Research Symposium 2019
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UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH SCHOOL OF DENTAL MEDICINE NINETEENTH ANNUAL RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM 2019 1 PITT DENTAL MEDICINE IN THE TOP FIVE FOR Pitt Dental Medicine maintains it’s number four ranking for National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR). NIDCR FUNDING The profound research performed at Pitt Dental Medicine is responsible for maintaining a steady improvement in rank over nearly two decades —validation of our commitment to exploration, investigation and analysis, and to the quality of the innovation being created here. “This ranking is reflective of our alignment with the goals for research set forth by the NIH. Pitt Dental Medicine has been ranked in the top 10 for almost a decade, but this move into the top 5, at number 4, is significant. It reflects a long-term approach to becoming one of the premiere dental research institutions in the country—in the world. It is a powerful statement of our staying power and the decades of hard work toward international acclaim.” Bernard J Costello DMD MD Dean “Pitt Dental Medicine has been engaged in top-notch, world-class research for many years. Being in the top 5 of NIDCR funding is particularly rewarding, though, because it is the major metric of U.S. Dental School research strength. Pitt is now shoulder-to-shoulder with other particularly strong research dental schools. Our research is at the cutting edge and applies state-of-the-art approaches to establish major research programs that, as evidenced by the success in getting grants, are widely recognized by other researchers outside of Pitt. Contributing to our research strength are the many productive collaborations with faculty investigators at Pitt, across the country and worldwide.” Mary Marazita PhD Director of the Center for Craniofacial and Dental Genetics “This ranking is important to the dental field, our school, and our basic and clinical faculty, as the new knowledge generated will improve patient care and the health of the whole population. Our cutting-edge research is important to patient therapy—the knowledge that they will receive the most advanced care. Our students and alumni should feel a sense of pride in their Pitt Dental Medicine home.” Charles Sfeir DDS PhD Associate Dean for Research “The rankings validate the effort and talent of our faculty and staff and also demonstrate that we, as an institution, are “all in’ with our support of the research missions of the dental profession and the University of Pittsburgh. Unquestionably, the new knowledge that our research generates will be important to improving patient care and population health. The “top 5” ranking, while arbitrary, is certainly something that brings attention to our school and will support our efforts to establish a sustainable research infrastructure. Maintaining that status is a worthy goal and one that, ideally, will continue to motivate us to continue achieving at the highest level.” Robert Weyant MS DMD DrPH Associate Dean for Dental Public Health and Community Outreach “The School of Dental Medicine’s ranking is an indication of its prominence in both dental research and in the FISCAL YEAR 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 training of new dental professionals. The school’s success reflects our campus-wide commitment to excellence at Rank 29 26 25 27 16 17 13 16 12 6 7 17 9 7 9 4 the University of Pittsburgh. I congratulate Dean BJ Costello and all of the school’s leadership, faculty, staff and Total Research Funding $1,181,857 $1,775,222 $2,399,960 $2,290,222 $3,372,723 $3,050,028 $3,795,400 $3,261,491 $4,694,478 $6,260,761 $5,929,316 $3,142,305 $4,832,404 $5,143,805 $6,275,394 $8,487,933 students on this achievement.” Arthur S. Levine MD Senior Vice Chancellor for the Health Sciences and John and Gertrude Petersen Dean, School of Medicine 2 UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH SCHOOL OF DENTAL MEDICINE NINETEENTH ANNUAL RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM 3 RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM HISTORY In 2000, the research taking place at the School of Dental Medicine was not necessarily reflective of a school of this prominence. Dr. Mary Marazita became the Associate Dean for Research and drafted a vision to encourage research efforts through the first School of Dental Medicine Research Symposium. After 19 years, it has become the longest-running research symposium at Pitt—and with good reason. Including significant speakers from outside of Pitt greatly expanded this inspiring traditions and the event continued to grow in attendance and significance. Concurrently, NIH funding to the school increased to more than $5 million by 2013. Pitt Dental Medicine has become a significant force in dental medicine research. Since 2013, Dr. Charles Sfeir, new Associate Dean for Research, continues to expand and improve the symposium. Newly identified funding, such as the Michigan-Pittsburgh-Wyss project, is influencing the power of translational research here at Pitt. And Pitt Dental Medicine is influencing research worldwide. Recognizing the needs of clinicians to answer the question “what can research do for me?” the 2019 Research Symposium showcases advancing clinical treatments made possible through the research in biomineralization taking place right here. Pitt Dental Medicine recognizes the power of presenting sensible clinical information in a continuing education format to bring relevance and practicality to research. Mary Marazita PhD Charles Sfeir DDS PhD Director of the Center for Craniofacial and Dental Genetics Director of the Center for Craniofacial Regeneration Innovation intensifies the power and influence of the Annual Research Symposium, enabling it to thrive and successfully become the most dynamic and progressive dental research symposium in the region. 4 UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH SCHOOL OF DENTAL MEDICINE NINETEENTH ANNUAL RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM 5 DEAN’S MESSAGE Dear colleagues and friends, It is my honor to welcome you each to the I encourage everyone to take this day as a chance Nineteenth Annual Pitt Dental Medicine Research not only to learn about our latest advances, but to “...at its heart, our research is about Symposium. This is a day not only to share and consider how research and innovation relates to striving to better the lives of as many celebrate our accomplishments, but an opportunity you and enriches the lives of others. Our profession to look ahead to what the future holds for us. shares the common goal of improving the health as we can.” Research holds an essential position in our success and quality of life for individuals. It is this aim that as a school. It is a privilege to see this event come ultimately drives our research enterprise—at its together, with each year’s symposium building on heart, our research is about striving to better the the success of those in the past. I hope that you lives of as many as we can. This is the secret to Bernard J Costello DMD MD look forward as much as I do to learning about our success as researchers, scholars, teachers and Dean the exciting work happening at the University of clinicians. It is evident in the passion with which Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine. those at Pitt Dental Medicine provide care and pursue innovative discoveries--and I am proud to be As always, with this event, we turn our attention a part of it. to not only the achievements of our researchers, but also to the important role that our students and clinicians play at the school. All play a vital role in our the realization of our goal of being an institution Sincerely, dedicated to offering the best that dentistry and craniofacial biology has to offer. The intersection of research, academics and patient care is a crucial one, as all three support and feed into the success of one another. This day exemplifies that unity of achievement with its outstanding presentations, Bernard J. Costello, DMD, MD opportunities to enhance our knowledge and Dean and Professor occasions to give voice to ideas of our own. University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine 6 UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH SCHOOL OF DENTAL MEDICINE NINETEENTH ANNUAL RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM 7 ASSOCIATE DEAN’S MESSAGE Dear Pitt Dental Medicine friends, approaches undertaken by our faculty. Our in the collaborative efforts of research faculty, collaborative research spans basic sciences to clinicians and students is a privilege for me and Charles Sfeir DDS PhD I am honored to welcome you to our Nineteenth translational research. This strength is evidenced the others who are passionate about the research Associate Dean for Research Annual Research Symposium at the University by the many funded research projects at Pitt Dental we do each day. Our aim is to not only share of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine. There Medicine. knowledge, but enhance the bonds between us as are many successes we are fortunate to be able scientists, clinicians and dentists. Our Symposium to highlight this year. I would like to first put the “Our Symposium today is designed to celebrate the today is designed to celebrate the achievements spotlight on the changes we are implementing achievements of our investigators, introduce to clinicians the of our investigators, introduce to clinicians the latest this year to our Research Symposium through the latest advances and support our students as they make their way advances and support our students as they make assembl y of an exciting clinical and basic research into the exciting worlds of both patient care and research.” their way into the exciting worlds of both patient program that showcases our clinical and research care and research. strength. Allow me to highlight a couple of these programs: I am pleased to have presenters at our symposium We not only have much to celebrate this year, • an international inter-University collaboration from within the school who can attest to the power but a great opportunity to learn about how that focuses on genetic variants influencing of collaborative efforts.