Dr. Thomas Van Dyke Lectures at National Symposium

Boston University Goldman School of Dental Medicine (BUGSDM) Professor and Director of the Clinical Research Center Dr. Thomas Van Dyke lectured at The Burning Question: How to Manage the Fire Within on April 17. The Burning Question is a national symposium on inflammation and disease progression that was held at Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit, Michigan.

Lecturers and participants for this symposium came from academia, industry, and government in order to highlight how various inflammatory processes can lead to diseases as diverse as cancer, cardiovascular, stroke, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s among others. Dr. Van Dyke’s lecture was titled, Resolution of Inflammation in Diabetes and Oral Disease, and was based on his ongoing research into the regulation of inflammation.

"My research focuses on the structural and functional aspects of the inflammatory response by defining the complex interactions between phagocytic cells and their environment, particularly microorganisms, with emphasis on pathways of regulation of inflammation and resolution of inflammation," said Dr. Van Dyke. "There is a translational research emphasis focused on the elucidation of factors inherent in the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases.  The applied aspect of taking basic science discovery through in vivo systems (animal studies) to human interventions provides a unique opportunity for the study of biologic systems and pharmacologic interventions."

This was the first time that Dr. Van Dyke has lectured at Wayne State University and he was honored to be invited to represent the dental community at this largely medical event.