Awards At The 85th General Session Of The International Association For Dental Research (IADR)

Hersh Received IADR Research Award in Pharmacology



Dr. Elliot V. Hersh, Professor of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and Pharmacology, University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Science, Philadelphia, USA, was named the 2007 recipient of the Pharmacology, Therapeutics, & Toxicology Research Award, presented during the Opening Ceremonies of the 85th General Session of the International Association for Dental Research (IADR), convening at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center



Over the years, Dr. Hersh has sustained an active program of funded research in the areas of analgesics and local anaesthetics used in dentistry. He is an author of numerous peer-reviewed articles in the scientific literature, and has contributed book chapters and performed editorial duties for various textbooks. In particular, Dr. Hersh has been very active in studying non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, from both clinical and basic science perspectives. Most recently, Dr. Hersh has investigated the local anaesthetic, articaine, and one outcome of that work is its recent approval by the US Food & Drug Administration.



Dr. Hersh has been very active in the IADR. In addition to regular presentations of research abstracts, he has been a speaker in several symposia. He has also organized symposia in conjunction with other IADR research groups, including one on antibiotic prophylaxis for infective endocarditis. He has served in every leadership role of the Pharmacology, Therapeutics, & Toxicology Group. Overall, Dr. Hersh has made an outstanding contribution to the field of clinical pharmacology. His contribution in research has guided the use of drugs in dental practice, which, in turn, has benefited the public.



The IADR Pharmacology, Therapeutics, & Toxicology Research Award consists of a cash prize and a plaque. Supported by Wyeth Consumer Healthcare, it is one of the Distinguished Scientist Awards conferred annually by the IADR, representing the highest honor the IADR can bestow.



Schmalz Received Major IADR Pulp Biology Research Award



Dr. Gottfried Schmalz, Professor of Operative Dentistry, Department of Operative Dentistry and Periodontology, University of Regensburg, Germany, is 2007 recipient of the Pulp Biology Research Award from the International Association for Dental Research (IADR), which convened here for its 85th General Session.



Dr. Schmalz is an internationally recognized scholar who has made significant contributions to the field of Pulp Biology, especially through his long-standing program of research on pulp cell behavior in response to dental materials. This program of research has extended over 30 years, during which time he has held many positions of leadership, both within his own academic institutions and within the broader academic and research community. Dr. Schmalz's contributions have bridged both the basic and clinical sciences, and he has been able to make significant achievements through the clinical application of his work. This is exemplified in his present leadership role as the chair of the ISO Standards Committee on the biological evaluation of dental materials, where he has focused his extensive experience in pulp cell biology on the problems of understanding how best to assess the biocompatibility of dental materials. His contributions to understanding the biocompatibility of materials with the dental tissues, and especially the dental pulp, have resulted in his being one of the prime leaders in this field of research internationally, well-illustrated in his extensive publication record (150 original research papers and many published abstracts, review papers, books, and chapters). Dr. Schmalz has become one of the leading researchers in this area and has contributed to laying the foundations for this field of research. More recently, he has been involved with research on developing exciting experimental models for the study of pulp cell behavior using immortalized cell lines. Professor Schmalz currently holds the position of President-elect of the IADR's Pulp Biology Research Group.
















The IADR Pulp Biology Award is sponsored by L.D. Caulk Dentsply International and consists of a cash prize and plaque. The award recognizes, encourages, and stimulates outstanding research contributions in the field of pulp biology and is one of the Distinguished Scientist Awards conferred annually by the IADR, representing the highest honor the Association can bestow.



Oral Biology Research Award presented to Russell



The 2007 Research in Oral Biology Award was presented to Dr. Michael Russell, Professor, Department of Microbiology/Immunology/Oral Biology, at the State University of New York-Buffalo, as well as Associate Director of the Witebsky Center for Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology.



Dr. Russell has a long and distinguished career in research in mucosal immunology and the description of the protein antigens on the bacterium most associated with dental caries, Streptococcus mutans. His studies have been well-received by the scientific community, since he has over 180 publications in prestigious journals and has been invited to present his work at more than 40 institutions around the world. He holds several patents in the area of vaccine technology. One of his most influential contributions was the discovery of an important adhesin, Antigen I/II. This discovery began a worldwide investigation into its structure and the role of this adhesin in promoting the entry of S. mutans into the oral biofilm, dental plaque. This adhesin has become one of the primary targets for immunological interventions in caries development. He also made landmark observations in the induction and sustainability of the mucosal immune response. His group was the first to apply intranasal immunization approaches to induce protective levels of antibody in the saliva. The significance of this approach is marked by the fact that, today, intranasal immunization is the route of choice for most experimental and commercial mucosal vaccines. More recently, he has opened up new research territory in studies of the mucosal immunity and vaccine development in gonorrhea.



Dr. Russell received his award during the Opening Ceremonies of the 85th General Session of the International Association for Dental Research (IADR), convening at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center.



The IADR Research in Oral Biology Distinguished Scientist Award, sponsored since its inception by the Church & Dwight Company, is designed to recognize outstanding research in the field of oral biology other than in those areas already recognized by specific awards. It is one of the Distinguished Scientist Awards bestowed annually by the IADR, representing the Association's highest honor.


Ren Received IADR Young Investigator Award



The International Association for Dental Research (IADR), which convened here at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center for its 85th General Session, has presented the 2007 Young Investigator Award to Dr. YiJin Ren, University Medical Center, Groningen, the Netherlands.



Dr. Ren is being recognized based on her outstanding achievements as a researcher in orthodontics. She has received an award from the Dutch Orthodontic Society for the best orthodontic publication over a five-year period, and a research grant from the European Orthodontic Society to investigate "The effects of age and force magnitudes on cytokine profiles in crevicular fluid during orthodontic tooth movement". Recently, she received the 'Outstanding Young Scientist Award' from the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research. The award was given to her to conduct an investigation into "The mechanism of tooth movement".



Dr. Ren has more than 40 publications and abstracts to her credit and has been an invited contributor to several international congresses, recently serving as a keynote speaker at the European Orthodontic Society Congress in Vienna. She is also a reviewer for several international journals, including the European Journal of Orthodontics, The Angle Orthodontist, Archives of Oral Biology, and the European Journal of Oral Science. She has made remarkable progress in the last five years and has now built a research group within the Department of Orthodontics and is supervising her own PhD students. She is a dedicated teacher and diligent academic, with orthodontic qualifications that help build a bridge between her research and clinical practice. She graduated in Dentistry from Wuhan University, China (1996), and in Orthodontics from Peking University (Cum Laude, 1999), and her PhD (2003) degree work was carried out at the University of Nijmegen, the Netherlands.



The IADR Young Investigator Award, supported by Crest Oral-B, P&G Professional Oral Health, is designed to stimulate basic research in all dental disciplines. To be eligible for the award, the recipient must not have reached his/her 36th birthday at the time the award is presented. The award consists of a cash prize and plaque.



Dr. Ren received her award during the Opening Ceremonies of the IADR's 85th General Session. One of the Distinguished Scientist Awards conferred annually by the IADR, the award represents the highest honor the IADR can bestow.



Marshall Received Wilmer Souder Award from IADR



The 2007 Wilmer Souder Award for research in the field of dental biomaterials science was presented by the International Association for Dental Research (IADR) to Dr. Grayson Marshall, Professor and Division Head of Biomaterials, University of California, San Francisco, School of Dentistry, USA.



Dr. Marshall has been a leading scientist and research mentor in dentistry, with SEM studies of dental materials (starting in 1972) and AFM work (starting in 1991). He presented basic research identifying amalgam corrosion products early in his career, and has been a co-author on the longest-term amalgam clinical trials published to date. During the past 15 years, he has been part of a world-renowned effort to characterize enamel, dentin, cementum, bone, and the relationships of mineral level and biomechanics using a materials engineering approach. This has greatly added to basic science information about the micro-structural properties of especially dentin. These studies have had considerable impact on the understanding of bonding mechanisms, and natural and artificial interfaces with biomaterials that include implants.



Dr. Marshall is the author of 195 papers and 300 published abstracts and book chapters. He has rendered distinguished service and support to the IADR Dental Materials Group for more than 30 years, including serving as President. His first degrees were in materials science, with a PhD from Northwestern University, where he was also a faculty member, and from which he also earned the DDS in 1986.



Initiated in 1955, the Wilmer Souder Award is the oldest of the IADR's Distinguished Scientist Awards. The award honors Dr. Wilmer Souder, the motivating force in establishing the Dental Section at the National Bureau of Standards (now the National Institute of Standards and Technology), and is designed to perpetuate the scientific ideals he exemplified, and to encourage interest in dental materials science.



The award is made on the basis of scientific achievement of outstanding quality that has advanced or may reasonably be expected to advance significant dental service to the public. It is intended to confer the highest honor in the field of dental materials research upon those scientists who, through research in this field, bring about outstanding advances in dental health. The award was established by the IADR's Dental Materials Group and is supported by the William T. Sweeney Memorial Fund and the Group.



Dr. Marshall received his award during the Opening Ceremonies of the 85th General Session of the International Association for Dental Research (IADR), convening at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center.



IADR Research in Prosthodontics & Implants Award for Stanford



At the Opening Ceremonies of the 85th General Session of the International Association for Dental Research (IADR), the 2007 Research in Prosthodontics and Implants Award was presented to Dr. Clark M. Stanford, Centennial Fund Professor for Clinical and Translational Research in the Dows Institute for Dental Research and in the Department of Prosthodontics, College of Dentistry, University of Iowa, and Professor, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, College of Medicine, University of Iowa, USA.



Dr. Stanford's research areas deal with osteoblastic gene expression as a function of cell shape and the role of substratum topography on gene expression. Administratively, he runs the Office for Clinical Research in the College of Dentistry and is the Associate Director for the NCRR NIH General Clinical Research Center (GCRC) at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. In this role, he helps to organize and perform basic, translational, and clinical research studies. Dr. Stanford is the author of six book chapters, 68 published papers, and more than 140 published research abstracts. He currently serves on multiple national and international committees. These positions include leadership positions in the International Association for Dental Research, the American Dental Association, and the American College of Prosthodontists. He is the recipient of 16 academic awards, and serves on the review boards for nine journals and as associate editor for three additional journals. He has also been invited to give multiple national and international presentations on both clinical and basic research topics.



Dr. Stanford received his BS (1984), DDS (1987), Certificate in Prosthodontics, and PhD (Cell Biology; 1992) from the University of Iowa. He has been on the faculty at the University of Iowa since 1992.



Supported by the IADR, this award was established to encourage and give recognition to outstanding research accomplishments in the field of prosthodontics. The Research in Prosthodontics and Implants Award is one of the Distinguished Scientist Awards conferred annually by the IADR, representing the highest honor the IADR can bestow.



Darveau Received Periodontal Disease Research Award



Dr. Richard Darveau, Professor, Department of Periodontics and Oral Biology, University of Washington School of Dentistry, Seattle, USA, received the 2007 Basic Research in Periodontal Disease Award from the International Association for Dental Research (IADR), at its 85th General Session.



Dr. Darveau is an outstanding intellectual and scientist in the periodontal field, and his work has provided the impetus for two major paradigm shifts in the understanding of the host response to periodontal bacteria. As early as 1995, Dr. Darveau was one of the first scientists to recognize the ability of the periodontal pathogen P. gingivalis to down-regulate inflammatory responses in the gingival crevice. His findings that P. gingivalis lipopolysaccharide can dampen the local immune response and potentially set the stage for infection and destruction of the periodontal apparatus have been supported by multiple researchers. This recognition led Dr. Darveau to explore the significance of the constant low level of inflammation present in the healthy periodontium induced by commensual organisms.



In 2000, Dr. Darveau was appointed as an Interim Program Officer at the NIH's National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, to assist the Institute in forecasting the future of extramural dental research. He has been recognized world-wide for his contributions to the field of oral and systemic microbiology, and his studies provide new approaches to blocking inflammation associated with infection, both orally and elsewhere in the body. Dr. Darveau has over 70 publications and nine review articles and book chapters. He is sought for his remarkable understanding of good research design and has been active in multiple NIH Study Sections of both the NIDCR and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.



He was recently named Honorary Professor at the University of Hong Kong and has begun his role as a lecturer in the prestigious American Society of Microbiology Waxman Foundation Series. Dr. Darveau is on the editorial boards of the Journal of Antibiotics and the Journal of Periodontal Research, and he is a regular reviewer for many other journals, including the Journal of Dental Research, the Journal of Clinical Investigation, Infection & Immunity, and Microbiology.



Supported by the Colgate-Palmolive Company, this award is designed to recognize, encourage, and stimulate outstanding achievements in basic research in periodontal disease.



The Basic Research in Periodontal Disease Award, which consists of a cash prize and a plaque, is one of the Distinguished Scientist Awards conferred annually by the IADR, representing the highest honor the IADR can bestow.



Dr. Darveau received the award during the Opening Ceremonies of the IADR's 85th General Session.



Research in Dental Caries Award for Birkhed



At the Opening Ceremonies of the 85th General Session of the International Association for Dental Research (IADR), Dr. Dowen Birkhed received the 2007 Distinguished Scientist Award for Research in Dental Caries.



Dr. Birkhed is Professor and Head of the Department of Cariology at the University of Göteborg in Göteborg, Sweden. For more than 35 years, he has been conducting research on the etiology of dental caries. During this time, his main interests have been in the following areas: (1) diet and dental caries (acid production, sugar substitutes, starch, lactose, food habits); (2) root caries in the elderly and in patients with periodontal disease (risk evaluation); (3) fluoride in toothpaste, toothpicks, and chewing gum; (4) caries prevention (professional flossing, chlorhexidine gel, and varnish); (5) epidemiology (caries in toddlers and dental erosion in young men); and (6) saliva (secretion rate, dry mouth, saliva stimulation, sugar clearance).



Dr. Birkhed has taught at Malmö Dental School (1970-1988) and the University of Göteborg (1988 to present). He has mentored 24 PhD students and has published more than 200 original research publications in peer-reviewed scientific journals. He has also authored chapters in 15 national and international textbooks and is editor or co-editor of three books published in the Scandinavian languages. Dr. Birkhed received his dental degree from Malmö Dental School in 1970 and his Doctor of Odontology (PhD equivalent) in Microbiology in 1975 from the same university. He completed specialty training in Cariology in 1988.



The IADR Research in Dental Caries Award, supported by McNEIL-PPC, INC., consists of a cash prize and a plaque. It is one of the Distinguished Scientist Awards conferred annually by the IADR, representing the highest honor the IADR can bestow.






Contact: Linda Hemphill


dentalresearch/