Meet-a-Mentor Luncheon

Meet-a-Mentor Luncheon
Friday, March 21, 2014
12:30 – 1:45 p.m.
Charlotte Convention Center, North Carolina, USA
The Meet-a-Mentor session format is designed to enhance the learning experience for students.
Senior scientists, who are also past recipients of the IADR Distinguished Scientist Award and/or
past Mentor Awardees, will lead motivational and realistic discussions about the paths they
took during their academic careers.
SPEAKERS – Tables #1-8:
Table #1
Speaker:
Craniofacial Biology Research
Jill A. Helms (Stanford University, California)
Dr. Jill Helms is a professor in the Department of Surgery at Stanford University. Her
research interests center on regenerative medicine and craniofacial development. In the
subject of regenerative medicine, Dr. Helms’ laboratory goals are to understand the
regulatory pathways that control stem cell self-renewal, proliferation, and differentiation.
She has focused on two signaling pathways whose activities seem to be an essential
feature of tissue healing. The lab has developed a novel packaging method whereby the
biological activity of lipidated Wnt and Hedgehog proteins can be preserved in the in vivo
wound environment. The long-term goal of Dr. Helms’ research program is to elucidate the molecular
and cellular mechanisms regulating normal and abnormal craniofacial development.
Prior to Stanford, Dr. Helms spent eight years at the University of California, San Francisco, USA, where
she was the director of the molecular and cellular biology laboratory in the Department of Orthopaedic
Surgery. She received her dental degree from the University of Minnesota, and her residency certificate
and Ph.D. from the University of Connecticut Health Sciences Center.
Dr. Helms reviews manuscripts for leading journals such as Nature, Science and Development, and reviews
grants for the NIH, NASA, March of Dimes and a number of non-profit organizations. She is currently
Secretary-Treasurer of the Society for Craniofacial Genetics & Developmental Biology. Dr. Helms is also
an active teacher in both craniofacial and stem cell biology. She teaches undergraduate, graduate and
continuing education classes at Stanford. She mentors undergraduate and graduate students, dental and
medical students, residents and fellows, and has been an advisor for masters and Ph.D. candidates. Dr.
Helms is the recipient of the 2013 IADR Distinguished Scientist Award for Craniofacial Biology
Research.
Table #2
Speaker:
Charleston)
Pharmacology/Therapeutics/Toxicology Research
Keith Kirkwood (Medical University of South Carolina,
Dr. Keith L. Kirkwood is professor and chair of the Department of Craniofacial
Biology at the College of Dental Medicine at Medical University of South Carolina
(MUSC), Charleston, USA, where he is also the current associate dean for research.
He is also professor of microbiology and immunology at MUSC, and adjunct
associate professor in the Department of Bioengineering at Clemson University,
South Carolina, USA.
Dr. Kirkwood completed a certificate in periodontology and earned his Ph.D. in Oral Biology at the
University at Buffalo, New York, USA, under the dentist scientist program and later a postdoctoral
fellowship in molecular biology. Following his early career as an assistant professor at the University at
Buffalo, he became a tenured associate professor in the Department of Periodontics and Oral Medicine
at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA, until he was recruited to his present position at MUSC.
Dr. Kirkwood’s broad area of research interest is immunity as it relates to periodontal diseases and oral
cancer. Specifically, he has focused on studies of innate immune signaling involved in cytokine mRNA
regulation in periodontal bone loss and oral cancer tumor progression. He is the principal investigator of
two National Institutes of Health-National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIH/NIDCR)
R01 grants. He’s also the principal investigator of a P30 center grant from the NIH-National Institute of
General Medical Sciences, and principal investigator and co-director of a comprehensive T32 training
grant. Dr. Kirkwood has published more than 200 peer-reviewed articles, book chapters and abstracts.
He has received numerous awards including the American Academy of Periodontology’s Tarrson
Fellowship, the IADR GlaxoSmithKline Innovation in Oral Care Award and most recently the 2013
IADR Distinguished Scientist Award for Pharmacology/Therapeutics/Toxicology Research.
Table #3
Speaker:
Isaac Schour Memorial Award
David Kohn (University of Michigan, Ann Arbor)
Dr. David Kohn is a professor at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA, with
appointments in the School of Dentistry and College of Engineering. He received his B.S.
in biomedical engineering from Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA (1983)
and his Ph.D. in bioengineering from the University of Pennsylvania, USA (1989). He
joined the faculty at the University of Michigan in 1989 and has progressed through the
academic ranks. He is director of an NIDCR training program in tissue engineering. In
2000-2001, Dr. Kohn was a visiting professor in the Craniofacial and Skeletal Diseases
Branch of the NIH.
Dr. Kohn’s laboratory focuses on biomineralization, which is investigated by establishing structurefunction relations in mineralized tissues and utilizing this information to develop biomimetic strategies to
engineer tissue. By coupling mechanical, compositional and molecular analyses of tissues, Dr. Kohn’s
laboratory has provided insight into mechanisms of bone fragility and mechanically mediated tissue
adaptation. His lab has also used principles of biomineralization to design materials that can better
control biological function and enable stem cells to regenerate larger, more spatially uniform volumes of
tissue in vivo.
Dr. Kohn’s work has been funded from the NIH, National Science Foundation (NSF) and the U.S.
Department of Defense. He has published more than 100 papers, holds five patents, and has more than
80 invited presentations. He has mentored 37 graduate students and seven post docs, and hosted
visiting professors in his laboratory.
Dr. Kohn is on the board of directors of the Society for Biomaterials and he is a chartered member of
the NIH Skeletal Biology Development and Disease study section. Dr. Kohn has been the recipient of a
Whitaker Foundation Biomedical Research Award, NSF Research Initiation Award and an NIH
Intergovernmental Personnel Act award. He is a fellow of the American Institute for Medical and
Biological Engineering, the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the International
Union of Biomaterials Scientists and Engineers. In 2012 he received the IADR Isaac Schour Memorial
Award, which is one of the IADR Distinguished Scientist Awards.
Table #4
Speaker:
Pulp Biology & Regeneration Award
Songtao Shi (Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC, Los Angeles)
Dr. Songtao Shi is professor at the University of Southern California Ostrow School of
Dentistry. Dr Shi received his D.D.S. degree and certificate in pediatric dentistry from the
Peking University School of Stomatology, Beijing, China, and Ph.D. in craniofacial biology from
the University of Southern California. Prior to joining the faculty at the University of Southern
California, he served as a principal investigator and clinical fellow for nine years at the NIDCR.
His research program focuses on understanding the mechanism of mesenchymal stem cellassociated diseases, developing new experimental disease models, and exploring the feasibility
of translating these bench discoveries to clinical therapies. His group and his collaborators were the first to
identify dental pulp stem cells, baby tooth stem cells, periodontal ligament stem cells, root apical papilla stem
cells, tendon stem cells, gingiva stem cells, sclera mesenchymal stem cells and benign tumor mesenchyal stem
cells from keloid and ossifying fibroma.
Dr. Shi has published more than 140 peer-reviewed articles in a variety of high-impact scientific journals
(including the IADR/AADR Journal of Dental Research), of which he served as the first or corresponding author.
Dr. Shi’s research is supported by NIH grants and funding from the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine.
Clinically, Dr. Shi holds a dental licensure from the state of California. Dr. Shi has served on several local and
national committees and boards including serving as scientific editor for the PLOS ONE journal and associate
editor for the journal titled Oral Diseases. His service has also included scientific advisory boards for the Journal
of Endodontics, the scientific committee of Chinese Stomatological Association and the scientific committee of
the Chinese Military Stomatology Research Institute. He is on the editorial board of Stem Cell Research &
Therapy, the World Journal of Stem Cells, and the Chinese Journal of Dental Research. Dr. Shi is a Changjiang scholar
in the Fourth Military Medical University. He is a distinguished visiting professor at Tongji University, the
Chinese Medical University, Shenyang, China, and Dankook University, Korea. He is a Vvisiting professor at the
XiangYa School of Medicine & Stomatology, Central South University (CSU). Dr. Shi is the recipient of the 2013
IADR Distinguished Scientist Award for Pulp Biology & Regeneration.
Table #5
Speaker:
AADR NSRG Mentor Award
Robert Spears (Baylor College of Dentistry, Dallas, Texas)
Dr. Robert Spears is a professor in the Department of Biomedical Sciences as well as
the director of curriculum and director of student research at the Texas A&M
University Baylor College of Dentistry. Dr. Spears has focused his research efforts
toward the elucidation of signal transduction mechanisms during inflammatory joint
diseases using an animal model of adjuvant-induced inflammation of the
temporomandibular joint. Of particular interest is the role that different inflammatory
mediators may play in the process, with emphasis upon the interaction between
elements of the immune and nervous system. His research efforts have evolved around the examination
of the involvement of proinflammatory cytokines, and recently the potential involvement of the
sympathetic nervous system in chronic pain.
Dr. Spears has multiple publications in the area and has been involved in numerous grants. However, a
great deal of Dr. Spears’ efforts goes toward educating students on the importance of dental research
and including them as much as possible in getting involved in research efforts. For more than 15 years
Dr. Spears has demonstrated a remarkable dedication to the Student Research Group at Baylor College
of Dentistry, and has also lent his expertise to the AADR National Student Research Group, where he
was a faculty advisor for 10 years. He spends numerous hours with student researchers and aids in
their participation in numerous national meetings. His students have won numerous awards at national
meetings and have held offices in the AADR National Student Research Group. In 2012, he was awarded
the Mentor of the Year award by the AADR National Student Research Group.
Table #6
Speaker:
AADR Irwin D. Mandel Distinguished Mentoring Award
Bjorn Steffensen (Tufts University, Boston, Massachusetts)
Dr. Bjorn Steffensen received his dental degree from the Royal Dental College of
Copenhagen, Denmark. Thereafter, he taught part-time at the Dental College and
practiced dentistry first in Denmark and then in Switzerland where he also attended
postdoctoral courses at the University of Berne. Dr. Steffensen completed specialty
education in periodontics and earned an M.S. degree from the University of Michigan,
Ann Arbor, USA, and later earned his Ph.D. in oral biology from the University of
British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
Dr. Steffensen recently joined Tufts University School of Dental Medicine as professor and chair of the
Department of Periodontology following his service as professor ofpPeriodontics and biochemistry, and
associate dean for Research at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
(UTHSCSA). Dr. Steffensen’s research program has focused on matrix and protease biology supported
by local, foundation, industry and Federal grants. Moreover, he has served as principle investigator and
director of the NIH-funded Comprehensive Research Training Program (COSTAR) at UTHSCSA,
overseeing research training of Ph.D. and D.D.S./Ph.D. students as well as postdoctoral fellows.
Dr. Steffensen is a diplomate of the American Board of Periodontology and has taught extensively to
both pre-doctoral dental students and postdoctoral residents. He has been a mentor to many students
at different stages of their education and also junior faculty.
Dr. Steffensen is the recipient of numerous honors and awards including the 2012 AADR Irwin Mandel
Distinguished Mentoring Award and the Castella Distinguished Professorship in Geriodontology from
the UTHSCSA.
Table #7
Speaker:
AADR NSRG Mentor Award, AADR Board of Directors
Mary Walker (University of Missouri-Kansas City)
Dr. Mary Walker is a professor in the departments of oral and craniofacial sciences and
restorative dentistry at the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC) School of
Dentistry. In addition, she serves as the associate dean for research and graduate
programs, She holds a D.D.S. and Ph.D. and has also completed a prosthodontics
specialty residency. Dr. Walker is the program director for the Oral and Craniofacial
Sciences Graduate Program as well as the director for the Summer Scholars Program, a
research-focused program for dental students during the summer after their first year.
Throughout her career she has mentored more than 50 M.S., Ph.D. and pre-doctoral dental students,
graduate specialty residents and postdoctoral fellows. Her teaching responsibilities include pre-doctoral
and graduate biomaterials courses. Dr. Walker has been involved in translational and clinical research
related to mineralized tooth structure and biomaterials. Besides clinically relevant evaluations of various
dental materials, another current investigation (NIH/NIDCR R01) is focused on the effects of oral
cancer radiotherapy on the dentition.
Before joining the UMKC faculty, she was a faculty member of the College of Dentistry, University of
Nebraska Medical Center. Prior to her academic career, Dr. Walker owned a solo general dentistry
practice. She was the recipient of the 2013 AADR National Student Research Group Faculty Mentor
Award and is currently a Member-at-Large on the AADR Board of Directors.
Table #8
Speaker:
Research in Biological Mineralization Award
Cun-Yu Wang (University of California, Los Angeles)
Dr. Cun-Yu Wang is the No-Hee Park endowed professor and chair, Division of Oral
Biology and Medicine, and the Associate Dean for Graduate Studies, School of
Dentistry, at University of California, Angeles. Dr. Wang received his dental training
from both Peking University, Beijing, China, and Nanjing University, Jiangsu, China. In
1990, he went to The Forsyth Institute as a postdoctoral fellow to study oral
inflammation and bone resorption. He went to the University of North Carolina at
Chapel Hill for the Dntist-Scientist Award training sponsored by the NIDCR in 1995
and received his Ph.D. in molecular biology and genetics in 1998. He joined The University of Michigan
School of Dentistry as an associate professor in 1999 and was promoted to Richard H. Gingery
endowed collegiate professor in 2004. He was recruited to his current position in 2007.
Dr. Wang works in three major areas related to human oral health: 1) molecular signaling and
therapeutics of oral cancer; 2) molecular regulation of oral inflammation and infection; and 3) molecular
control of adult dental stem cell properties and craniofacial regeneration. He has made a landmark
discovery on the regulation of cancer cell death by the transcription factor NF-κB, which was cited as
one of ten important discoveries in 1996 by Science magazine. His publications have been cited more
than12,000 times, and he is among the most highly-cited dentist scientists at the national and
international levels. In 2005, the NIDCR recognized Dr. Wang’s work by endowing him with a MERIT
(Method to Extend Research in Time) Award to support his ongoing investigation in oral cancer.
Dr. Wang has served on a variety of NIH study sections and international advisory boards on dentistry,
medicine and life science, and was the charter member of the NIDCR Board of Scientific Counselors.
He was also the recipient of the 2006 IADR GlaxoSmithKline Innovation in Oral Care Award, the 2003
and 2009 IADR/AADR William J. Gies Award in Biological Research and three IADR Distinguished
Scientist Awards. During his career, Dr. Wang has mentored more than 30 students, postdoctoral
fellows and visiting scholars, of which eight have started their independent academic careers in the
United States, China and Korea. He was elected in 2011 to the Institute of Medicine of the National
Academies.

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