A pair of professors from the Columbia University College of Dental Medicine took home top honors from the 95th General Session and Exhibition of the American Association of Dental Research (AADR), International Association of Dental Research (IADR), and Canadian Association for Dental Research in San Francisco during a ceremony on March 22.
First, the IADR awarded its 2017 Distinguished Scientist Award in Basic Research in Periodontal Disease to Panos N. Papapanou, DDS, PhD, professor and chair of the section of oral, diagnostic, and rehabilitation sciences at the school. Given annually to a researcher chosen by previous honorees, the award recognizes his diverse and prolific contributions to areas of study including the epidemiology of periodontal diseases, their pathobiology, the assessment of microbial and host-derived risk factors, and the diseases’ role as a health stressor in heart disease and pregnancy complications.
“Dr. Papapanou has made remarkable contributions to our understanding of periodontal diseases in the context of a person’s overall health, as well as elucidated the connections with other conditions,” said Christian S. Stohler, DMD, DrMedDent, dean of the dental school. “This is a well-deserved honor, and we at the Columbia University College of Dental Medicine are proud to count him among our faculty.”
Also, the AADR honored Stohler with its 2017 Jack Hein Public Service Award for his work in promoting and supporting oral health research. Each year, the Jack Hein Public Service Award honors someone who has demonstrated exemplary service to the interests and activities of oral health research. Stohler served as president of the Friends of the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research from 2011 to 2015, when the organization’s board voted to integrate its operations with the AADR. Stohler led this transition in 2016 with the goal of a single, amplified voice advocating on Capitol Hill for more research in dental and oral health and craniofacial issues.
Stohler also has led the Columbia University College of Dental Medicine since 2013. Previously, he was dean of the University of Maryland School of Dentistry. As a researcher, he helped lead work funded by the National Institutes of Health exploring the genetics, endocrinology, and neurobiology of the human response to pain, particularly in patients with temporomandibular joint dysfunction. He was a member of the first scientific team to demonstrate that a patient’s belief in a placebo painkiller can prompt the brain to release endorphins as well. And, he is the author of more than 120 articles and chapters.
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