At the IU Indianapolis Elite 50 awards ceremony this week, DDS/PhD student Katie Chester was confused why she was not seated with nor called on in alphabetical order with the other honorees. After the presenters announced 40 of the 50 graduate students, it dawned on this bright, promising DDS researcher that she had been selected -- out of 8,000 graduate students at IU Indianapolis (IUI) -- among the top 10.
Dr. Angela Bruzzaniti, director of both the IUSD Student Research Group and PhD Training and Research Development, nominated Chester, who is a member of Dr. Bruzzaniti’s research lab as one of IUSD’s first DDS/PhD students. Drashty Mody, IUSD’s other DDS/PhD dual degree student, is completing the first two years of her PhD at National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Md.
Instead of graduating with her class in May, Chester will complete one more year of her PhD, followed by the final two years of dental school to be on track to graduate with a DDS/PhD with the Class of 2027.
From her time as a military intelligence officer, to her realization she could better serve her Tennessee church community in a dental health capacity, to her eventual enrollment at IUSD and ultimate transition to IUSD’s dual-degree DDS/PhD, Chester has achieved excellence and has accumulated accolades.
At IUSD, Chester has received the IUSD PhD Fellowship Award, the Dr. Frank A. Kyle, Jr and Lynn Cheryl Kyle Scholarship, the Dr. Vance Loop Pre-Doctoral DDS Scholarship, the King Saud University Travel Award, and a Graduate and Professional Education Grant. At this week’s Research Day, Chester was honored with the inaugural Stookey Trailblazer Student Researcher Award.
For her PhD dissertation research in Dr. Bruzzaniti’s lab, Chester is investigating the mechanisms of action of osteocytes, specialized bone cells embedded in mineralized bone tissue that regulate bone loss and accrual. This field of study, known colloquially as the “bone field,” is still in its infancy in understanding the cellular events that lead to osteocyte formation and communication with other bone cells to regulate bone mass.
Chester also is investigating the role of osteocytes in regulating periodontal bone loss, a pathology that affects almost 20% of the global population, especially in disadvantaged communities. Chester already has presented her research at three premiere national conferences and is on pace to publish multiple manuscripts in the next few years.
“I have no doubt Katie’s research findings will impact both the medical and dental fields, and may serve as a springboard for future therapeutics to improve bone and overall health,” Dr. Bruzzaniti said.
In addition to her research accomplishments, Chester is devoted to community service at IUSD and beyond. She has served as IUPUI Graduate and Professional Student Government representative, IUSD student volunteerism coordinator, academic teaching assistant for the DDS Community Service-Based Elective, secretary of DentALLIANCE, and as a student mentor for student researchers and DDS students in the lab.
As IUSD Student Volunteerism coordinator for the Class of 2024, Chester has coordinated volunteer opportunities for DDS students at Wheeler Mission, Marion County Humane Society, Down Syndrome Indiana, and Village of Merici.
Outside of dental school, Chester has been a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) and participated in Growing Places Indy to provide healthy food options to underprivileged communities.