16 October 2023

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UCSF Dentistry Gathers For 20th Research and Clinical Excellence Day

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Cutting-edge research and new innovations in clinical care were on full display at UCSF School of Dentistry’s annual Research and Clinical Excellence Day (RCED) on October 11. In its 20th year, the event celebrated the wide-ranging discovery happening across the school, with special focus on the research projects of dental students, graduate students, residents, postdoctoral fellows and research associates.

The all-day event kicked off with opening remarks from Sarah Knox, PhD,  assistant dean for basic science research and Dean Michael Reddy, DMD, DMSc. Plenary speaker Saul Villeda, PhD, from the UCSF Department of Anatomy, gave a talk entitled “Can aging be reversed in the brain?” Dr. Villeda elucidated how the fundamental science his lab is engaged in can be leveraged to understand aging across all systems and tissues in the body.

The bulk of the morning was an oral presentation session. Topics included the effects on extraction in post-radiation cancer patients, the pandemic’s effect on Medi-Cal adult dental utilization, and fracture healing. Each presentation concluded with a wide array of follow-up questions.  

The Spotlight on Clinical Excellence lecture featured Sivappiriyai Veluppillai, DDS, MS, who discussed the use of topicals in oral medicine.

The day then transitioned to a poster session which featured more than 30 research projects. Presenters stood by easels showcasing their research, eagerly anticipating the arrival of interested spectators and judges to discuss their topics.

The afternoon included another batch of presentations and a lecture by Dr. Knox, the recipient of the Faculty Research Lecturer Award. She gave a presentation on her career and seminal work on salivary gland regeneration, highlighting the ongoing journey to bring those discoveries out of the lab and into patient impact.

"It’s so fantastic to have received this award! My fellow faculty are exceptional, and it feels so wonderful to have them recognize me for my research endeavors. Given my trainees actually answer the questions we are proposing, I think this award also celebrates our team, and what a fun, energized team it is. I’m very lucky,” said Dr. Knox.

The day concluded with the announcement of additional award winners. Congratulations to everyone!

Winner: Research Associate Category

Mariann Guzman-Espinoza (Mentor: Dr. Erica Hutchins)

Winners: Resident Category

3rd Place: Dr Mimansa Cholera

2nd Place: Dr. Michael Korleski 

1st Place: Dr. Michel Lodolo 

Winners: Postdoctoral Category

3rd Place: Dr. Emerson de Sousa

2nd Place: Dr. Nathan Griffin

1st Place: Dr. Camilla Teng

Winners: Graduate Category

3rd Place: Minyoung (Lily) Kim (Mentor: Dr. Erica Hutchins)

2nd Place: Luke Lucido (Mentor: Dr. Jeffrey Bush)

1st Place: Ameera Haque (Mentor: Dr. Ophir  )

Winners: Predoctoral Category

3rd Place: Andrew Lee (Mentor: Dr. Mike Sabeti)

2nd Place: Carson Gadler (Mentor: Dr. Wenhan Chang)

1st Place: Ernst Newbrun Award for Research Excellence Eric Yin (Mentor: Dr. Christine Hong)

People’s Choice Award: 

Eric Yin, Class of 2027 (Mentor: Dr. Christine Hong)