31st Research Day showcases student investigators and faculty mentors

Monday, April 10, 2023

Research Honors Program – Certificate of Achievement **Divya Acharya, Mikki Jaramillo, Carrie Walton, Marcus Levitan, Daniel Godfrey** Drew Lees

Congratulations to our student researchers and their faculty mentors who exhibited their discoveries at IUSD’s 31^st Annual Research Day on April 10, 2023.

This year marked the highest number of poster presentations – 123 – in the history of Research Day, including contributions from dental hygiene students at the Fort Wayne campus, said Dr. Gabe Chu, associate dean of Research.

Following welcoming remarks from Dean Murdoch-Kinch and Dr. Chu, guest speaker Belinda Hauser, PhD, shared about intramural research training and career development opportunities at the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR). Keynote speaker Prerna Gopal, BDS, PhD, senior manager of microbiology and chemistry at the ADA Science & Research Institute, presented, “What’s the deal with ADA seal?”

Dr. Ty Campbell (DDS’87), president of the IUSD Alumni Association, presented the alumni organization’s annual awards to Dr. Priya Thomas, vice chair, Biomedical Sciences and Comprehensive Care, who received the Distinguished Faculty Award for Teaching, and to Dr. Angela Bruzzaniti, director of student research and PhD training and research development, who received the Distinguished Faculty Award for Research.

Dean Murdoch-Kinch, Dr. Bruzzaniti, and Dr. Chandler Walker, vice president of the Indiana Section of the American Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research (AADOCR), announced the student, faculty, and staff awards (see below).

Before adjourning for poster presentations, IUSD PhD graduate and faculty member Dr. Hadeel Mohammed Ayoub surprised Dr. Richard Gregory, who retired in January 2023 as associate dean of graduate education, with a video featuring current and graduated research and PhD students. They thanked him for his decades of service and mentorship. Dr. Gregory has been on the planning committee of every Research Day since its inception in 1992.

Congratulations to this year’s Research Day planning committee (Dr. Hadeel Mohammed Ayoub, Kari Blackley, Dr. Angela Bruzzaniti, Dr. Gabe Chu, Dr. Giovanna Denucci, Dr. Vinicius Dutra, Dr. Grace Gomez Felix Gomez, Brittany Gehlhausen, Dr. Richard Gregory, Marcus Levitan, Dr. Frank Lippert, Sheryl McGinnis, Drashty Mody, Dean Carol Anne Murdoch-Kinch, Abbey Rieck, Keli Seering, Dr. Sabrina Feitosa Sochacki, Dr. Yasuyoshi Ueki, Dr. Chandler Walker, and Terry Wilson), the officers of the Indiana Section of AADOCR, and the Student Research Group for another excellent IUSD Research Day.

“I am so proud of our students and their faculty mentors who presented their research,” said Dean Carol Anne Murdoch-Kinch. “Our annual Research Day showcases their accomplishments and allows our students to develop a deeper understanding of the biomedical, behavioral, and clinical science foundations of the profession. The deep learning and meaningful experiences afforded by our student research program, fueled by our new young investigators’ curiosity and critical thinking skills, can help establish the habits and tools needed for a life and career characterized by continual learning and sustained personal and professional growth.”

Research Day 2023 Award Recipients

Dr. Bruzzaniti