Explorer -- Fall 2020

Explorer FALL 2020 . VOLUME 7

PENN DENTAL MEDICINE VERNON BRIGHTMAN RESEARCH SOCIETY NEWSLETTER

A MESSAGE FROM VBRS

CONTENTS 2

VBRS Executive Board Upcoming Events

Virtual Research Day 2020

3 Student Researcher Q&As 4 2020 DMD Research Highlights

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Dr. Henry Daniell Q&A

Center for Clinical & Translational Research

7 Dr. Qunzhou Zhang Q&A 8

Fall Research Exposition

9 Dr. Cagla Akay-Espinoza Q&A

10 Dr. Markus Blatz Q&A 12 Student Research Programs

Dear Penn Dental Medicine, I am proud to introduce the Fall 2020 edition of the PDM Explorer from the Vernon Brightman Research Society (VBRS). For over 20 years, VBRS has been dedicated to improving access, interest, and participation in basic science and clinical research at PDM. This newsletter, the seventh edition of the PDM Explorer, is the manifestation of our passion for research and our desire to share research success stories and useful tips to increase access to research within PDM. In the tumultuous year we’ve had in 2020 amid a global pandemic, many things have changed. As courses and social events went online, we’ve had to adjust to a new normal.

This year, we held a virtual VBRS Research Expo from October 19th-27th in place of the faculty mixer and student research panel we’ve done in past years. We were delighted to receive so much positive feedback about the event from both students and faculty. In fact, we saw an approximately 300% increase in faculty participation and 200% increase in student attendance compared to past years. We are excited about this engagement and look forward to launching other new events in the spring semester.

The dark times of the Covid-19 pandemic have highlighted the importance of scientists and researchers as leaders in our local communities and across the globe. Never before have we seen scientists and doctors so prevalent in the media and words like antibodies, PCR, and PPE become common language in homes across America. Research rapidly created testing methods for a novel virus and figured out ways to make them faster, cheaper, and more accessible. Research has tracked this virus every day to analyze its transmissibility and determine how it spreads and how we can control it. Research has developed over 50 potential vaccines in record-breaking time, with some showing over 95% effectiveness. Now more than ever, it is clear how important research is to our world.

I hope you enjoy reading about the incredible research going on at PDM. This institution is truly a world-class research center, and the access we have as PDM students to the other departments at the University of Pennsylvania is one of the hallmarks of a PDM education. The future of dentistry (and the world) lies in interdisciplinary understanding and innovation. The responsibility is on each one of us to do our part to change the field of dentistry for the better. I hope you find this publication as a useful tool in exploring the world of research at PDM and what you read excites you for the future of the dental field.

Sincerely, KAILIN BAECHLE D’22 VBRS Co-President

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Vernon Brightman Research Society Executive Board The Vernon Brightman Research Society (VBRS) Executive Board members for the current academic year include the following individuals. They invite students with an interest in research to join VBRS. CO-PRESIDENT: Kailin Baechle D’22 (1) CO-PRESIDENT: Alisa Lee D’22 (2) TREASURER: Noor Rehman D’22 (3) SECRETARY: Rachel Kogan D’23 (4) EVENTS DIRECTOR: Julia Jeong D’23 (5) OUTREACH COORDINATOR: Yilan Miao D’23 (6) NEWSLETTER EDITOR: Camille Banson D’23 (7) D1 REPRESENTATIVES: Matthew Hershberger D’24 (8), Wendy Lei D’24 (9), Chintan Thakore D’24 (10), Gloria Wan D’24 (11)

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See listing below identifying the Board members.

VBRS is the primary student research organization at Penn Dental Medicine. Named in honor of Dr. Vernon J. Brightman, a former PDM faculty member and proponent of student research, VBRS has created opportunities and gathered resources for students to help find their niche in research. The society promotes interest, participation, and appreciation of basic and clinical oral health research that keeps dentistry a science and research-based profession.

VBRS is PDM’s chapter of the American Association for Dental Research (AADR) National Student Research Group.

Dr. Francis Mante, Associate Professor in the Department of Restorative Dentistry, is the VBRS faculty advisor.

This newsletter highlights students’ research accomplishments, past and upcoming events, and student and faculty interviews.

UPCOMING EVENTS PROPOSAL WRITING WORKSHOP On February 16, VBRS will host their annual proposal writing workshop to aid students applying to the Summer Research Program and Research Honors. Dr. Kang Ko will explain the different components and requirements of the proposal. Anyone interested in applying to these programs should plan on attending this workshop.

RESEARCH DAY 2021 TO BE HELD MAY 13 In May, PDM comes together to celebrate student and faculty research with numerous presentations given by faculty and guest speakers, as well as poster sessions from students in the Summer Research Program and Research Honors. Research Day is a great all-day event to learn about the innovative research that is going on in the school.

VIRTUAL RESEARCH DAY 2020 Research Day is an annual event that showcases the depth of PDM’s research activities. On May 14th, 2020, PDM held its first virtual Research Day. Despite going virtual, the full-day event was still highly attended and there were numerous presentations by faculty, invited speakers and poster presentations, representing DMD-student and faculty, and junior investigator research. All Research Honors students and students in the Summer Research program presented posters, as well.

Winners of the AADR Travel Grant program, launched by PDM in 2014, and the Student Competition for Advancing Dental Research and Its Application (SCADA) Award were announced. To see the full list of presentations, please visit: www.dental.upenn.edu/research-day

2 EXPLORER . FALL 2020

STUDENT RESEARCHERS

Megan Chen, D’22

Kevin Lou, D’22

AADR Student Research Day Award Winner

AADR Travel Award Winner

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF YOUR RESEARCH:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF YOUR RESEARCH:

I study the binding characteristics of EGFR-retargeted oncolytic herpes virus. Normally, the Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) uses the glycoprotein gD to initiate a series of events in host cell infection. gD binds to one of two protein receptors, nectin-1 or HVEM. To retarget gD to a tumor-associated receptor (EGFR), we replaced the HVEM binding region of gD with an EGFR-specific single-chain variable fragment (scFV) to create an oncolytic gD (o-gD). Further mutations of o-gD were created to stealth o-gD from host immune system virus neutralizing (VN) antibodies, a necessary step for any oncolytic virus that is to be systemically administered for metastatic cancer treatment. My project was to characterize the binding of retargeted o-gD to EGFR/EGFRvIII and compare its ability to bind nectin-1 with wildtype gD, and whether stealthing mutations affected that binding.

My research involved developing a new approach to accelerate wound healing for surgical and dental applications. Previous cytokine screens done by the Chen Lab indicated promising cytokine therapy to induce mesenchymal stem cell regeneration. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are a multipotent stem cell found in bone marrow which are important for skeletal tissue repair. My project was to develop the mouse animal model for exosome delivery of IP-10, one of the secreted cytokines from MSCs, in order to accelerate wound healing. My work was important for discovery the functional role and mechanism of IP-10 through a novel vesicular delivery process for clinical applications in wound healing.

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO DO RESEARCH? I started doing research in undergrad as a freshman. My PI was my mentor all throughout college, and she taught me how to approach each project as a story with a beginning, middle and end.

I took a gap year before dental school to continue doing research at the NIH, and I liked the collaborative environment a lot. I knew that whenever I started dental school, I would like to continue doing research. My undergrad lab studied latent tuberculosis, while my NIH lab studied the epigenetics of metastatic breast cancer. Neither research topic was directly related to my project with Dr. Cohen, but I’ve enjoyed exploring different areas of research. It is interesting to find connections between fields that are seemingly unrelated.

WHAT HAS BEEN THE GREATEST CHALLENGE IN RESEARCH? The greatest challenge is when experiments go smoothly and then you hit a roadblock and you are not sure why. It requires some creative thinking to figure out a solution and a lot of help from advisors and colleagues…

WHAT HAS BEEN MOST REWARDING? …but it is the most rewarding when you finally get something to work after you have not been able to for months! Presenting is also very rewarding. It is satisfying to see a project as a cohesive story.

FUN FACT: This is mildly gross, but I have learned that inoculating a bacterial culture is the same process as making yogurt at home.

HOW AND WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO DO RESEARCH? During my undergraduate at Washington University in St. Louis, I was heavily involved in pharmaceutical and microbiology research that resulted in my capstone thesis. Although my plan for my career to focus primarily on clinical care, I think it is important as a clinician to continuously learn and apply new research to one’s respective field. I chose to do research at Penn Dental over the summer as a way to understand and get involved in research in the context of dentistry. At the same time, I hoped to contribute to Penn Dental’s research productivity as a leading global institution.

WHAT HAS BEEN THE GREATEST CHALLENGE IN RESEARCH? I think the greatest challenge in research is the uncertainty of the outcome and timeframe of your experiments. A researcher may spend their lifetime studying a certain process and experimenting without the guarantee of a breakthrough. In such a short time, I was thrilled to discover that IP-10 treatment resulted in a statistically significant clinical improvement, a sentiment I believe would be felt by all researchers during that moment. Even with abundant resources and the brightest minds, ultimately there is a certain amount of luck in clinical research.

WHAT HAS BEEN THE MOST REWARDING? The most rewarding part of research is to the ability to contribute to your field and to make a name for yourself and your lab. For example, during my undergraduate, I discovered a novel virus and had the privilege of naming it. The purpose of research in my opinion is discovery, and there is intrinsic reward of being the first person in that endeavor and being able to share that with the world.

Furthermore, specifically for clinical research in medicine and dentistry, the ultimate reward of translational research would be to develop new therapies and treatments for the benefit of our patients.

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STUDENT RESEARCHERS SUMMER RESEARCH PARTICIPANTS

Faizan Motiwala D’22 AADR Travel Award Winner

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF YOUR RESEARCH: My research is focused on using soft hydrogels to induce Gingival Mesenchymal Stem Cells into Neural Crest-like Stem Cells. My research is based heavily on the idea that stiffness of substrate plays a substantial role in guiding cell differentiation. Our hypothesis is that softer hydrogels, which in the past have shown to induce neurogenic cell formation, will cause our GMSCs to revert back to a neural crest state but still retain their potent anti-inflammatory properties. We ultimately hope to combine these two facets of the cells with a scaffold to direct wound repair, specifically nerve repair.

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO DO RESEARCH? My college very heavily emphasized the importance of research. Additionally, I have been blessed to be able to attend talks by 3 different Nobel Prize laureates which had a strong impact on me wanting to do research. I had a dilemma because I have wanted to be a dentist since I was a little kid, but now, I had this sudden urge to go into research. I decided instead of picking and choosing, I would find a way to combine my strong interests in research with my desire to be a dentist.

WHAT HAS BEEN THE GREATEST CHALLENGE IN RESEARCH? The greatest challenge in research is not getting too disappointed when experiments do not go your way. I think a cool facet of research is that it does not discriminate who you are; you could be a Nobel Prize laureate or just beginning your research journey and still have experiments that fail or a hypothesis that turned out not to be true. It is certainly a humbling experience.

WHAT HAS BEEN MOST REWARDING? Obviously when experiments do go your way, you feel rewarded. Even past that however, I do find it rewarding when you get to interact with your fellow peers in research. I like meeting all the postdocs, professors, and lab techs that all look to each other for advice. Sometimes for me the most rewarding aspect of research is being able to help someone else with their project or providing that one “aha” moment that breaks them from their funk.

DO YOU HAVE ADVICE FOR STUDENTS INTERESTED IN RESEARCH? I would like to share with people is do not be afraid of research! I know research can seem like this black box of experiments and random graphs that they want nothing to do with. However, research is so much more than that, it helps develop your skills both as a critical thinker and with time management. It additionally helps you get to know some of the faculty better.

Whether it is writing a literature review paper, or getting involved in wet lab experiments, I truly believe everyone could benefit by doing a little bit of research in their time at PDM.

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Seminar Facilitators Drs. Cagla Espinoza, Laurel Graham, Sumin Lee, Geelsu Hwang, Temitope Omolehinwa, Helen Jeon and Jonathan Korostoff.

Students/Advisors Katelyn Maloney Faculty Advisor: Dr. Qunzhou Zhang Spencer Lang Faculty Advisor: Dr. Fusun Ozer Binglan Xue Faculty Advisor: Dr. Esra Sahingur Ann-Victoria Isaac Faculty Advisor: Dr. Henry Daniell Lucy Kim Faculty Advisor: Dr. Dana Graves Julia Jeong Faculty Advisor: Dr. Richard Doty Min Kyung Shin Faculty Advisor: Dr. Helen Jeon Shi Guang Song Faculty Advisor: Dr. Hydar Ali Michael Backstrand Faculty Advisor: Dr. Fusun Ozer Jessica Kang Faculty Advisor: Dr. Helen Jeon Andrew Tsai Faculty Advisor: Dr. Helen Jeon Camille Banson Faculty Advisor: Dr. George Hajishengallis Kristi Truong Faculty Advisor: Dr. Francis Mante Nitika Gupta Faculty Advisor: Dr. Esra Sahingur

RESEARCH HONORS STUDENTS Grace Huang D’21 Faculty Advisor: Dr. Bruce Shenker Alisa Lee D’22 Faculty Advisor: Dr. Anh Le Megan Chen D’22 Faculty Advisor: Dr. Gary Cohen Kailin Baechle D’22 Faculty Advisor: Dr. Pat Corby Faizan Motiwala D’22 Faculty Advisor: Dr. Anh D. Le Min Kyung Shin D’22 Faculty Advisor: Dr. Helen Jeon Yilan Miao D’23 Faculty Advisor: Dr. Hyun Koo Pooja Patel D’23 Faculty Advisor: Dr. Henry Daniell Chintan Thakore D’24 Faculty Advisor: Dr. Dana Graves

2020 DMD RESEARCH

Student Research Highlights Despite the challenging COVID-19 restrictions implemented in March, student research at PDM has continued and remained strong.

Students published articles in peer-reviewed journals, won awards and virtually presented their projects at PDM Research Day and national conferences.

Summer Research Program which originally runs in person between the months of July-September was held off-site. Students and faculty from multiple departments met virtually throughout the summer to discuss how to perform literature search, appraise literature, and write articles. Students critically reviewed literature, gave presentations and wrote review articles related to their initial research proposals.

On-site research was resumed for dental students early September and currently continues with limited activity.

We admire our students and faculty’s dedication to research especially during the challenging times posed by COVID. DMD STUDENTS PUBLISHED IN PEER REVIEW JOURNALS Deng, S, Hu, Y, Zhou, J, Wang, Y, Wang, Y, Li, S, Huang, G, Peng, C, Hu, A, You, Q, and Han, X*. TLR4 mediates alveolar bone resorption in experimental peri-implantitis through regulation of CD45 + cell infiltration, RANKL/OPG ratio, and inflammatory cytokine production. Journal of Periodontology, 2020 Hossein E. Jazayeri, Su-Min Lee*, Lauren Kuhn, Farahnaz Fahimipour, Mohammadreza Tahriri, Lobat Tayebi, Polymeric Scaffolds for Dental Pulp Tissue Engineering: A Review, Dent Mater.

2020 Feb;36(2):e47-e58.

Li Y, Mooney EC, Xia XJ, Gupta Nitika and Sahingur SE*. A20 Restricts Inflammatory Response and Desensitizes Gingival Keratinocytes to Apoptosis. Frontiers in Immunology. 2020 Mar 10;11:365. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.00365.

Llobell, A., Berger, M., Fraiman, H., Korostoff, J., Cross, C. and Fiorellini, J*. 2020. A novel digital approach for fixed full-mouth implant-supported rehabilitations: A case report. J. Clin. Exp. Dent.

12(9):e877-e882.

Mupparapu M*, Bass T, Axline D, Felice M, Magill D. Radiation dose reduction using novel size 1 and size 0 rectangular collimators in pediatric dental imaging. Quintessence Int. 2020;51(6):502-509.

Setzer FC*, Shi KJ, Zhang Z, Yan H, Yoon H, Mupparapu M, Li J. Artificial Intelligence for the Computer-aided Detection of Periapical Lesions in Cone-beam Computed Tomographic Images.

J Endod. 2020 Jul;46(7):987-993.

Wang TT, Hersh EV, Wang S*. The Potential for EHR defaults to reduce postoperative dental opioid prescriptions. JOMS. 2020;78:12341235.

DMD STUDENT PRESENTATIONS / ABSTRACTS PROFESSIONAL CONFERENCES (2020) Chang TH, Yuh D, Shanti R, Alawi F, Carrasco L, Zhang QZ, Le A*. Generation of 3D-Organoid Model of Ameloblastoma. 2020 AADR General Session (Washington DC, USA) Lee A, Chang TH, Zhang QZ, Le A*. Senescent Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts Promote Head and Neck Cancer Progression.2020 AADR General Session (Washington DC, USA) Tim Wang, Hersh E, Panchal N*. Opioid analgesic prescription by OMFS after third molar extractions before and after mandatory PDMP. AAOMS meeting Fall 2020.

Brian Carr, Ford B, Panchal N*. Flap vs Flapless Implant Surgery. AAOMS meeting Fall 2020.

Peter Rekawek, Ford B, Panchal N*. OR vs Clinic Implant Surgery. AAOMS meeting Fall 2020.

Jack Coburn, Ford B, Panchal N*. Statin and Antihypertensive Medication Association with Implants (Ford, Panchal) AAOMS meeting Fall 2020.

Madison Richards, Ford B, Panchal N* Age of Implant Placement and Success Rates AAOMS meeting Fall 2020.

Phyllis Immitti, Ford B, Panchal N*. Does an Implant Committee Improve Outcomes.

AAOMS meeting Fall 2020.

Tamar Roginski, Ford B, Panchal N*. Proton Pump Inhibitors Effect on Implant Outcomes.

AAOMS meeting Fall 2020.

DMD STUDENT AWARD WINNERS IADR/AADR Hatton Award Grace Huang Cytolethal Distending Toxin (Cdt) Induces Macrophages to Release Pro-Inflammatory Mediators | Faculty Advisor: Bruce Shenker.

Department of Basic & Translational Sciences.

AADR Student Research Day Award Megan J. Chen Characterizing the binding of EGFF-retargeted oncolytic herpes simplex virus resistant to virus neutralizing monoclonal antibodies. | Faculty Advisor: Cohen, Gary H Student Competition for Advancing Dental Research and Its Application (SCADA) Award Brittany N. Link The role of PRX1+ oral fibroblasts in expediting gingival wound healing. | Faculty Advisor: Graves, Dana T | Advisor/Community Preceptor: Ko, Kang I Penn Dental Medicine AADR Travel Award Faizan I. Motiwala Soft 3D-scaffolds promote enrichment of neural crest stem-like cell properties in GMSCS. | Faculty Advisor: Le, Anh D Victoria T. Hu Grain size, flexural strength, light transmittance and reflectance of monolithic zirconia under different sintering temperatures. | Faculty Advisor: Mante, Francis K Kevin K. Lou Accelerated cutaneous wound healing through exosome/ IP-10 delivery vehicle in murine animal model. | Faculty Advisor: Chen, Chider | Advisor/ Community Preceptor: Le, Anh D American Association of Public Health Dentistry PreDoctoral Award of Merit Gabi Im ADEA/GlaxoSmithKline Preventive Dentistry Award Marie-Elena Cronin Neysha Patel VERNON BRIGHTMAN RESEARCH SOCIETY 5

FACULTY Q&A

Center for Clinical and Translational Research DR. HENRY DANIELL Vice Chair and W.D. Miller Professor Department of Basic & Translational Sciences

What is the basis of the COVID-related project that you are working on?

In the past ten years my lab has developed oral Angiotensin Converting Enzyme (ACE2) and its product Angiotensin 1-7 made in lettuce chloroplasts. When these protein drugs are made in plant cells and orally delivered, they are protected from stomach acids and enzymes because plant cell wall cannot be digested by human enzymes. However, these drugs are released in the gut through digestion of plant cell wall by gut microbes.

We demonstrated that oral ACE2/Ang1-7 reduces heart failure and lung injury in hypertension disease models. Because COVID-19 patients have very similar symptoms, these drugs are now advanced to the clinic to treat hospitalized patients with low levels of ACE2 activity.

What has the COVID–19 Pandemic shown us about the importance of research?

Biomedical research plays an important role in developing drugs to treat metabolic or infectious diseases or protect the global population before infection using vaccines. Although new diseases emerge unexpectedly, previous knowledge helps us to rapidly develop treatments. As new vaccines are anticipated in the near future, the entire global population should be vaccinated in order to prevent viral transmission. Therefore, we are also developing SARS-CoV-2 booster vaccines in freeze dried plant cells to supplement current (mRNA) vaccines to prolong immunity, eliminate cold chain and make them affordable for the global population.

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Dr. Patricia Corby, Assistant Dean for Translational Research, and her team have greatly advanced the Center for Clinical and Translational Research.

Founded two years ago, this center has become an integral resource to clinical researchers. They provide services that span the full spectrum of a study, from conceptualization to closeout, for industry, federal, and foundation sponsors. Dean Wolff featured the Center for Clinical and Translational Research in his state of the school address saying, “their expertise in decorating and building these proposals such that they are highly appealing is unbelievably successful.” He urges anyone interested in clinical or survey research to utilize this center as a resource.

In the past two years, Corby’s team has worked with several clinical research labs in submitting grants; 17 of which were granted funding. Dr. Temitope Omolehinwa worked with the Center for Clinical and Translational Research to launch an investigation on the oral health, systemic health and treatment of people living with HIV. Her research will result in data that may provide a better understanding of HIV as well as better care for this population. The longitudinal study was granted $3.75 million in funding over five years by the National Institute of Health’s National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research. In the past two years, the Center for Clinical and Translational Research has already greatly contributed to the school’s research community.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE VISIT: www.penntoday.upenn.edu/news/expandingopportunities-leverage-science-clinic

FACULTY Q&A DR. QUNZHOU ZHANG Research Assistant Professor, Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery

How did you get involved in your current research?

What are the projects that you are currently working on?

I was born in a remote rural area in China and started to help my parents with farming in middle and high school. The farming land and nature were the primary trigger of my interest in biology. With limited higher education opportunities, forty years ago in China, I was admitted into a local professional school of public health and studied clinical medical sciences for three years. Upon graduation, I was recruited by the school as an administration staff and teaching instructor. Ten years later, I further pursued my MSc and PhD degrees in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology with a focus in cancer biology. Due to the limited research resources twenty years ago in China, I decided to move to U.S. in the hope that I could extend my knowledge and strengthen my research skills. I was lucky to obtain opportunities to work with some of the best and brightest minds in different institutes who further inspired me to be a good researcher.

We are currently working on 1) optimizing the property, function and production of GMSCs and GMSC-derived EVs; 2) developing functionalized stem cell-based tissue engineering/regenerative (TE/RM) products applicable for regeneration of both soft and hard tissue defects in oral and maxillofacial regions, particularly, nerve and myomucosal regeneration; 3) addressing how cross-talks between tumor cells, tumor stem cells, and tumor microenvironment contribute to the development and progression of head & neck tumors.

What areas do you perform research in?

We are interested in understanding the immunomodulatory functions and regenerative potentials of gingiva-derived mesenchymal stem cells (GMSCs) and their derivative cell-free products, extracellular vesicles (EVs). Meanwhile, another interest for us is to understand the critical role of stromal cells, e.g. mesenchymal and immune cells within the tumor microenvironment, in regulating epithelialmesenchymal transition (EMT) and tumor stem cell properties in both benign and malignant head & neck tumors.

The ultimate goal of our research is to translate our findings from bench studies to clinical application so as to benefit patients the utmost.

What are the findings or results of your studies?

Our team was the first to characterize a unique subpopulation of mesenchymal stem cells from human gingiva tissues (GMSCs) and demonstrated their potent immunomodulatory functions and therapeutic effects on several inflammatory disease models. Most recently, we demonstrated that GMSCs can be directly reprogrammed into neural crest-stem like cells via nongenetic approaches, which showed improved benefits on peripheral nerve regeneration in rats. In addition, we recently identified a unique subpopulation of tumor epithelial stem-like cells in ameloblastoma, which might play an important role in the pathogenesis and progression of this benign but aggressive odontogenic tumor.

As a member of a research team well integrated with both basic and clinicianscientists, I am able to concentrate my research projects that have the potentials to be translated into clinical studies. Our research team endeavors to provide state-of-the-art tissue engineering and regenerative medicine (TE/RM) products

to meet the increasing clinical demands for patients with sustained oral & maxillofacial tissue loss and to provide novel adjuvant and/or neoadjuvant therapeutics for patients with head & neck tumors.

What do you enjoy most about doing research?

In my opinion, doing research is like mountain hiking with a group of people from different backgrounds with a common goal and interest. Every time we hike up a new steep mountain, we are eager to get to the highest peak of the mountain and curious about what magnificent sight scenes we will see. During the process of hiking as well as doing research, I enjoy being a cooperative team player to help and respect others and share each of my successes and failures.

Every single new finding, even it is small, will inspire me to think furthermore.

Do you have any advice for students who are interested in pursuing research?

Research is a rewarding process for learning, discovering, and sharing. It allows you to learn how to think critically, how to come up with new ideas or hypotheses, and how to identify and solve problems independently. It also provides you with good opportunities to work with people with different backgrounds and learn from one another. Ultimately, what you learnt from your research experience will foster you to become a better clinician or clinicianscientist who will always think differently and be eager to find better ways to treat your patients.

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FALL RESEARCH

EXPOSITION VBRS held a virtual research exposition that featured the ongoing research conducted at PDM. Over the course of this week-long event, nineteen faculty presented their projects to students interested in research. Each session consisted of 3-4 faculty presentations, a Q&A component, followed by breakout sessions. Students were able to request the faculty member that they wanted to be placed in a breakout room with, which allowed them to interact directly with faculty and ask questions about their research. This research expo, which replaced the annual faculty mixer, represented a wider array of fields, and included the greatest number of faculty participants.

In addition to faculty presentations, VBRS hosted a student research panel that represented a variety of research opportunities that PDM offers. Panelists gave information about their respective program, the application process, and personal experiences while in the program.

Held as a Q&A format, students, mainly D1s, had the opportunity to directly ask the panelist questions and receive candid responses. The Summer Research Program, Research Honors, Independent Research, Bioengineering Dual Degree, NIH Medical Research Scholars Program, Summer Undergraduates Minority Research Program, and Doctor of Science in Dentistry were represented in this panel.

The panelists included: KAILIN BAECHLE, D’22 Research Honors, BE Dual Degree | kbaechle@upenn.edu

CAMILLE BANSON D’23 Summer Research | cbanson@upenn.edu

ALISA LEE D’22 Research Honors, NIH MRSP | eylee@upenn.edu

RACHEL KOGAN D’23 Independent Research | rakogan@upenn.edu

YILAN MIAO D’23 Research Honors, BE Dual Degree | yilan@upenn.edu

MOUSA GHANNAM D’23 Summer Undergraduates Minority Research Program | mousag@dental.upenn.edu

JULIA JEONG D’23 Summer Research | jujeong@upenn.edu

DR. DENNIS SOURVANOS (Resident) DScD | dsourvan@dental.upenn.edu

The virtual research exposition proved to be a beneficial resource for students beginning their engagement in research at PDM. Given the D1s’ limited interactions with faculty and research students due to COVID restrictions, these presentations were helpful in connecting students to potential research mentors and introducing them to the numerous research opportunities PDM offers.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE VISIT: www.dental.upenn.edu/VBRSResearchExpo

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FACULTY Q&A DR. CAGLA AKAY-ESPINOZA Research Assistant Professor, Department of Basic & Translational Sciences

What is your area of research?

As a scientist with a clinical background, I am strongly drawn to understanding disease processes using basic and translational research approaches, with the ultimate aim to identify novel ways to not only diagnose and treat but to prevent the onset and progression of disease. In this framework, I am interested in understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying neuroinflammation in neurodegenerative diseases, with a focus on HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) and Alzheimer’s disease. Although the causes are distinct, one infectious and other multifactorial, the two conditions exhibit perturbations in several pathways, all of which are linked with each other as well as inflammation. In collaboration with Dr. Kelly Jordan-Sciutto, Dr. Grinspan (CHOP), and Dr. Christian (PSOM), we are examining the potential toxic effects of antiretroviral drugs in the central nervous system, a complex issue as HIV-infected patients have to take these drugs for life. We aim to identify those drugs with the fewest side effects. In addition, in collaboration with Drs. Sahingur and Mitchell, we are currently working on developing a model of periodontal disease in a mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease to determine if systemic inflammation underlies a causal relationship between the two conditions.

How has COVID shaped the way you think about research?

The SARS-CoV2 pandemic has highlighted the fundamental importance of basic research. The decades of research on viruses in PDM, PSOM, and beyond, nearly all of which are preclinical, basic studies conducted solely on cell lines in dishes or mice, have led to the development of vaccines in record time. Therefore, while

the ultimate goal is to treat and prevent diseases in humans, to me, COVID-19 highlights that all research, whether it directly relates to humans and human diseases, is important and that collaboration across different scientific fields is a must.

Additionally, we knew a pandemic was inevitable; there are likely more to come.

However, the difference in the response between the scientific and nonscientific communities was not expected, at least to me. It is crystal clear that we scientists have failed in connecting with those outside our communities to share our knowledge in a widely accessible way using effective tools.

We researchers have to actively find ways, from print to online social media platforms, to connect and stay connected, to engage everyone beyond the scientific communities as we cannot afford to isolate ourselves anymore.

How and why did you get involved in research?

Growing up in Turkey, becoming a doctor or an engineer was the ultimate goal for most in my generation. I liked biology a bit better, so I went to medical school and practiced family medicine for a few years. I wanted to do some research on the side as I did not feel challenged enough, but there were no opportunities to do so in a robust way while also practicing in Turkey. With the encouragement of my family and after contacting several researchers with studies that were interesting to me, I eventually got a postdoctoral fellowship position in San Antonio, Texas with my first research mentor Dr. Yair Gazitt. Two years later, I joined the lab of my long-term mentor Kelly Jordan-Sciutto in the PDM. It was not an easy decision to switch from practicing medicine, but I have never regretted it; it was worth it.

What do you enjoy most about the process?

Coming up with research questions and doing experiments are an arduous but fun process. You need to read a lot to recognize commonalities, trends, and patterns and decipher what they mean. The moment you do is a great feeling. Then, being able to answer the question and seeing others’ interest in your finding are very fulfilling.

What advice would you give students who are interested in research?

Research is a great way to keep your curiosity alive and remain up to date on recent advances in your field. It is challenging, for sure, as you need to put aside time, sometimes a long time with few returns as not all research ends with a clear answer. However, even that failure is a result. Also, there are many ways you can do research; I would recommend that they talk to those doing different types of research to see what interests them the most. Clinical and epidemiological research is fascinating and can be incorporated perhaps more organically into the clinical practice. There are so many ways you can participate in research.

“Research is a great way to keep your curiosity alive and remain up to date on recent advances in your field.”

VERNON BRIGHTMAN RESEARCH SOCIETY 9

FACULTY Q&A DR. MARKUS B. BLATZ Professor of Restorative Dentistry, Chairman of the Department of Preventive and Restorative Sciences, and Assistant Dean for Digital Innovation and Professional Development

What is your area of research?

My area of research comprises pretty much all aspects of esthetic and restorative dentistry, especially new materials and digital technologies. Physical, optical, and biologic properties of dental biomaterials, such as novel CAD/CAM ceramics, and their clinical application in terms of cementation, resin bonding, and long-term performance are at the center. The influence of digital design and fabrication technologies, such as milling and 3D printing, on the material properties and clinical outcomes add to that range. In addition to physical and optical properties, we increasingly focus on evaluation of biologic material properties, such as cytotoxicity, biofilm adhesion, and tissue integration. Components of the digital CAD/CAM workflow (scanners, software, milling machines, 3D printers, and sintering furnaces) in the dental laboratory and clinical practice are assessed in terms of effectiveness, accuracy, and precision. 3D intraoral and face scanning technologies along with updated design software enable us to conduct a series of clinical studies on esthetic facial and dental parameters, challenging some of the traditional esthetic and smile design paradigms. Among other topics are implant-supported restorations from single crowns to fullmouth rehabilitations and applications of artificial intelligence (AI) in dentistry.

How did you get involved in research?

With a first career in music, my interest in research did not start until dental school. I completed my predoctoral (DMD) and postgraduate education (Prosthodontics) in Germany, where research and evidence-based dentistry were always stressed as critically important. Initially, I found dental material science only minimally exciting. However, the Director of Dental Materials was the “coolest” and most knowledgeable professor in the building – an icon in dental ceramics (yes, he was one of the minds behind the development of lithium disilicate and alumina/zirconia ceramics). The more I listened to him, the more I got excited about dental materials and decided to pursue a Doctorate (PhD) under his mentorship.

I was lucky to conduct major parts of my studies at the worldrenown “Fraunhofer Institute for the Mechanics of Materials”. As a faculty member and, later, Associate Chair of the Department of Prosthodontics and Dental Material Sciences at Freiburg University in Germany, I became further involved in a variety of laboratory and clinical studies. My move to the US was originally intended as a two-

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year “externship” as part of another program I entered at Freiburg University (“Habilitation” – Prof Dr med dent, equivalent to a second PhD). I completed that program, but never moved back. Instead, I joined PDM as Chair of the Department of Preventive and Restorative Sciences and was able to continue and expand my research here.

I must say that I do not consider myself a “true” researcher as my passion for patient care and clinical excellence probably supersedes my scientific curiosity. Therefore, I often refer to myself as a “curious clinician” and always seek strong clinical relevance in my studies. The great thing about academia is that you can embrace both!

What do you enjoy most about the process?

“Process” is a great term to describe scientific exploration! It’s the continuous search for answers, the continuous questioning, the continuous learning that makes research so much fun. Because with every new answer and every new finding, we come closer to our goal to improve oral health.

I like to “think outside the box” and explore new materials and techniques in clinically relevant but novel ways, even in the laboratory. Working in teams and collaborating with other researchers and engineers from within or outside of dentistry is always enlightening and motivating, expanding our horizons. I enjoy continued learning and applying new ideas and concepts to our research. The most important aspect for me, however, is that our research is clinically relevant and, one way or another, has a positive impact on our patients’ health.

What I also greatly enjoy in context with research is mentorship: sharing my passion and facilitating the development of students and faculty members to become successful scholars.

What qualities do you think are important to have as a researcher?

One of my favorite quotes from Albert Einstein is: “I believe in intuition and inspiration. Imagination is more important than

knowledge. For knowledge is limited, whereas imagination embraces the entire world, stimulating progress, giving birth to evolution. It is, strictly speaking, a real factor in scientific research.” And yes, being imaginative is arguably the most important quality of a researcher.

Without visions, imagination, and goals, one cannot be successful.

With that has to come a certain tenacity, almost a “tunnel vision,” to shield yourself from distractions, politics (in academia), and the inevitable disappointments like not getting funded or papers being rejected.

understanding of the topic and guide you in refining your research question, defining a hypothesis, and developing adequate methods to properly test your hypothesis. I always recommend starting with a project that can be handled realistically and completed in a reasonable amount of time. You can always build on your findings and add further studies later on.

What advice would you give students who are interested in research?

Think about topics and questions you are curious about. Listen to different mentors and consider what excites you and who’s team you would want to join. When you have identified a topic, talk to a possible mentor about the validity of your questions and ideas. When these are clear, “dive” into the scientific literature and familiarize yourself with the topic, ideally in form of a systematic literature review. The outcomes of the literature review will give you better

Someone once told me, “research does not exist unless it is published.” However, be aware that publishing is often an arduous and sometimes frustrating process. I remember my disappointment quite well when my very first manuscript submission on resin bonding to ceramics was rejected. I revised and submitted it to another prosthodontic journal, where it was ultimately accepted and published. Funny enough, this paper is now the 6th most cited article ever in the field of Prosthodontics. What I am trying to say is that persistence can pay off, but you have to start somewhere. And even if you do not see yourself in academia, the engagement in research and understanding of scientific method will shape you for the rest of your career – even in private practice.

And to quote Einstein again: “The important thing is not to stop questioning. Never lose a holy curiosity.”

““Process” is a great term to describe scientific exploration! It’s the continuous search for answers, the continuous questioning, the continuous learning that makes research so much fun. Because with every new answer and every new finding, we come closer to our goal to improve oral health.”

VERNON BRIGHTMAN RESEARCH SOCIETY 11

STUDENT RESEARCH PROGRAMS / Requirements and Deadlines SUMMER RESEARCH PROGRAM

RESEARCH HONORS

Students work full-time in July and August with a faculty preceptor in basic laboratory or clinical sciences. The purpose of this program is to provide dental students experience with hands-on research and introduce the possibility of pursuing a research-oriented career in the oral health field.

Summer research students are required to present a poster at the Research Day event.

The Honors in Research Program is open to students in their first or second year at PDM. Students will plan, implement, and execute a hypothesis-driven research project over a one- or twoyear period. All honors scholars participate in Research Day during which they must present a poster. In addition, they are required to write a Research Honors thesis.

REQUIREMENTS TO APPLY:

REQUIREMENTS TO APPLY:

• C omplete the application

• C omplete the application

• R esearch proposal

• 1 st or 2nd year student

• G ood academic standing

• M inimum undergraduate science GPA of 3.5

• A vailability to conduct research full-time and attend weekly research meetings APPLICATION DUE DATE:

March 19, 2021 CONTACT:

Dr. Esra Sahingur Associate Dean of Graduate Studies and Student Research sahingur@upenn.edu MORE INFORMATION:

www.dental.upenn.edu/ summerresearch Research Opportunities Request form: www.dental.upenn.edu/ researchoppsrequest

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• M inimum GPA of 3.25 in every semester of dental school • L etter of recommendation of past or present research supervisor • T wo-page research proposal • T imeline for project completion APPLICATION DUE DATE:

May 1, 2021 CONTACT:

Dr. Kathleen Boesze-Battaglia Director of Honors Program battagli@upenn.edu MORE INFORMATION:

www.dental.upenn.edu/ researchhonors

LEONARD DAVIS DUAL DEGREE INSTITUTE SUMMER Students interested in pursuing RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP a dual-degree program must In collaboration with the Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics and the Health Care Management Department of the Wharton School, PDM offers a fellowship for students interested in working on a health services or health policy research project during the summer between their first and second year of dental school. At the conclusion of the 12-week program, students present their research findings to faculty, staff, and fellow participants.

APPLICATION DUE DATE:

February 1, 2021 CONTACT:

Sue Schwartz Director of Career Services Penn Dental Medicine Office of Student Life susansz@upenn.edu MORE INFORMATION:

www.dental.upenn.edu/ leonard-davis-institutesummer-research-fellowship

submit an application to the PDM Dual-Degree Admissions Committee. The current dual-degree options are Master of Bioethics, Science in Bioengineering, Law, Science in Higher Education, and Public Health. Each program has different admissions standards.

MORE INFORMATION:

www.dental.upenn.edu/dualdegree-options

AADR American Association of Dental Research (AADR) General Session & Exhibition will be held on July 21-24, 2021 at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston, MA. The event will include oral and poster presentations, distinguished lecture series, and an exhibit hall. Students may submit abstracts of their research to be considered.

Accepted students will present their research poster at the symposium.

ABSTRACT DUE DATE:

March 1, 2021 MORE INFORMATION:

www.iadr.org/2021iags/ Abstract-Instructions If you are interested in pursuing research, please fill out the Research Opportunities Request form: www.dental.upenn.edu/ researchoppsrequest