- First-year dental student Sheeva Azimi won an AADR (American Association for Dental Research) award at the organization's annual meeting in Dallas. Sheeva was one of 19 winners nationwide and received a $2,100 stipend. Azimi will be mentored by John Mitchell, Ph.D., associate professor of biomaterials and biomechanics. AADR research fellowships are designed to encourage dental students to consider careers in oral health research.
- Third-year dental student David Butler won first prize in the Biological and Behavioral Sciences division of the Student Research Symposium, sponsored by the Columbia-Willamette Chapter of Sigma Xi. David won for his research, "Fluoride Release from Resin-Modified Glass Ionomer Following the Application of a Fluoride Containing Detrifice." This is the second year that OHSU students have competed in the Sigma Xi event and the second year for which OHSU received the top prize in the Biological and Behavioral Sciences division.
- Third-year dental student Valane "Lane" Cook recently received a $1,500 scholarship from the Foundation of the Pierre Fauchard Academy. The Annual Scholarship Award was give to Lane for his "outstanding leadership and academic achievements in dentistry." One junior from each United States dental school receives the scholarship annually.
- First-year endodontology resident Leila Tarsa, D.D.S., recently received a $19,500 grant from the American Association of Endodontics Foundation. The one-year grant is for Tarsa's research, "Inflammation-induced Regulation of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Expression in Mouse Tooth Pulp Nociceptors," which she conducts in the lab of Agnieszka Balkowiec, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor of integrative biosciences, in collaboration with J. Craig Baumgartner, D.D.S., Ph.D., chairman of endodontology, and F. James Kratochvil, D.D.S., chairman of pathology and radiology.
- Four OHSU School of Dentistry students have received $500 awards from the Multnomah Dental Society (MDS) for their work on Give Kids a Smile day. Fourth-year dental students Lindsay Reif, Elizabeth Palmer, Andrew Dow and Kariana Peters received the awards at the MDS General Membership annual awards dinner and meeting May 21.