VCU School of Dentistry held its annual Research Day on Thursday, April 3. With keynote speakers, student poster presentations and a vendor fair, it was a day of sharing knowledge and advancing research in the dental profession.

Thank you to all who participated in this year’s Research Day, mentors, presenters, judges and attendees. Special thanks to the SRG, ASDA, Kathleen Lysek and Dung Pham for ensuring the success of the event. 

Congratulations to all the award winners!

Dental Hygiene Student Awards 

(sponsored by Sigma Phi Alpha)

First place

Brenda Molina and Kendal Wagner

The Integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) In Dental Hygiene Diagnosis: Benefits, Challenges, And Clinical Implications

Second place

Natasha Smith and Savannah Swann

Exploring the Role of Registered Dental Hygienists in Forensic Dentistry

Third place

Amy Zheng, Melissa Facundo and Kevin San Martin

Is social media having an Effect on Patients Regarding the Use of Fluoride?

Dental Student Awards

First place (sponsored by AADOCR and the SRG)

Allison Nguyen

Targeting ATM: A Novel Approach for Treating HPV-Positive Head and Neck Cancers

Mentor: Dr. Prabhakar

Second place (sponsored by AADR and Omicron Kappa Upsilon) 

Brooke Attkisson

The Effect of Invisalign Treatment on Pulpal Necrosis

Mentor: Dr. Shroff

Third place (sponsored by ASDA)

Shalin Kapil

Utilization of Oral Health Services and Self-Reported Barriers to Care in Transgender/Gender Non-Binary Individuals

Mentor: Dr. Ana Andrada

 

Resident Award 

(sponsored by the VCU School of Dentistry Office of Research)

Dr. Tareq Abdulrasoul

Subgingival Microbiomes of Healthy and Periodontitis Subjects

Mentor: Dr. Lin

Graduate Research Student Awards

Philips Institute Graduate Award 

Victoria Neely

Investigating sensitivity and resistance to proteasome inhibitors in non-small cell lung cancer cells harboring oncogenic mutant p53

Mentor: Dr. Harada

George W. Burke Jr. Award 

Katelyn Hustus

Functional analysis of a putative phospholipase A2 in Porphyromonas gingivalis

Mentor: Dr. Li

Postdoctoral and Scientist Awards

(sponsored by the Philips Institute)

First place

Ross Belvin

Structural Insights of the Porphyromonas gingivalis Nitrosative Stress Sensor HcpR: Mechanisms of Heme binding and Activation

Mentor: Dr. Lewis

Second place

Chris Pham

The role of internalin proteins on Porphyromonas gingivalis host invasion.

Mentor: Dr. Li