More than 130 Ostrow School of Dentistry students, residents, postdoctoral fellows and faculty members presented research during the school’s 2014 Research Day held March 12 at the USC Galen Center.

Participants competed for various awards, attended three keynote lectures, and took part in topic-specific discussion groups as part of the school’s annual scientific celebration. The event is the largest student-focused research showcase at USC, bringing together not only dentistry students and faculty but also individuals from the Divisions of Biokinesiology and Physical Therapy and Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy.

“Research Day is always an exciting time for the Ostrow School of Dentistry,” said Dean Avishai Sadan. “It provides a unique opportunity for students and faculty members to share and learn from the immense amount of scientific investigation taking place within the school.”

Associate Dean of Research Yang Chai said the Ostrow School of Dentistry was proud to be a part of USC, an elite research institution, and contribute heavily to its collective scientific excellence.

“USC emphasizes the preparation of its students to become leaders in fields such as science and health care,” Chai said. “Our students and post-docs are among the best in the nation, with research published in top-tier journals.”

Chai also announced that this year’s Research Day was dedicated to Harold Slavkin, former dean of the Ostrow School of Dentistry and renowned dental researcher, who will be retiring from the school in June 2014.

The day’s keynote speakers included University of Michigan School of Dentistry Dean Laurie McCauley, whose talk was titled “Parathyroid Hormone Drives Bone Regeneration: Maneuvering Between Cellular and Clinical Aspects;” Scott Fraser, provost professor of biological sciences and biomedical engineering at USC, with “Imaging Cellular and Molecular Dynamics of Embryonic Development;” and Christopher Powers, associate professor of biokinesiology and physical therapy at USC, who spoke on “Mechanisms of Patellofemoral Joint Dysfunction: What Have We Learned Over the Last 20 Years?”

Nora Ghodousi DDS ’16, who joined Aaron Kang DDS ’15 on his research project regarding senior dental students’ comfort with pediatric dentistry, said participating in scientific investigation is a great way for students to get themselves primed for improving their knowledge and skills throughout their career after they graduate.

“You want to do whatever will help you be a better learner and a better practitioner,” she said.

Shawn Ebrahimpour DDS ’15, whose project explored the use of microCT techniques to compare craniofacial structures in mice, said conducting research as a student will help him keep up with the latest knowledge when he becomes a practicing clinician.

“Research gives you a much broader perspective,” Ebrahimpour said.

2014 Research Day Award Winners

Dean’s Research Award

SIMON CHEONG – “Antiresorptives and Periapical Disease Induce Osteonecrosis of the Jaw”

Advanced Specialty Program Resident

First Place

SEIKO MIN – “AMOR in Conjunction with Extraction Socket Device for Bone Regeneration”

Second Place

NEEMA BAKHSHALIAN – “Healing of Extraction Sockets Treated with Anorganic Bovine Bone: Micro-CT Analysis”

Dental Hygiene

DOROTHY GARCIA – “Dive into a Health Smile”
DANIELA TIRADO – “Take the Needle Out of Numbness Intranasal Anesthesia”
MICHELLE BAUM – “Is Cancer Calling”

Graduate Post-Doctoral Trainee

First Place

HU ZHAO – “The Neurovascular Bundle is the Niche of Mesenchymal Stem Cells”

Second Place

GAOYAN TANG – “Diauxic Growth of Aggregatibacter Actinomycetemcomitans Stimulated by Human Serum”

Graduate Pre-Doctoral Candidate

First Place

ERIN MORAN – “Function of PHF6 in Neural Crest Cell Formation”

Second Place

RYAN ROBERTS – “miRNAs Regulate Skeletogenesis of the Craniofacial Complex”

Biokinesiology & Physical Therapy – Exercise Science & Musculoskeletal Biomechanics

First Place

JACQUELINE KIWATA – “Eccentric Exercise Induces PGC-1a4 Expression in Muscle of Postmenopausal Women”

Second Place

LINDSEY AVERY – “CRP and Body Composition in Latina Brease Cancer Survivors”

Biokinesiology & Physical Therapy – Neural Control and Motor Behavior

First Place

HYESHIN PARK – “Modeling Movement Duration to Assess Reaching Movement Recovery Post-Stroke”

Second Place

YI-AN CHEN – “Effects of Self-Efficacy Enhancement on Paretic Hand Selection in Stroke”

Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy
First Place

CAROL HAYWOOD – “Stigma:  The Challenge of Social Experience for Children with Disabilities”

Second Place

AMBER ANGELL – “The Social Life of Health Records”

DDS Student – Basic Science

First Place

SIMON CHEONG – “Antiresorptives and Periapical Disease Induce Osteonecrosis of the Jaw”

Second Place

CHRIS PATUWO – “Antifungal Activity of Flavonoids Against Candida Albicans”

DDS Student – Clinical Science

First Place

OMID HEMMAT – “Keratocystic Odontogenic Tumor: Conservative Treatment (Marsupialization): Histochemical Markers and Case-Report”

Second Place

AARON KANG – “Comfort of Senior Dental Students with Pediatric Dentistry Upon Graduation”

Jennifer Ann Wilson Dental Library Bioinformatics Award

KAIFENG YIN – “miRNA Regulation of Enamel Maturation”

Stevens Center for Innovation

First Place

HYESHIN PARK – “Modeling Movement Duration to Assess Reaching Movement Recovery Post-stroke”

Second Place

QICHAO RUAN – “A Novel Elastic Calcium Phosphate Nanocomposite with Brick-and-Mortar Structure”

Innovative Scientific Achievement Awards

HU ZHAO – February 2014 Cell Stem Cell article “Secretion of Shh by a Naurovascular Bundle Niche Support Mesenchymal Stem Cell Homeostatis in the Adult Mouse Incisor”

CUNYE QU – November 2013 Cell Stem Cell article “Ossifying Fibroma Tumor Stem Cells are Maintained by Epigenetic Regulation of TSP1/TGF-β/SMAD3 Autorine Loop”