Research
Working Together: Biofilms or Research, the Key is Team Effort
EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT
By Joshua J. Thomson, Ph.D.
While in-person research has been difficult, Detroit Mercy Dental received some much-deserved attention when it hosted the 2021 Annual Meeting of the Michigan Branch for the American Society for Michigan (ASM). The School was slated to host the in-person event at the end of March 2020, but the postponed meeting was instead held in an online format in March 2021.
Sally Ammar | Part-time faculty, 5 years Notable Detroit Mercy Dental accomplishment: Since becoming a faculty member, I have become a better critical thinker and have not only lived but have embraced the concept of lifelong learning. I have grown tremendously in the last few years and have been given the opportunity to be clinical instructor, student mentor/advisor, course director and now Competency & E-Portfolio Advisor. Since I started at the University 5 years ago, notable achievements have been the success of all my students, as well as receiving the Outstanding Clinical Faculty award 8 times from Dental Hygiene classes (DH1 and DH2 classes). Teaching at Detroit Mercy has taught me that we are not only educators, but we are the students’ shoulder to lean on in hard times, their soon-to-be colleagues and their helping hand to a successful future.
The meeting, entitled: “Building a Boundless Biofilm,” was organized by Assistant Professor and Interim Director of Research Administration Joshua Thomson, and was remotely attended by participants from various universities across Michigan. Detroit Mercy was largely represented, and delivered the following research presentations: • Detroit Mercy Dental Manager of Biology Laboratory / Research Assistant Sarah Plecha, presented findings from her work with Associate Professor Eric Krukonis on the resistance to complement-mediated killing of Yersina pestis, the bacterium that causes the plague. • Detroit Mercy Department of Biology Professor Jonathan Finkel presented his work on biofilm formations of the fungal pathogen Candida albicans. • ReBUILDetroit student Leen Issa presented her research which won first place in the undergraduate poster category for her work titled “Identification of the bacteriophage defense mechanisms utilized by the dental pathogen, Streptococcus mutans.” Detroit Mercy Dental continues to increase its commitment to research. Administration has made significant investment in expanding research space and ensuring it is outfitted with state-of-the-art equipment and a talented research team. Advancements in dentistry, basic sciences and research is unattainable without the investment in people.
Melvin Lunkins | Full-time administrator, 4 years Did you know?: Lunkins served in the U.S. Army. He began his military service in August 1998 when he attended basic training in Fort McClellan, Ala., alongside Prof. Ziglor's husband, Pernell Ziglor. He spent the next 15 years in numerous enlisted positions. Lunkins' service has taken him to Germany, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Iraq (Operation Iraqi Freedom), Afghanistan (Operation Enduring Freedom), South Korea, Arizona, Texas, New York, Virginia, Washington, South Carolina, and Missouri in addition to a few more diverse assignments within the United States. Prior to his departure from the U.S. Army, he worked as a recruiter in Metro Detroit. In December 2015, Lunkins was honorably discharged from the Army after nearly 15 years of service. Immediately prior to joining Detroit Mercy Dental, he served as an admissions officer and recruiter for Wayne State University School of Medicine.
D E N TA L . U D M E R C Y. E D U
| 15
