The School of Dentistry was well represented at the recent 86th General Session and Exhibition in Toronto. The program included 65 abstracts presented by U–M researchers.

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Among the stand outs was Erica Scheller, a student in the DDS/Oral Health Sciences Ph.D. Program. Scheller’s first place prize in the AADR Hatton competition in Dallas, earned her a spot in the prestigious IADR/Unilever Hatton Awards competition in Toronto. Scheller’s paper, Wnt/β–catenin Signaling Regulates Dental Pulp Stem Cell Properties took the second place prize in the Junior category. This category included a select group of 10 papers submitted by young investigators from 7 countries. Scheller’s Wnt/β–catenin paper was with Dr. Cun–Yu Wang. Her dissertation research in the Ph.D. Program is with Dr. Paul Krebsbach.

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Dr. Nam Joo, a postdoctoral scholar in Dr. Yvonne Kapila's lab, was also a participant in the IADR Hatton competition. His paper, NG2, novel proapoptotic receptor, opposes integrin α4 to mediate anoikis was presented in the Postdoctoral category.

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Dr. Wei Wang won the 2008 Bernard G. Sarnat Award from the Craniofacial Biology Group of the IADR for his poster presentation ER-α enhances and ER-β represses estrogen-induced MMPs in TMJ fibrochondrocytes. This research may provide insights into the pathogenesis of TMJ diseases in women and suggest potential therapies for these disorders. Wang works in Dr. Sunil Kapila’s laboratory.

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Dr. Renny Franceschi was one of 16 individuals from around the world recognized as an IADR Distinguished Scientist. Franceschi received the Biological Mineralization Award for his many discoveries related to the control of bone formation.

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Drs. Mathilde "Tilly" Peters (Cariology), Lynn Johnson (Education Research) and Sunil Kapila (Craniofacial Biology) were elected president of their respective groups.

Dr. Stephen Bayne concluded his year as IADR Immediate Past President.

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