Research Seminars

2025-26 RESEARCH SEMINAR SERIES SPEAKERS

1.    Vaishali Singhal, DMD, PhD, MS

RSDM and Rutgers School of Health Professions – SHP

September 09, 2025  IN-PERSON PRESENTATION

Leveraging big electronic data to identify oral care disparities in individuals with serious mental illness. This study will help to identify the existence of oral healthcare disparities in a population with SMI with specific ADA dental procedure categories.

 

2.    Gayathri Subramanian, DMD, PhD

Associate Professor, Diagnostic Sciences

Rutgers School of Dental Medicine

September 23, 2025  IN-PERSON PRESENTATION

Current research includes the management of non-odontogenic face pain, particularly myogenous pain of masseteric/temporalis origin. The interest in the technique using Twin block, a regional nerve block targeting the masseteric and temporalis twigs of the mandibular nerve, the third division of the Trigeminal nerve (the fifth cranial nerve, which supplies the sensory innervation of the face as well as the motor supply to the jaw muscles).

 

3.    Donald Chi, DDS, PhD

University of Washington School of Dentistry

October 14, 2025

The focus is on children’s oral health. Drawing from the knowledge of the social and behavioral sciences, with the goal of eliminating inequities and improving the oral health of vulnerable populations.

 

4.    Ping Zhang, DDS, PhD

The University of Alabama at Birmingham

October 28, 2025

Research includes osteoimmunology; host/microbial interactions in the pathogenesis of periodontal disease and dental caries; mucosal vaccines for oral infectious diseases; Adjuvant development and characterization.

 

5.    Justin R. Kaspar, PhD

The Ohio State University - College of Dentistry

November 11, 2025

Centers on the microbial interactions that occur within the human oral cavity. Specifically, the lab is exploring physical contact-dependent interactions between early colonizers of supragingival biofilm communities and pathogens such as Streptococcus mutans that drive sequential changes within the microbiome during initial colonization and subsequent biofilm formation.

 

6.    Patricia Miguez, DDS, MS, PhD

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

December 09, 2025

Currently, research is identifying a knowledge gap, which has not been identified as a reliable form of preventing dentin and bone loss in various physiological and pathological scenarios. The long-term goals are to unveil novel mechanisms of protecting such mineralized tissues, characterize new effective agents, and ultimately bring these agents to clinical practice.

 

7.    Felicitas Bidlack, PhD

Senior Director of Research Affairs

Forsyth Institute, Sommerville, MA

January 13, 2026

The initial stages of tooth enamel mineralization, when the enamel matrix is secreted, and the pattern of the enamel microstructure forms through the three-dimensional organization of extracellular matrix and protein-guided mineralization.

 

8.    Prashen Chelikani, PhD

Professor, Associated Dean of Research, Department of Oral Biology

University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada

January 27, 2026

Over the past 15 years the focus of the Chelikani lab has been to explore bitter taste receptor (T2R) biology in oral and extraoral tissues. The long-term goal is to understand the basic mechanism(s) of taste signal termination, T2R mediated host-microbe interactions and pathophysiology in oral, autoimmune, airway and Cystic Fibrosis.

 

9.    Kenneth Yan, MD, PhD

Rutgers NJMS

February 10, 2026  IN-PERSON PRESENTATION

The upper airway microbiome and its relationship to early laryngeal cancer and airway stenosis.

 

10. João Gabriel S. Souza - D.D.S., M.Dent.Sc, PhD

Professor and Researcher - Guarulhos University (Brazil)

February 24, 2026

Research includes Microbiome modulation of implant-related infection by a novel miniaturized pulsed electromagnetic field device.  Dental implant-related infections, which lack effective therapeutic strategies, are considered the primary cause of treatment failure. Pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) technology has been introduced as a safe and effective modality for enhancing biological responses.

 

11. Sarah Knox, PhD

UCSF - University of California

March 10, 2026  IN-PERSON PRESENTATION

The Knox Lab research program investigates the role of peripheral nerves in controlling epithelial organ development, regeneration, and chronic disease (autoimmune disease, aging, cancer). To explore these areas, we utilize a multiorgan approach that includes the salivary glands and cornea.

 

12. Rose Ann Romano, PhD

University of Buffalo, School of Dental Medicine

April 14, 2026  IN-PERSON PRESENTATION

Laboratory study focuses on transcriptional and signaling networks that regulate stem and progenitor cell function of the salivary gland with the ultimate goal of improving stem cell-based regenerative therapies and tissue engineering.

 

13. Edward Schwarz, PhD

University of Rochester Medical Center

April 28, 2026

The laboratory focus is on inflammatory bone loss, such as that seen in rheumatoid arthritis, infections, tumor metastasis, and wear debris-induced osteolysis around loose prosthetic implants.

 

14. Nisha J D'Silva, BDS, MSD, PhD

University of Michigan School of Dentistry

May 12, 2026 

The research lab focuses on head and neck cancer, biomarkers, and molecular mechanisms of tumor progression and treatment resistance.

 

15. Richard B. Hayes, DDS, MPH, PhD

NYU Grossman School of Medicine - NYU Langone Health

May 26, 2026  IN-PERSON PRESENTATION

The focus is primarily on cancer epidemiology.  Currently being studied are the oral microbiome and the risk of upper aerodigestive squamous cell cancer.  A predictive algorithm is being developed for colorectal cancer screening.