Have you ever found yourself wondering what happens in all the Dental Tower labs when you’re wandering around a floor, looking for an office or meeting room?
The Seventh Annual Research Day, April 10, 2009, provided an excellent opportunity to find out what the folks in those labs are up to, and where research is going at the University of Florida College of Dentistry.
The day included eight oral presentations and 52 poster presentations, a keynote address, a reception and an awards ceremony during an all-day event at the college.
“I thought the scientific presentations by students, faculty and staff were excellent as was the presentation by our keynote speaker, Dr. Antoni P. Tomsia,” said Kenneth Anusavice, D.M.D., Ph.D., associate dean for research. “I also want to thank the 15 faculty members who served as judges and evaluated the oral and poster presentations.”
Tomsia’s keynote topic was “Composites and Scaffolds for Calcified Tissue Regeneration,” a well-attended session that served as an excellent scientific learning experience for the students, faculty and outside guests.
Congratulations to the following award winners:
DMD Division
First Place ($300):
Gabriel Nossa, Poster
Invasion of Streptococcus mutans and its Effect on HCAEC
Mentors: Dr. Ann Progulske-Fox and Dr. Myriam Bélanger, Oral Biology
Second Place ($200):
Ashley Harris, Poster
Propolis Blocks Osteoclastogenesis Downstream of the Cyclooxygenase
Mentor: Dr. Roberta Pileggi, Endodontics
Third Place ($100):
Lindsey L. Carballo, Poster
Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans and Fusobacterium nucleatum Invasion of Epithelial Cell Multilayers
Mentor: Dr. Richard Lamont, Oral Biology
Honorable Mention:
Rondre F. Baluyot, 4th Place, Poster – Novel Virulence-associated Properties of the Flp-1 Pili of Aggregatibacter Actinomycetemcomitans
Norberto Camacho, 5th Place, Poster – Evaluation of Local vs. Systemic Antibiotic Administration in Dental Biofilms
MS/Resident Division
First Place ($300):
Jennifer N. Rainho, Masters Graduate Student, Poster
Characterization of a Putative α-Amylase (PG1683) of Porphyromonas gingivalis
Mentor: Dr. Ann Progulske-Fox, Oral Biology, Center for Molecular Microbiology
Second Place ($200):
Caroline Jermanus, Graduate Student/Resident, Poster
Porphyromonas Infection Sequesters Pro-apoptotic Bad through Akt in Primary Gingival Epithelial Cells
Mentor: Dr. Özlem Yilmaz, Periodontology
Third Place ($100):
Nathan C. Dewsnup, Graduate Student, Oral Presentation
Comparison of Bacterial Reduction in Straight and Curved Canals Using Er,Cr:YSGG Laser Treatment versus a Traditional Irrigation Technique
Mentor: Dr. Claudio Varella, Endodontics
Honorable Mention:
Sally Riewe, 4th Place, Oral Presentation – Interactions of Porphyromonas gingivalis with Human Placental Cells
Vo “Yen” Nguyen, 5th Place, Poster – Increased Vertical Dimension Effects on Masseter Muscle Phenotype During Maturation
PhD/Post-doc Division
First Place ($300):
Kaleb M. Pauley, Post-doctoral Fellow, Oral Presentation
Elevated microRNA Expression in Autoimmune Sjögren’s Syndrome
Mentor: Dr. Seunghee Cha, Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery and Diag. Sci.
Second Place ($200):
Paul R. Dominguez-Gutierrez, PhD Graduate Student, Poster
The Role of miRNA Regulation of Type I Interferon in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. P.R. Dominguez-Gutierrez*
Mentor: Dr. Edward Chan, Oral Biology
Third Place ($100):
Andrea E. Knowlton, PhD Graduate Student, Poster
Chlamydia Trachomatis Infection Induces Spindle Pole Disorganization in Cells Expressing HPV Oncoproteins
Mentor: Dr. Scott S. Grieshaber, Oral Biology
Honorable Mention:
Dana L. Catalfamo, 4th Place, Poster – Innate Immune Functions of Diabetogenic Gingival Epithelial Cells and Osteoclasts
Kinda Seaton, 5th Place, Poster – Characterization of a Gene Cluster Regulating Stress Tolerance in Streptococcus mutans