When he was 17, Bradley Henson lost his grandfather to cancer. The cause of death: lung cancer.

Following the death of his 73-year-old grandfather, Henson, who grew up in Ishpeming, began asking parents, teachers, and others about what happened, why, and what could be done to prevent others from experiencing a similar fate.

"The more questions I asked, the more I wanted to know," said Henson who grew up in Ishpeming. "An interest in science and a pursuit of knowledge bloomed."

In the years that followed, Henson broadened his scientific knowledge by working as a volunteer in the offices of two University of Michigan alumni, Herbert Remien, DDS (1981) and Lloyd J. Hooper, MD (1981), both of whom practiced in the Upper Peninsula community.

Dr. Bradley Henson (second, right) received the Dziewiatkowski Award this spring for his research. Jane Damren (right), the daughter of the late Dr. Dominic Dziewiatkowski for whom the award is named, presented Henson with a plaque and $800 for his work. Also pictured are Dr. Nisha D'Silva (second, left), Henson's mentor, and Dr. Paul Krebsbach, chair of the Department of Biologic and Materials Sciences.

After earning a bachelor's degree in biology and chemistry from Northern Michigan University, Henson was accepted at the U-M School of Dentistry and earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree in 2000. He is now a candidate in the School's Oral Health Sciences PhD program and plans to earn his doctorate this year.

In March, Henson received the Dziewiatkowski Award for his discovery of two cell surface receptors that had never been seen in head and neck tumors. These receptors have been shown by Henson and others in the laboratory of Dr. Nisha D'Silva, an assistant professor, to be significantly involved in head and neck cancer cell growth.

The discovery may one day play an important role in treating individuals with head and neck tumors.

"Our ability to identify the differences between cancers that spread and those that don't is important, so these receptors may serve as objective biomarkers that help doctors to identify aggressive tumors," Henson said.

"Since these receptors are significant in head and neck cancers, we may later learn that they also play an important role in other cancers in other parts of the body," he added.

"Eight years of clinical training and research investigations have given me an exciting, yet sober opportunity to profoundly affect peoples' lives," he said. "Perhaps most importantly, my work during the past two years has heightened my interest in conducting oral cancer research with a translational focus."

After receiving his PhD, Henson plans to continue his research and to become a faculty member at a dental school.

The Dziewiatkowski Award, which recognizes excellence in student research, was established in 1989 to honor the memory of Dr. Dominic Dziewiatkowski who chaired one of the School's departments from 1967 to 1977 and who directed the Dental Research Institute from 1967 to 1972.

The University of Michigan School of Dentistry is one of the nation's leading dental schools engaged in oral health care education, research, patient care, and community service. General dental care clinics and specialty clinics providing advanced treatment enable the School to offer dental services and programs to patients throughout Michigan. Classroom and clinic instruction prepare future dentists, dental specialists, and dental hygienists for practice in private offices, hospitals, academia, and public agencies. Research seeks to discover and apply new knowledge that can help patients worldwide. For more information about the School of Dentistry, visit the Web at: www.dent.umich.edu.