Topics at a glance: UTDB sends six projects to Hinman Dental Student Research Symposium … Seeing dental care, teaching, research first-hand … Orthodontics professor Kau wins International Programs Award … UTDB researcher's micrographs to appear in American Scientist

"Traditionally, Thanksgiving is a time when Americans pause to reflect on the good things in their lives and to celebrate those blessings. Sometimes it's easy to think of the good things and extraordinary events. At other times, blessings are more subtle, yet no less real and valuable. As we gather with friends and family for this special day, let us take pride in the everyday accomplishments and caring spirit of the Dental Branch family. Personally, I'm most grateful for the opportunity to work with so many wonderful people. Wishing you a peace-filled day of blessings this Thanksgiving, and in the years to come."

Sincerely,

UT Dental Branch students who attended the Hinman Dental Student Research Symposium this month in Tennessee were (from left) Kirk Webster, Geoff McMurray, Katya Shevchenko, Chad Lagaly, Brian Stanworth and Stephen Chen. They were accompanied by James "Jim" Katancik, D.D.S., Ph.D., associate professor and chairman of Periodontics, who is not pictured.

UTDB sends six projects to Hinman Dental Student Research Symposium

The University of Texas Dental Branch at Houston was well-represented this year at the Hinman Student Research Symposium Nov. 2-4 in Memphis, Tenn. The symposium features oral and poster presentations of research projects by dental students from across North America. The event was co-sponsored by the University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Dentistry and the Thomas P. Hinman Dental Society, with participation of the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, the Procter & Gamble Co., and Viral Antigens, Inc.

The UT Dental Branch student researchers who presented this year are listed below, along with their sponsors and the project titles:

• Brian Stanworth and James Katancik, D.D.S.
  • "A Pilot Study of Salivary EGF Levels in Diabetic Patients with Periodontal Disease"
• Stephen Chen and P.J. Duke, Ph.D.
  • "Development of Embryonic Mouse Heads Embedded in Alginate"
• W. Kirk Webster and B.G. Darnay, Ph.D., of the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center.
  • "Functional Interaction of Edaradd and TRAFs"
• Katya Shevchenko and N. Vigneswaran, D.M.D., Dr. Med.Dent.
  • "Lymphangiogenesis and Angiogenesis in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OSCC): Relationship to Tumor Hypoxia and Lymph Node Metastasis"
• Geoff McMurray and D. Demetrio, Ph.D., of the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research.
  • "Drug-Induced Gingival Overgrowth: Genetic and Molecular Analysis"
• D. Chad Lagaly and Y. Lou, Ph.D.
  • "Expression of GRO-α in Gingival Tissue: Its Potential Role in the Maintenance of Gingival Integrity"

Karen Storthz, Ph.D., associate dean for research and professor in Diagnostic Sciences at UTDB, said the Hinman Symposium is open to students who participated in the Summer Research Program at the Dental Branch, had enough results to have a complete abstract, and who have not attended the Hinman before.

"It's a very valuable experience," she said. "It gives them a venue — in a relaxed environment — to present their research to their peers and to selected faculty mentors who direct research programs at dental schools throughout North America. It's just a great opportunity for our students to meet other students who are doing research."

Visitors see dental care, teaching, research
first-hand at UTDB during site visit

The UT Dental Branch Development Office organized a site visit Nov. 9 to help volunteers and UT officials learn more about the teaching, clinical care and research going on at the Dental Branch. Pictured from left are Stephen Schwartz, D.D.S., chairman of the Open to Health fundraising initiative; Meherwan P. Boyce, Ph.D., P.E., of Boyce Consultancy Group, LLP; and Jesse Welch, D.D.S., assistant professor of restorative dentistry and biomaterials, who explained the uses of oral imaging technology in a clinical setting. Other visitors on the tour but not pictured were Open to Health volunteer Flo McGee; Dean Catherine Flaitz, D.D.S.; UT Development Board President David Grimes; and Susan Coulter, J.D., vice president, and Betsy Frantz, assistant vice president, both of the UT-Houston Office of Institutional Advancement.

Orthodontics professor Kau wins International Programs Award

The UT Office of International Programs has named a member of the UT Dental Branch faculty as one of 10 winners for the 2007 International Programs Award. The award recognizes faculty and students of The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston who actively engage in international academic collaborations.

Chung How Kau, B.D.S., Ph.D., was the winner from the Dental Branch. He is an associate professor of orthodontics and director of the imaging facility at the Dental Branch.

The International Programs Award was established in 2005 to encourage academic projects that promote exchange of health science on a global perspective. A committee of faculty from all six schools of UT-Houston selects the winners. The projects varied in subject, but shared the common goal of international collaboration between UT-Houston and academic institutions of higher learning throughout the world. This year's winners include projects in New Zealand, United Kingdom, India, China and Latin America, to name a few. For the names of the other nine winners, CLICK HERE.

UTDB researcher's micrographs to appear in American Scientist

Diagnostic Sciences Associate Professor Nadarajah Vigneswaran, B.D.S., D.M.S., Dr.Med.Dent., has given permission for American Scientist magazine to re-print his micrographs (photos taken through a microscope) to illustrate the structure of normal oral mucosa and its TRAIL expression versus the disorganized structure of oral precancer and corresponding loss of TRAIL expression. The photos originally accompanied a recent paper in BMC Cancer: "Repression of tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) but not its receptors during oral cancer progression."

In the upcoming American Scientist edition, the photos will illustrate an article by David Wong, a researcher in salivary diagnostics at UCLA.