PENN HOME - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Research Dental Hygienist
With over 25 years of dental hygiene experience in private practice, Andrea is deeply passionate about patient care and recognizes that oral health and physical health have a symbiotic relationship. Having always been attracted to the sciences, and with a natural attention to detail, a transition into dental research combines her strengths while broadening her skills. At the Center for Clinical and Translational Research, Andrea implements the various study interventions according to protocol by obtaining dental measurements. Originally from Philadelphia, Andrea currently resides in Sothern New Jersey. When not working, she looks forward to traveling, mostly in Europe and spending time with her friends and family.
Job Titles:
- Clinical Research Honors Program 2021 - 2022
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- Clinical Quality and Compliance Manager
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- Director of Learning Sciences and Technologies
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- Professor / Director of DScD Curriculum & Training
As Director of DScD Curriculum and Training, Dr. Mitchell provides guidance to support DScD students, mentors, and thesis committees and helps to integrate clinical and research training by establishing Individual Development Plans that will enhance career opportunities.
Job Titles:
- Director, Academic Affairs
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- Director of Clinical Affairs
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- Associate Professor of Clinical Restorative Dentistry, Division Chief of Restorative Dentistry / Division of Restorative Dentistry
Dr. Hershkowitz is an Associate Professor of Clinical Restorative Dentistry and Division Chief of Restorative Dentistry, in the Department of Preventive and Restorative Sciences at Penn Dental Medicine. He obtained his D.D.S from the State University of New York at Buffalo in 1986 and went on to complete his residency in General Anesthesia at the Hospital of the Medical College of Pennsylvania in 1987. He joined the faculty at the State University of New York at Stony Brook (SUNY Stony Brook) School of Dental Medicine as a Clinical Assistant Professor in 1994. During his time at SUNY Stony Brook, he served as Director of General Practice Program, Director of Anesthesia and Director of Emergency Care. Dr. Hershkowitz was recognized for his excellence in teaching in 2002, receiving the Faculty of the Year Award, presented by the School of Dental Medicine's Student Government at SUNY Stony Brook. In 2008, he was appointed Clinical Assistant Professor and Associate Chairman of Department of Cariology and Comprehensive Care at the College of Dentistry of New York University (NYU). Here his responsibilities included management of the department, Pre-Doctoral Patient care, and the Clinical Education of all pre-doctoral students. He subsequently advanced to Clinical Associate Professor and Associate Chairperson for the Department of Cariology and Comprehensive Care in 2015. Dr. Hershkowitz has received the Dean's Award twice at NYU, in 2011 and 2017, recognizing his outstanding achievements and commitment to both patient care and education. His personal interests include management and treatment of the apprehensive patient, as well as implementing new concepts to provide excellent patient care and student clinical education.
Job Titles:
- Faculty and Staff Coordinator
Job Titles:
- Chairman
- Chairman and Norman Vine Endowed Professor of Oral Rehabilitation / Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery / Pharmacology
Dr. Le's research focuses on investigating mesenchymal stem cells from adult oral tissues. Together with collaborators, she isolated and characterized adult stem cells from gingival tissue-a discovery she patented while at USC. Studying those stem cells further, Dr. Le proposed a new mechanism by which they might aid in wound healing; they proposed that the stem cells may modify the environment of the wound. This new concept, that stem cells are the conductors rather than the musicians in the orchestra of wound repair, earned Dr. Le and her colleagues NIH funding and a wealth of new avenues of research to explore, all aimed at regenerating missing craniofacial tissue.
Those threads of research connect to another area of investigation for Dr. Le -the study of bisphosphonate-related osteonecrosis of the jaw, or BRONJ. It is a condition involving degeneration of the mandible that can arise after taking certain bisphosphonate-based drugs to treat cancer or prevent bone loss associated with osteoporosis.
Research by Dr. Le and collaborators in mice has identified biomarkers that put individuals at a higher risk of developing ONJ. They have found that an infusion of mesenchymal stem cells can cure the condition in mice-a promising breakthrough for patients with this debilitating and painful disease.
Job Titles:
- Director of Diversity & Inclusion
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- Program Director
- Vice Dean for Scholarship and Research
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- Associate Dean of Graduate Studies and Student Research
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- Clinical Assistant Professor
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- Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
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- Vice Chairman
- Vice - Chair and W.D. Miller Professor / Department of Basic & Translational Sciences
Inspired by issues of healthcare inequity and global human rights, Henry Daniell has developed and advanced a novel approach to orally delivering affordable biopharmaceuticals, eliminating expensive injections and refrigeration. He has developed drugs to treat dental caries, diabetes, hemophilia, pulmonary hypertension, diabetic retinopathy, and Alzheimer's disease, as well as oral vaccines for cholera, tuberculosis, malaria, polio, and plague. Daniell is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the 14 th foreign member of Italy's 240-year-old National Academy of Science. He has been honored for his groundbreaking work by organizations including the American Diabetes Association, the American Heart Association, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and is the recipient of the Bayer Healthcare Global Award.
The high cost of current vaccines and biopharmaceuticals is largely due to their complex production and delivery methods, including the significant costs of fermentation and purification systems and additional expenses associated with cold storage, transportation and sterile delivery. Therefore, Dr. Daniell pioneered and advanced the concept of expressing foreign genes in chloroplasts with major emphasis on vaccines and biopharmaceuticals. In addition to high levels of expression, protection of therapeutic proteins in the stomach by bio-encapsulation within plant cells and their release in the gut for presentation to the mucosal immune system or circulatory system, facilitate oral delivery of vaccines or auto-antigens. Oral delivery of bio-encapsulated vaccine antigens in high doses along with prime boost confers both mucosal and systemic immunity and greater protection against pathogens than delivery by injections alone.
In collaboration with his former student Roland Herzog, Daniell lab demonstrated that oral delivery of coagulation factor IX prevented the devastating inhibitor antibody response and pathogenic antibody formation that predisposes to life-threatening anaphylactic reactions to the therapeutic protein. Daniell lab has also demonstrated that oral delivery of proinsulin (without any priming) expressed in chloroplasts delayed the onset of type 1 diabetes in non-obese diabetic mice. Oral delivery of exendin-4 expressed in plant cells regulated blood glucose levels similar to injections by stimulating insulin secretion and a 5,000 fold excess dose didn't cause hypoglycemia because insulinotropism of exendin-4 is glucose dependent. Some of his ongoing projects include the development of oral vaccines against infectious diseases (polio, tuberculosis, malaria, cholera, anthrax, plague, etc.) and oral tolerance against autoimmune disorders (type 1 diabetes, Pompe's disease, multiple sclerosis etc). His lab also uses therapeutic protein delivery to degrade plaques in advanced Alzheimer's brains or regulate blood sugar levels in type 2 diabetes.
These investigations have resulted in >200 publications (several featured on covers of high impact journals), 50 awarded and >150 published global patents. Dr. Daniell's research is currently supported by several NIH grants and funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Bayer, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Department of Energy and USDA.
Job Titles:
- Director of Faculty Advancement and Diversity
Job Titles:
- Associate Dean for Academic Policies
- Director of Community Oral Health / Division Chief, Division of Community Oral Health
Job Titles:
- Assistant Director of Admissions
Job Titles:
- Assistant Professor of Oral Medicine at Penn Dental Medicine
Dr. Katherine France is an Assistant Professor of Oral Medicine at Penn Dental Medicine. She obtained both her DMD and Master of Bioethics (MBE) from the University of Pennsylvania. She went on to complete her Residency in Oral Medicine at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, serving as the chief resident during her second year. Upon completion of her residency program, Dr. France received the Robert Schattner Award for Outstanding Oral Medicine Resident, in honor of her achievements and contributions to the department. Dr. France currently teaches clinically in the Oral Diagnosis and Emergency and Medically Complex Clinics in the School of Dental Medicine and didactically on a wide range of subjects relating to oral medicine, ethics and professionalism, and patient management. Her scholarly work also focuses on both oral medicine and questions of ethics in education and patient care. In addition to her faculty responsibilities, Dr. France also serves as an attending dentist at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and treats general dentistry, medically complex, orofacial pain, salivary gland and oral mucosal lesion patients at the Penn Dental Family Practice at University City.
Job Titles:
- Associate Dean of Clinical Affairs
Job Titles:
- Assistant Professor / Department of Oral Medicine
- Assistant Professor of Oral Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine
Dr. Roopali Kulkarni is an Assistant Professor of Oral Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine. She is also the Assistant Director of the postdoctoral oral medicine program. She obtained both her Doctor of Dental Medicine (D.M.D.) and Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) degrees from the University of Pennsylvania. She completed her postdoctoral residency training in Oral Medicine at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, serving as Chief Resident her second year. Dr. Kulkarni currently teaches predoctoral and postdoctoral students clinically in the Oral Medicine clinic and lectures didactically on topics within oral medicine and interdisciplinary care. Her scholarly work focuses on both oral medicine and public health. In addition to her faculty responsibilities, Dr. Kulkarni serves as an Attending at the University of Pennsylvania Health System and treats patients at Penn Medicine Radnor.
Job Titles:
- Director MOHS
- Master of Oral Health Sciences ( MOHS )
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- Chairman
- Associate Dean, Hospital & Extramural Affairs
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- Associate Dean for Student Life / Director, PASS Program
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- Curriculum Program Coordinator
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- Emeritus Professor / Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery / Pharmacology
Dr. Hersh runs a very active clinical research program that plays a key role in developing and carrying out clinical protocols. His analgesic research team was instrumental in the granting of FDA approval to a number of analgesic and anesthetic agents such as ibuprofen liquigels (Advil Liquigels), OTC ketoprofen (Orudis KT), extended-release etodolac (Lodine XL), 4% articaine with 1:200,000 epinephrine (Septocaine 1:200,000) the transoral lidocaine patch (Dentipatch), and phentolamine mesylate (OraVerse) for the reversal of soft tissue sensory and functional deficits induced by commonly employed local anesthetic solutions, and most recently intranasal tetracaine/oxymetazoline (Kovanaze), a needle-free technology to provide local anesthesia of the maxillary teeth.
His studies of analgesic agents have been published in peer review journals such as the Journal of the American Dental Association, Oral Surgery, Oral Medicine and Oral Pathology, Clinical Therapeutics, and Current Medical Research and Opinion. He was the 2007 recipient of the International Association of Dental Research Pharmacology, Therapeutics and Toxicology Distinguished Scientist Award. Dr. Hersh directs and lectures in the undergraduate pharmacology and clinical therapeutics courses, the postgraduate clinical pharmacology course, and delivers presentations to the undergraduate Penn Dental Medicine students in the pain control and geriatrics series.
He also teaches continuing education courses for Penn Dental Medicine and has been awarded the University's highest teaching honor, the Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching, and the Dental School's Excellence in the Teaching of Basic Science Award 20 times. For 16 years he served as chairperson of IRB #3, of the University's Committee on Studies Involving Human Beings, and for seven years on the University's Standing Conflict of Interest Committee and the Human Research Advisory Committee to the Vice Provost of Research. In 2016 he was co-recipient along with John Farrar MD, PhD and Rosemary Polomano RN, PhD of the University One Health Award, for establishing an NIH-funded interdisciplinary Pain Science Course.
Job Titles:
- Clinical Research Honors Program 2023 - 2024
Job Titles:
- Assistant Professor of Clinical Oral Medicine / Department of Oral Medicine
- Deputy Director, Clinical Research Operations Assistant Professor of Clinical Oral Medicine
As Deputy Director, Clinical Research Operations with the Center for Clinical & Translational Research, Dr. Ko supports the leadership of the Center in managing a team of translational scientists to design, validate, and execute translational plans for the growing portfolio of Penn Dental Medicine research. In addition, he provides direct mentorship to the School's faculty and students on clinical and translational research.
Since 2018, Dr. Ko has been Assistant Professor of Clinical Oral Medicine at Penn Dental Medicine. A graduate of Columbia University, College of Dental Medicine, Dr. Ko was trained in Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology at New York Presbyterian-Columbia University, followed by a Clinical Research Fellowship at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City. Prior to his appointment at Penn Dental Medicine, Dr. Ko was a Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Michigan, School of Dentistry.
Dr. Ko's research interests are centered on the the advancement of oral health through translational research and novel medical devices and technologies.
Dr. Ko is an Assistant Professor of Clinical Oral Medicine at Penn Dental Medicine. He received his D.D.S from Columbia University in 2010, where he also completed his residency in Oral Pathology in 2013. He has been recognized for his excellence in teaching, receiving the Martin S. Greenberg Award in 2019. He is a Diplomate and Fellow of the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology. Prior to joining Penn Dental Medicine in 2018, Dr. Ko served as a Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Michigan, School of Dentistry. His research interests include head and neck sarcomas and non-pharmacologic approaches to chronic oral pain management.
Job Titles:
- Associate Professor / Department of Basic & Translational Sciences
Dr. Teles' interests include the study of the oral microbiome in health, disease initiation, progression and in response to periodontal treatment and implant placement as well as the investigation of the microbial ecology of the oral cavity. For the past ten years, her research activities in the have been supported by grants from NIH/NIDCR, industry and foundations.
Dr. Teles' main line of research is dedicated to the identification and cultivation of new periodontal pathogens using state-of-the-art cultivation and molecular approaches. Even though uncultivated/unrecognized organisms comprise 50% of the oral microbiome, their role in periodontal health and disease is unknown and will only be fully realized once they are cultivated and characterized. In addition, the study of these new bacterial species may lead to the discovery of new compounds and metabolic pathways, which can foster the development of better strategies for prevention and treatment of periodontal diseases as well as other oral conditions. Our lab developed in vitro and ex vivo (i.e., obtained from patient samples) biofilm models that give us the ability to foster the cultivation of difficult to grow microorganisms and to test new antimicrobials and the antimicrobial mechanisms of anti-infective periodontal therapies.
Dr. Teles research program also explores the association between the oral microbiome and carcinogenesis. Since several bacterial species can synthesize carcinogenic compounds and the oral cavity harbors a diverse and complex microbiota, the oral microbiome might contribute to the development of head and neck cancers. Thus, as part of a grant awarded by the Fanconi Anemia Research Fund, Dr. Teles have been investigating the oral microbiome, as well as the oral inflammatory and metabolic profiles of children and young adults with Fanconi Anemia (FA). FA is a rare genetic disorder that leads to increased oral cancer predisposition (as well other malignancies) due to hypersensitivity to DNA damage. Thus, the identification of the determinants of oral carcinogenesis in this population may provide key insights into mechanisms of oral cancer development in FA patients as well as in the general population.
For Dr. Teles, this is a particularly exciting time to be a microbiologist, as cutting-edge, high-throughput sequencing technologies and bioinformatics tools are becoming increasingly available. However, new technologies also bring challenges and new platforms need to be validated. In the past two years, the Teles lab have been conducting validation studies using a mock community of 40 bacterial reference strains to assess the precision and accuracy of several aspects of 16S rRNA sequencing and metagenomics, including the use of different primers ad sequencing cores, and the associated analytical tools.
In the next phase of Dr. Teles' research program, she will explore new and affordable periodontal therapies and to expand my work her work on oral carcinogenesis to include mechanistic projects as well as clinical longitudinal studies of populations at risk for oral cancer.
Academic Appointments
Associate Professor, Department of Microbiology, University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, 2017-Present
Research Associate Professor, Department of Periodontology, School of Dentistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 2014-2017
Associate Research Investigator, Department of Applied Oral Sciences, The Forsyth Institute, Cambridge, MA, 2014-Present
Assistant Member of the Staff, Department of Applied Oral Sciences, Center for Periodontology, The Forsyth Institute, Cambridge, MA, 2011-2014
Staff Scientist, Department of Periodontology, The Forsyth Institute, Cambridge, MA, 2009-2011
Instructor, Department of Oral Medicine, Infection and Immunity, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Boston, MA, 2009-Present
Adjunct Faculty in Periodontology, Dental Hygiene Program, School of Business, Mount Ida College, Newton, MA, 2007-2010
Assistant Professor, Dept. of Periodontology, Estácio de Sá University School of Dentistry, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 2002.
Assistant Professor, Dept. of Periodontology, Pontificia Universidade Catolica Dental Institute (PUC), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 2000-2003
Job Titles:
- Co - Founding Director, Center for Innovation & Precision Dentistry / Professor
- Founding Director of the Center for Innovation & Precision Dentistry
The laboratory of Dr. Koo focuses on understanding the relationship between biofilms and oral infectious diseases and seeking novel therapeutic strategies to control pathogenic biofilms, including those associated with dental caries.
Dr. Koo is also the Founding Director of the Center for Innovation & Precision Dentistry, a collaboration between Penn Dental Medicine and Penn's School of Engineering & Applied Sciences.
Job Titles:
- HIPPA Training and Privacy Manager
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- Administrative Coordinator
Job Titles:
- Clinical Research Honors Program 2021 - 2022
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- Assistant Director of Special Events
Job Titles:
- Clinical Research Honors Program 2021 - 2022
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- Clinical Research Honors Program 2020 - 2021
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- Director and Senior EHR Administrator
Job Titles:
- Clinical Research Honors Program 2021 - 2022
Dr. Kang Ko is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Periodontics at Penn Dental Medicine. He earned his B.S. degree in Physiology and Neuroscience in 2009 and an M.S. degree in Neurobiology in 2011 from the University of California, San Diego. He earned his D.M.D degree in 2015 and a combined certificate in Periodontics/D.Sc.D degree in 2020 from Penn Dental Medicine. He is an active member of the International Association of Dental Research, the American Academy of Periodontology, and the American Dental Association. He has received numerous awards for his teaching and research, including the Ricardo Teles Research Award in 2020. Dr. Ko currently leads a NIH-funded research program that investigates fibroblast heterogeneity and its impact on immunity in the oral cavity and skin.
Job Titles:
- Director of Fiscal Operations
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- Chief of Staff / Director of Faculty Affairs and Executive Support
- Director of Faculty Affairs and Executive Support
Kristina found her calling for comforting others in their most vulnerable times while working as a certified nursing assistant. Now, she is currently enrolled in the 5-year bachelors of science nursing program at Drexel University in Philadelphia pursuing her dream of becoming a nurse. She continues to develop her clinical skills at various city hospitals on rotations including providing phlebotomy services at the Center for Clinical and Translational Research. She has fully immersed herself into supporting the Center and broadening her clinical research experience by becoming an integral member of the daily operations, assisting hygienists, and coordinating participant visits. When Kristina is not at work or in class, she is baking, exploring new cities, or spending time with friends and family.
Job Titles:
- Institute Summer Research Fellowship
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- Associate Director, Scheduling and Data Analytics
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- Associate Director of Annual Giving
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- Member of the Teles Lab
- Senior Research Manager
Lynn is a member of the Teles Lab and is an integral part of the Center's operations. She graduated from Southeastern Massachusetts University with a degree in Medical Technology and has always worked in a health care-related field. Lynn has worked in dental research for over three decades, focusing on the microbiome of the oral cavity and how it relates to both oral and systemic diseases. She is responsible for supervising the day-to-day activities of the lab and serves as a mentor and trainer for students who are seeking advanced dental degrees. As a member of the Center for Clinical and Translational Research team, she develops laboratory processes, drafts lab manuals and associated documents, and performs the hands-on work necessary to ensure the efficient and compliant collection, processing, and storage of specimens collected for clinical research projects. In her spare time, Lynn enjoys baking cookies, crossword puzzles, and a good Hallmark Movie.
Job Titles:
- Associate Dean of Finance, CFO
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- Associate Dean for Leadership Giving
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- Director of Student Affairs and Engagement
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- Assistant Dean for Admissions
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- Director, Clinical Research Operations and Compliance
Marta has over 16 years of experience in healthcare, with the last ten years focused on supporting clinical research operations. Marta is originally from Slovakia, where her love of mathematics and physics led her to study mechanical engineering. As Director of Clinical Research Operations and Compliance, Marta leverages her attention to detail, precision, scientific mind and analytical skills to developing and implementing innovative solutions and processes to improve efficiencies and overseeing numerous projects and clinical research activities. Never one to sit idle, Marta is fluent in four languages, is a self-taught accordion player, and is pursuing her single engine pilot's license.
Job Titles:
- Director of Human Resources
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- Director of Information Technology
Mousa Ghannam is a second year Doctor of Dental Medicine and Masters in Public Health (DMD/MPH) dual-degree student at the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine. A Michigan native, he earned his BS in Chemistry from Kalamazoo College in 2017. Upon graduating, he had the opportunity to study salivary gland development as a post-baccalaureate research fellow at the National Institutes of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR). Working for the NIH also afforded Mousa the opportunity to visualize National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data with fellows pursuing the Oral Health Informatics fellowship at NIDCR. Since then, he has become passionate about informatics and its applications within dentistry, particularly public health. As a clinical research honors student at CCTR, Mousa is gaining exposure to innovative ways that information technology can support Clinical and Translational Research. Outside of research, he plays on the intramural soccer team, and beatboxes for the Dental School's acapella group, SoundBites. His favorite cereal is Cinnamon Toast Crunch.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Professor
- Assistant Professor / Department of Basic & Translational Sciences
Dr. Laird is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Basic and Translational Sciences. Prior to joining Penn Dental Medicine, she was an Assistant Professor in the Department of Integrative Anatomical Sciences at the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine. She is an early career editorial board member with the American Journal of Biological Anthropology and has served as a guest editor for the Philosophical Transactions B Theme Issue. Dr. Laird is a member of the American Association of Biological Anthropologists, the American Association of Anatomists, and the Society of Integrative and Comparative Biology.
Job Titles:
- Director, Graduate Studies
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- Newspapers May Lead to Cheaper, Cleaner Ethanol Fuel, ( U.S. World News Report, Feb. 22, 2010 ) »
- Newspapers May Lead to Cheaper, Cleaner Ethanol Fuel, ( UCFResearch & Commercialization ) »
Job Titles:
- Senior Director of Continuing Education
Job Titles:
- Associate Dean, Translational Research Associate Professor of Oral Medicine
- Associate Professor of Oral Medicine
- Clinical Professor / Chair of the Clinical & Translational Research Advisory Board
- General Dentist
Dr. Corby is an Associate Professor of Oral Medicine and the Associate Dean of Translational Research at Penn Dental Medicine. She is also the Director of the Penn Dental Medicine Center for Clinical and Translational Research. After receiving her DDS and completing her residency in Periodontics and Implants, she went on to obtain her MS in Biomedical Informatics from the University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine. Dr. Corby also completed a postdoctoral training in Molecular Biology and Microbial Genetics at Harvard University and the Forsyth Institute. She has served as Principal Investigator, Co-Investigator, or Consultant on a number of industry, foundation, and NIH-funded projects. She is an experienced clinical trialist with over 20 years of experience designing and running high-impact clinical research projects.
Dr. Corby was trained as a general dentist followed by a specialty and residency in Periodontics and Implants. She then obtained her MS in Biomedical Informatics from the University of Pittsburgh, with focus on clinical informatics and machine learning for clinical genomics. She also completed a postdoctoral program in Molecular Biology and Microbial Genetics from Harvard University and the Forsyth Institute. This inspired an interest in the oral microbiome and its impact on systemic health which continues to this day. Dr. Corby has served as Principal Investigator, Co-Investigator, or Consultant on a number of industry-, foundation-, and NIH-funded projects. She is an experienced clinical trialist, with over 20 years of experience designing and running high-impact clinical research projects. As Associate Dean for Translational Research, Dr. Corby lends her extensive expertise to helping others design, obtain funding for, and operationalize clinical research projects. She has trained and mentored dozens of students and postdoctoral candidates and continues this work at PDM through the Center for Clinical and Translational Research.
Dr. Corby's major research interests center around supportive cancer care through the prevention and management of the symptoms and side effects of cancer and its treatment. This includes the identification of specific factors (oral health, innate immune response, microbiome crosstalk, genomics) that contribute to oral manifestations of cancer and cancer treatment, and the development of personalized oral care interventions to prevent and manage regimen-related toxicities. Among her current research projects is a large clinical trial to test the impact of oral health on reducing oral mucositis in patients receiving radiation for head and neck cancer, preventing oral infections and ultimately improving quality of life during cancer care. The study represents an interdisciplinary collaboration between PDM and the Department of Radiation Oncology at the Perelman School of Medicine and is funded by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research.
In her spare time, Dr. Corby loves producing science-related movies with her son who is a movie director. She also spends time Facetiming with her granddaughter, who is growing into a budding scientist herself
Job Titles:
- Associate Director of Continuing Education
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- Supervisor of Patient Care
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- Research Dental Assistant
Renee has been involved in the field of dentistry for over twenty years. Her experience and passion for patient care has driven her to gain the knowledge and ability to join the research team. Renee studied at Philadelphia University, and received her CDA certificate from Delaware Valley Academy for medical and dental assistants. As a Dental Assistant, she is responsible for making sure that all procedures run smoothly and that our dental professionals have the materials and support they need. Renee also specializes in Infection Control, and makes clinic cleanliness and safety her top priority. When not working, Renee enjoys cooking, baking and spending quality time with her beautiful family.
Job Titles:
- Award for Outstanding Oral Medicine Resident, University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine
- Outstanding Oral Medicine Resident Award, University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine, 2021
Job Titles:
- Clinical Research Program Manager
Rosa Urbina is a native from Allentown, Pennsylvania where she spent eight years exploring a variety of roles in the dental field including administrative, clinical, and research. As Program Coordinator, Rosa is responsible for managing all Center activities and ensuring that the administrative aspects of the program run smoothly. She is both a certified medical interpreter and a certified court interpreter and is proud to serve the Hispanic community with her skills and expertise. Rosa is currently pursuing her degree in healthcare management while working full-time, and she is known throughout the school for her infectious smile and enthusiastic greetings. She enjoys adventuring into different cities and trying new cuisines and can always be counted on for a great restaurant recommendation.
Job Titles:
- Director of Strategic Development & Alumni Relations
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- Associate Director, Curriculum and Registrations
Dr. Yang's research interests focus on exploring the mechanism of tooth and bone development, bone metabolism and mechanostransduction, as well as gene/stem cell therapy of bone diseases. Research in Dr. Yang's lab has provided significant insights into the regulation of bone remodeling and bone resorption by the calcium oscillation, GPCR/G protein/RGS signaling pathways, primary cilia, IFT80 and IFT20 in regulation of bone cell behavior/bone and cartilage formation, which bridged the gap about the function and mechanism of RGS and ciliary IFT proteins in skeleton. Currently, the team is characterizing how RGS proteins regulates bone metabolism and aging skeleton. Additionally, studies are on the way to discover how ciliary IFT proteins and primary cilia affect tooth development, fracture healing and other bone related diseases. Those studies will lead to identification of novel regulatory cascades controlling fundamental bone developmental and remodeling processes and new insights in design of new therapeutic advances for bone and other diseases.
Job Titles:
- Director of Career Services
After getting her bachelor's degree in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology at Bryn Mawr College, Rosemary found herself passionate about laboratory research. Before pursuing a higher degree, she decided to work as a research specialist in academic labs to consolidate her knowledge and to acquire more research experiences as a scientist. Rosemary joined the PDM family in 2022 first assisting in basic research which had a focus on jaw tumors, then she transitioned to the clinical research team at the Center for Clinical and Translational Research in 2023. Here in the team, Rosemary is responsible for lab processing of human subject samples obtained from the clinic during each visit as well as detailed document recording after performing each processing procedure.
Dr. Zhang is a Professor in the Department of Preventive and Restorative Sciences at Penn Dental Medicine. He received his B.S. in Physics from Shanghai Normal University in 1986 and his M.S. in Physics from La Trobe University, Victoria, Australia in 1997. He went on to earn his Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from Monash University, Victoria, Australia in 2002. Dr. Zhang completed his first Research Fellowship in Materials Science and Engineering at Monash University in 2002. For his second research fellowship, which was completed in 2005, Dr. Zhang worked on a joint project among New York University College of Dentistry, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, and the American Dental Association Foundation. Prior to joining Penn Dental Medicine, Dr. Zhang was on the faculty at New York University College of Dentistry in the Department of Biomaterials and Biomimetics. During his time at NYU, he was recognized for his commitment to excellence in research and teaching, receiving The Kathleen C. Kinnally Award for Outstanding Scientific Achievement in 2018 and the Outstanding Teaching Award, given by the Faculty Council, in 2015. Dr. Zhang's main research interests are: (1) Developing functionally graded and nanostructured materials for dental and biomedical devices; (2) Elucidating competing damage modes in all-ceramic restorations under mastication; (3) Characterizing the wear and fatigue behavior of dental materials; and (4) Improving the fracture resistance of veneered prostheses through the reduction of deleterious residual tensile stresses.
Yuan holds a DDS, MS, and PhD from West China College of Stomatology. She joined the PDM family as a postdoctoral researcher in 2014, and became a Research Associate in May 2020. Before joining PDM, she served as Vice Director of Pediatric Dentistry at her alma mater. Over the years, she has developed a keen interest and passion for understanding the pathogenic mechanisms of dental caries, especially early childhood caries. At Penn Dental Medicine, Yuan continues to advance the knowledge in the field of cariology on two well-defined fronts: Disease Mechanisms and Therapeutic Approaches. She has authored over 40 scientific articles in top-tier journals, including Nature Communications, PNAS, Science Robotics, ISME J, ACS Nano, Biomaterials, PLoS Pathogens, and Journal of Dental Research. Her research contributions were recognized by various awards including AADR Hatton Awards and IADR Women in Science Promising Talent Award. Recently, Yuan has been recognized for her research as a 2021 recipient of the Colgate Award for Research Excellence (CARE), which focuses on discovering the new role for fungal infection in the etiopathogenesis of severe early childhood caries, while identifying potential fungal biomarkers associated with caries severity. At the same time, she has been working on low-cost biotechnology- and nanotechnology-based approaches to precisely target cariogenic biofilms. Outside of work, Yuan enjoys playing Chinese checkers and cooking with her daughter. She also loves traveling and playing Chinese zither.