest challenge in your career so far? One of the challenges I face is staying current with research techniques. My lab employs a large range of methods, from respirometry to food mechanics, which are constantly being updated. For example, the motion capture techniques I used during my PhD have largely been replaced with machine learning approaches. While these changes are usually for the better as they make the data more accurate or improve processing times, this means I am continually relearning and updating our approaches. Many times, I learn these updates from students!
What advice would you give to a younger version of yourself if you were to restart your dental and research career? Take more computer science and learn how to code properly. The fields of anatomy and biological anthropology are intellectually distinct from computer science, but I spend a lot of my research time writing (improper) code. Analyses of my data simply would not happen without coding, and having basic coding skills has opened a lot of doors for me. I encourage all students in my lab to learn basic coding as these skills are incredibly valuable in research and industry regardless of your field.
LDI Penn Dental Fellow
WHAT IS THE LEONARD DAVIS INSTITUTE—PENN DENTAL SUMMER HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM? HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED WITH IT?
The LDI program allows dental students to engage in health services or health policyrelated research. Dental students can connect with researchers across UPenn’s campus, including those from Wharton and Perelman School of Medicine. Since high school, I have oriented my professional and personal experiences towards community service to gain a better understanding about health disparities. The LDI Summer Research Fellowship gave me the opportunity to deepen my understanding of the current framework of healthcare policy and empowered me to contribute to improving health equity in the future.
CAN YOU DESCRIBE YOUR RESEARCH?
I worked with Dr. Emily Vail and Dr. Caoimhe Duffy, two anesthesiologists at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, along with Shivani Iyer, a fellow D2 student at PDM. Our research focused on assessing the unique challenges that female physicians face during pregnancy, recovery, breastfeeding, and return to work. This summer, we conducted a systematic review to assess policies and guidelines that focused on maternity leave, lactation in the workplace, childcare, and more. We found that there is a lack of policies supporting pregnant physicians, in addition to other barriers that have posed a challenge for these individuals returning to work. To understand the application of this topic in the dental community, we also have been working with Dr. Joan Gluch, Division Chief of Community Oral Health at PDM.
DO YOU HAVE ANY FUTURE PLANS WITH YOUR RESEARCH?
Yes! Since the LDI SUMR program has ended, I have continued conducting research with my mentors. In the end, we hope not only to publish a systematic review, but also to submit a proposal of improved policies for pregnant physicians to be adapted to national professional society guidelines.
WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE MOST IMPORTANT QUALITY OF AN EFFECTIVE RESEARCHER?
I believe building a strong rapport with mentors is crucial. I’ve found that open communication and proactive questioning were essential not only to clarify my responsibilities, but also to ensure everyone on the team was well-coordinated and aligned in their understanding.
FUN FACT?
I competed in archery throughout high school!
VERNON BRIGHTMAN RESEARCH SOCIETY 9
FACULTY Q&A CHIDER CHEN, PhD Associate Professor, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery / Pharmacology
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your background before coming to Penn Dental?
a primary investigator on this project and work alongside Dr. Deborah Polk (co-PI) and Dr. Elliot Hersh on this transformative project.
Working in an academic freedom research environment with outstanding faculty and students is my career goal to solve scientific problems in translational research. I studied biochemistry in Taiwan and then conducted research in stem cell biology during my PhD training at University of Southern California. These experiences provide a foundation for me to develop a stem cell-based therapy for disease treatment. I have been a member of the standing faculty as Assistant Professor since November 2018.
Can you talk about what your ongoing research projects are?
Another important series of articles coming out soon are two clinical practice guidelines for the management of acute dental pain, one for children and one for adolescents, adults, and older adults. These are the first evidence-based clinical practice guidelines in this topic ever done and were created through collaboration between researchers from the ADASRI, the University of Pittsburgh, and Penn Dental Medicine. This project is funded by the FDA. These guidelines will now assist patients and clinicians on how to prescribe analgesic medications when talking about acute dental pain. I am very excited to be
Currently, my research interest involves developing a more comprehensive understanding of bone and immune dysfunction in human diseases and potential avenues for therapeutic intervention. Mesenchymal skeletal stem cells (MSC), an osteo-progenitor, have been reported as a secretome to release cytokines, chemokines and small cellular components for maintenance of tissue/organ homeostasis and disease therapy. However, how MSCs control different types of vesicle traffic is still largely unknown. It has been shown that specific cellular trafficking pathways control different component release, dependenting on vesicle size. My lab continues to examine how MSC controls different components released through distinctive membrane trafficking pathways for in vivo physiological homeostasis and cell-based immunotherapy. After joining the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery/ Pharmacology
Currently, my research interest involves developing a more comprehensive understanding of bone and immune dysfunction in human diseases and potential avenues for therapeutic intervention. CHIDER CHEN, PhD
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at PDM, I have many opportunities to learn about oral cancer and be involved in craniofacial cancer research with my colleagues. With my research background in mesenchymal stem cells, I am focusing on the stromal effects of head and neck cancer and hypothesize a “soil-rescuesseed” strategy for cancer therapy, in which we believe that tumor-specific stromal cells play a niche role in supporting head and neck cancer progression
Can you describe the roles that students play in your research process? I feel privileged to have been able to work as a team with brilliant students from DScD, MSOB, DMD, and Honors programs, who are knowledgeable to brainstorm with me in designing experimental approaches for the research projects. Students in my lab are the driving force to advance our research program and to make our projects better. Finishing a research project is a long journey with many challenges. I always give freedom to students to select their interested research topic and encourage them to enjoy the lab life. When they are really interested in the projects, they will devote themselves to the research questions during their daily life, which is the key to develop new ideas for the research project.
STUDENT INTERVIEW What has been the biggest challenge in your career so far? The purpose of conducting research is to discover something new in the field. In this regard, frustrations happen frequently because there is no SOP to finish a research project. For example, the hypotheses are somehow incorrect, the results are out of expectation, rejections of grant and manuscript submissions, and so on. To deal with these, researchers need to be confident to believe in what they believe. In addition, using our research experience to propose an ideal hypothesis, which is easily discernible whether the result is or isn’t supporting the hypothesis. Sometimes negative results give us an unexpected new discovery, which can cause our project to have an even higher impact on the field. We have to carefully figure out what are the main causes of failure, and then we can enjoy the sense of accomplishment.n the early stages of someone’s career.
What advice would you give to a younger version of yourself if you were to restart your dental and research career? As a translational research lab, there are two aspects to discover and validate our findings for disease therapy. Firstly, we will explore detailed disease pathophysiological mechanisms on the bench top, and secondly, the results will further confirm the efficacy and safety for disease treatment and eventually collaborate with clinicians to perform pilot study and pre-clinical trials. For the benchtop work, we have to continue discovering novel disease mechanisms to develop new therapeutic approaches. For clinical studies, we have to translate our benchtop findings to real products for clinical applications. This will be the most effective way to contribute my research career to the field of regenerative medicine.
Lindsay Fisher, D’25 AADOCR Student Travel Award Winner 2023
HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED WITH RESEARCH AT PDM?
I began research at PDM by participating in the summer research program following my D1 year. I reached out to a couple of different professors whose lectures and/or research projects interested me, ultimately deciding to work with Dr. Hyeran Helen Jeon.
CAN YOU DESCRIBE YOUR RESEARCH?
My research project investigates the effect of aging on rapid palatal expansion (RPE). Currently, the retention periods are similar for young and aged patients, despite evidence that some of the biological processes and principles that underlie RPE may be hindered by increasing age. Thus, we expect that aged individuals may require longer treatment periods for palatal expansion compared to their younger counterparts. Specifically, we are using a mouse model to examine the effect of aging on RPE by looking at immunofluorescence, histology, and MicroCT scans of the suture area. We hypothesize that, if aging indeed results in a lesser response to RPE, our study could have significant clinical implications for treatment protocols in human patients.
WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE SUMMER RESEARCH PROGRAM?
I decided to participate in the summer research program because I did not have significant research experience in undergrad, so it was important to me when selecting a dental school that I would be given the opportunity to get involved with research. While there are many different avenues to get involved with research here at PDM, I figured that I would be able to devote more time to my project when I did not have to be taking classes simultaneously. I also appreciate how the summer research project requires us to learn about and complete various elements of research including writing a proposal, submitting an abstract, and presenting at Research Day.
DO YOU HAVE ANY FUTURE PLANS WITH YOUR RESEARCH?
I plan to present our research at AADOCR 2024 in the spring, and we are currently working on the manuscript for publication.
WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE MOST IMPORTANT QUALITY OF AN EFFECTIVE RESEARCHER?
I think it is essential for any researcher to be genuinely interested in their topic of choice and/or the potential impact of their research topic. The research process can be demanding, frustrating, and confusing. Being truly curious or passionate about the research topic helps to keep you motivated and inspired to continue even when it feels overwhelming!
FUN FACT?
Even though my research is focused on them, I am actually severely afraid of mice. VERNON BRIGHTMAN RESEARCH SOCIETY 11
POSTDOC RESIDENT Q&A EDWARD LIN, DMD Resident in Periodonitics, First-Place Scientific Poster at Global Symposium on Artificial Intelligence in Dentistry
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your background before coming to Penn Dental? I’m a full-time doctor and a part-time coder. During my learning journey in dental school back in Taiwan, I was always curious about questions that haven’t been answered yet. The topic of data science was very popular back to that time, and I was thrilled to think about applying these ideas into dentistry. Therefore, I immersed myself in diverse areas of study, including participating in the study club of finance and economics and taking courses of fundamental programming. After I graduated from dental school in 2017, I spent more time on learning basic coding skills when I did my substitute military service. This habit persisted when I practiced as a general practitioner at a private office. I also participated in developing chest X-ray classifying machine learning models during the pandemic. For my clinical career, special thanks to Dr. Po-Sheng Juan, he provided me with a well-established digital dentistry workflow environment and mentored me through my clinical practice when I started my early career in 2019. My exposure to digital workflows and programming enabled me to envision a potential path in dental research – obtaining quantitative data from 3D digital clinical files and further processing through big data science, which we see as the precursor of the so-called AI in 2023.
Can you talk about what your ongoing research projects are? Future AI Prediction Model of Surgery Outcomes. Edentulism, a global public health issue, significantly impacts oral and general health. Dental implant placement is the key in solving this problem; however, patients face challenges like alveolar ridge volume deficiency, and Guided Bone Regeneration (GBR) offers a solution for this unideal situation. Yet, its success rates and patient discomfort varies a lot. If the surgical outcomes of the GBR are not ideal, the upcoming repeat bone grafting procedures are way more uncomfortable, time consuming, and lead to expensive additional costs of regenerative materials for patients who probably couldn’t expect at the time of treatment plan. Therefore, a surgery outcome prediction AI model is relevantly needed for bone grafting treatment in dental implant placement candidates. To optimize a prediction model, collecting quantitative clinical anatomic features is the key. Our project focuses on applying custom Python-based Computer Vision algorithms to evaluate clinical CBCTs and obtaining unique anatomic data that other current open-resource software in the market couldn’t be able to obtain. Combining this data with patients’ clinical and demographic information will enable us to perform more accurate prediction analysis, which will potentially lead to AI in the future. AI prediction models that could provide supportive information to help clinicians and patients to have efficient treatment plans will avoid unexpected treatment time and materials costs. My mentor and PI, Dr. Rahul Mangharam, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Electrical and Systems Engineering at the University of Pennsylvania, and he is also the Penn Director for Safety21 US DoT National University Transportation Center ($20M). He leads the team in his lab specializing in the field of autonomous driving, which implies Computer Vision algorithms to process AI software in those self-driving vehicles. Zirui Zhang, PhD
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“Edentulism, a global public health issue, significantly impacts oral and general health. Dental implant placement is the key in solving this problem; however, patients face challenges like alveolar ridge volume deficiency, and Guided Bone Regeneration (GBR) offers a solution for this unideal situation.” EDWARD LIN, DMD
student in Professor Mangharam’s lab, and Dr. Yu-Cheng Chang, Associate Professor of the Department of Periodontics, and my PI support me all the time. I can not express more gratitude with them. We appreciate the recognition from the world, and it’s an honor to be awarded for the first place at the poster session at the first time of Global Symposium on Artificial Intelligence in Dentistry at Harvard. We will be committed to advancing precise, computationassisted dentistry in the future.
No one could tell what certain conditions could be considered a “full toolbox” is ready. The only thing we can be sure about is that your interdisciplinary ideas will have higher survival rates once we’re more well-prepared.
Do you have any advice for students interested in pursuing interdisciplinary research like yourself?
Uncovering mysterious fields is always exciting; however, sometimes it is stressful as well.
Patiently add tools into your toolbox before being a bridge constructor. My suggestion would be reminding yourself to be patient when learning different fields’ skills, especially when you eagerly think that some brilliant ideas are in your mind and they have to be done immediately. In the journey I’ve been through, I’ve seen lots of people who are smarter or more creative than me, but they can’t transform their thoughts into practical steps that lead those ideas to reality. The process of learning different professional skills, such as programming fundamentals, is like adding tools in the toolbox. It takes time to do so, but you will be able to brainstorm more easily and efficiently if more items are in your mind. As a bridging person between two interdisciplinary fields, we have to come up with solutions that most possibly could lead two groups to walk on the path that shares overlapped interests and motivations, and most importantly, heading over the project’s research goals. This kind of brainstorming will happen frequently during the whole journey. Therefore, if you don’t have enough tools in your mind, it will be riskier for you to get lost between two professional ends when you’re undermining the tunnel with bare hands.
What has been the biggest challenge in your career so far? As a periodontal resident, I must spend most of my time preparing for clinical work and patient management. However, the research work of developing and revising programming codes also requires me to spend lots of time. Time management has become the most challenging part in my career, especially for my role as a bridge between two professional fields to pioneer new solutions for undiscovered fields.
What advice would you give to a younger version of yourself if you were to restart your dental and research career? Embrace failure and stay patient. It has been almost 8 years since the first time I started to picture ideas of combining computation and clinical dental treatments together. There were times of nearly giving up since I wasn’t unsure if this path had light at the end of the tunnel. Fortunately, I am lucky to be encouraged by lots of people, especially Dr. Uri Hangorsky, who trusts me more than I trust myself all the time. To my younger self, Edward Lin, while there are hundreds of reasons to quit, you only need one reason to stand ground – keep up with your love and passion for what you do.
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STUDENT PUBLICATIONS 2023 DMD STUDENT PUBLICATIONS BENJAMIN SHELLING D’24 Albuquerque-Souza E, Shelling B, Jiang M, Xia XJ, Rattanaprukskul K, Sahingur SE. Fusobacterium nucleatum triggers senescence phenotype in gingival epithelial cells. Mol Oral Microbiol. 2023 Sep 18. doi: 10.1111/omi.12432. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37718958. MICHAEL TROKA D’26 AND JULIE HONG D’26 Alghamdi B, Jeon HH, Ni J, Qiu D, Liu A, Hong JJ, Ali M, Wang A, Troka M, Graves DT. Osteoimmunology in Periodontitis and Orthodontic Tooth Movement. Curr Osteoporos Rep. 2023 Apr;21(2):128146. doi: 10.1007/s11914-023-00774-x. Epub 2023 Mar 2. PMID: 36862360. JONATHAN ZHOU D’26 Chen Z, Debnath R, Chikelu I, Zhou JX, Ko KI. Primed inflammatory response by fibroblast subset is necessary for proper oral and cutaneous wound healing. Mol Oral Microbiol. 2023 Oct 30. doi: 10.1111/omi.12442. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37902166. TIFFANY PARK D’24 Jae Hyun Park, Tiffany H. Park & YoonAh Kook (2023) A Modified C-Palatal Plate as a Skeletal Anchorage Appliance for Efficient Molar Distalization, Journal of the California Dental Association, 51:1, DOI: 10.1080/19424396.2023.2193371 Park TH, Lin JH, Chung CH, Zheng Z, Li C. The skeletal and dental age advancements of children and adolescents with overweight and obesity: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Am J Orthod Dentofacial Orthop. 2023 Sep;164(3):325-339. doi: 10.1016/j.ajodo.2023.05.022. Epub 2023 Jun 26. PMID: 37367707. MATTHEW HERSCHBERGER D’24 Hershberger, MW, Sierra-Vasquez, D, Ford, B, Panchal, N. What is the impact of veterans affairs rotations in oral and maxillofacial surgery residency? J Dent Educ. 2023; 1-7. https://doi.org/10.1002/jdd.13210 Matthew W. Hershberger, Puhan He, Kevin Francois, David Lerner, Adam Bear, Nithin Adappa, Neeraj Panchal, Is maxillary sinusitis and radiographic maxillary sinus
opacification associated with an altered microbiology of MRONJ? Oral Surgery, Oral Medicine, Oral Pathology and Oral Radiology, 2023, ISSN 2212-4403, https:// doi.org/10.1016/j.oooo.2023.12.003. KATE MALONEY D’23 AND RYAN NGUYEN D’23 Maloney KO, Nguyen RM, Ford BP. The Everlasting Effects of the Covid-19 Pandemic on Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Residency Match. J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2023 Jun;81(6):661662. doi: 10.1016/j.joms.2023.02.002. PMID: 37270283; PMCID: PMC10233162. RYAN NGUYEN D’23 AND MICHAEL CIMBA D’22 Nguyen RM, Cimba MJ, Lee KC, Panchal N, Schlieve T. A Snapshot on Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Resident Scholarly Activity: Can We Do Better? J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2023 Jun;81(6):790794. doi: 10.1016/j.joms.2023.02.017. Epub 2023 Mar 7. PMID: 36965516. LUCAS WALL D’25 Theken KN, Chen M, Wall DL, Pham T, Secreto SA, Yoo TH, Rascon AN, Chang YC, Korostoff JM, Mitchell CH, Hersh EV. A randomized, double-blind pilot study of analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects of naproxen sodium and acetaminophen following dental implant placement surgery. Front Pharmacol. 2023 May 17;14:1199580. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1199580. PMID: 37266144; PMCID: PMC10229806. ANDREW MACELROY D’25 Kim TJ, Shenker BJ, MacElroy AS, Spradlin S, Walker LP, Boesze-Battaglia K. Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans cytolethal distending toxin modulates host phagocytic function. Front Cell Infect Microbiol. 2023 Aug 31;13:1220089. doi: 10.3389/ fcimb.2023.1220089. Erratum in: Front Cell Infect Microbiol. 2023 Oct 25;13:1321218. PMID: 37719670; PMCID: PMC10500838. SRIGHANA NADELLA D’25 Nadella S, Panchal N. HIP, HIPAA, Hooray: Responding to Negative Online Reviews. J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2023 Dec;81(12):14551456. doi: 10.1016/j.joms.2023.08.172. Epub2023 Sep 9. PMID: 38044012.
Michael Troka, D’26
AADOCR AADOCR NATIONAL STUDENT RESEARCH GROUP (NSRG) NOMINEE The AADOCR NSRG is a student run organization and has opened up elections for their officer positions. Michael Troka (D’26) was selected as Penn Dental Medicine’s nominee and is a candidate for the position of Vice President. We wish Michael the best of luck and are excited at the prospect of him representing Penn Dental Medicine at the National Level! AADOCR HATTON COMPETITION First Place Junior Investigator Category MICHAEL TROKA D’26 TrokaChat: Identification of Disease-Driving Cell Signaling Interactions in scRNAseq Data. Faculty advisor: Dana Graves
AADOCR STUDENT RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP THAO ROSEMARY DO D’24 Investigating expression dynamics of interleukin-33 during oral wound healing Faculty advisor: Kang Ko JULIE HONG D’26 Regulation of the Epithelial Barrier Function via FOXO1/Bcatenin/E-cadherin Faculty advisor: Dana Graves and Helen Jeon
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STUDENT INTERVIEW
Lauren Rudolph, D’26 Research Honors Student HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED WITH RESEARCH AT PDM?
I first got involved with research at PDM through the VBRS Faculty/Student Research Mixer! I was able to meet Dr. Daniell, speak with him about my past research experience as well as his research at PDM, and set up a meeting with him to talk about becoming involved in his lab. I think the Faculty/Student Research Mixer is an amazing opportunity for students to meet faculty who are open to having students in their lab, especially if they are considering the Summer Research Program or Basic and Translational Sciences Research Honors Program.
CAN YOU DESCRIBE YOUR RESEARCH?
My research in Dr. Daniell’s lab investigates the effect of viral and fungal infections on oral cancer initiation and progression. As patients become immunosuppressed due to cancer treatment, they are unable to regulate their internal microbiota, and the balance within their oral cavity is disturbed. HPV has been specifically noted as an etiologic agent for subsets of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), has been classified as carcinogenic, and is a significant factor contributing to oropharyngeal cancer in young people. C. albicans has shown a similar trajectory, with strong support behind a positive association between oral yeast carriage and epithelial carcinoma. C. albicans’ ability to promote carcinogenic events in the oral cavity has also been well supported. This generally happens because chemotherapy and radiation kill salivary glands, decreasing saliva production and allowing C. albicans to dominate the oral cavity. The biggest factor to consider is that the return of C. albicans and HPV levels to symbiosis could be an effective part of treatment of OSCC. This research aims to
evaluate antiviral peptide FRIL and lipase chewing gum regarding their ability to neutralize HPV and C. albicans in the oral cavity through the quantification of HPV and C. albicans in OSCC patient samples after chewing gum treatment. Cancer patients are given antifungal drugs, but these are systemic and not targeted towards the oral cavity. Many clinicians cite an urgent need to reduce C. albicans in the oral cavity after chemotherapy and radiation, but no treatment is currently available. This would be the first known clinical treatment to break this link between C. albicans, HPV, and OSCC in regards to the method of local, topical delivery. The process of debulking and neutralizing C. albicans and HPV in the oral cavity has the ability to decrease the prevalence and progression of OSCC. The outcome of this research could provide an effective method of local delivery to access and treat HPV and C. albicans in the oral cavity, making significant strides towards reducing the prevalence and progression of certain oral cancer subtypes.
WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE RESEARCH HONORS PROGRAM?
Coming into PDM, I knew I wanted to be involved in research in a big way. I was part of a developmental genetics lab at The College of New Jersey for four years, where I participated in a summer program (much like the Summer Research Program at PDM), was the Lab Manager for over a year, and completed independent research involving embryo microinjections for two years. After speaking with Dr. Daniell and Dr. Battaglia about the differences between the two programs, I thought that the BTS Research Honors Program would better fit the skills I gained through that past research experience and my goals for research at PDM.
“As patients become immunosuppressed due to cancer treatment, they are unable to regulate their internal microbiota, and the balance within their oral cavity is disturbed. ” LAUREN RUDOLPH, D’26
DO YOU HAVE ANY FUTURE PLANS WITH YOUR RESEARCH?
Ex vivo studies are planned to be completed this upcoming year, and we are hoping to have the gum FDA approved. Our hope is to bring the FDA approved chewing gum to the clinics at PDM and the patient population within the next year, and that data will be a major component of my honors program thesis that I will write during my D4 year!
WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE MOST IMPORTANT QUALITY OF AN EFFECTIVE RESEARCHER?
I think the most important quality is to have an open mind regarding your results. Research is, in a way, a method of finding the truth, and what you think will happen may not always happen! The most important thing to do to ensure the reliability of your research is to have a mindset that accommodates that.
FUN FACT?
I swam with wild dolphins this past summer!
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STUDENT INTERVIEW HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED WITH RESEARCH AT PDM?
I started research at PDM through the school’s Summer Research Program which takes place during D1 summer. This program allows you to find a research faculty to plan a research project of your choice if it is a possibility. I was interested in pharmacology research, so I met with PDM’s pharmacology professors, Dr. Hersh and Dr. Theken, to discuss possible research projects.
CAN YOU DESCRIBE YOUR RESEARCH?
Lucas Wall, D’25
AADOCR Student Research Day Award 2023
“We aimed to discover the impact of over-thecounter (OTC) doses of naproxen-sodium, a non-steroidal antiinflammatory drug (NSAID), versus acetaminophen after surgical placement of one or two dental implants.” LUCAS WALL, D’25
My research was part of a larger study led by Dr. Theken, focusing on the pharmacological effects on the post-surgical inflammatory process after dental implant surgery. We aimed to discover the impact of over-the-counter (OTC) doses of naproxen-sodium, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), versus acetaminophen after surgical placement of one or two dental implants. The anti-inflammatory effect of naproxen and acetaminophen at OTC doses was unknown. I focused on systemic inflammation by measuring the inflammatory cytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6) in blood plasma from all participating patients at various time points pre and post-surgery. My lab partner, Mengxiang (Alina) Chen, focused on local inflammation levels by measuring various inflammatory cytokines in gingival crevicular fluid. Our studies determined that naproxen-sodium (NSAID) at OTC doses significantly reduced inflammation after dental implant placement.
WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE SUMMER RESEARCH PROGRAM?
Many students at PDM plan to specialize after dental school and this leads many to get involved in research to either strengthen their resume or to fulfill a special interest in a subject. I have always been interested in dental anesthesiology and this interest was a big part of getting involved in pharmacological research at the school. It has also been a goal of mine to help reduce the need for opioids in dental and medical care. The research I completed at PDM is a great example as we displayed OTC doses of NSAIDs significantly reduce postimplant inflammation. I hope this convinces providers that opioids or heavy painkillers are unnecessary in most situations when placing implants.
DO YOU HAVE ANY FUTURE PLANS WITH YOUR RESEARCH?
I plan to continue research this year by helping with Dr. Theken’s third molar study. I will continue to study pharmacological effects on inflammatory levels in blood to determine the level of analgesic necessary for third molar extraction. There are also plans to increase the size of the implant study, so if anyone is interested in pharmacology research, I recommend taking a look into this project.
WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE MOST IMPORTANT QUALITY OF AN EFFECTIVE RESEARCHER?
A characteristic I see among all my peers and successful researchers would be curiosity. Being curious and interested in a topic not only keeps you persistent as you work, but pushes you to explore new possibilities of discovery or helps to overcome adversity you may face when outcomes are not what you expect.
FUN FACT?
Me and my three brothers all go by our middle names and they all start with an L.
QUESTIONS ABOUT VBRS? CONTACT US AT:
PDMVernonBrightman@dental.upenn.edu