GSDM Research Showcased at Undergraduate Research Symposium
On October 17, 2014, Boston University hosted its 17th Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium in the George Sherman Union Metcalf Ballroom on the Charles River Campus. More than 250 students from across all of Boston University’s 16 schools participated in this event showcasing the various types of ongoing research at the University on both the Charles River and the Medical Campuses. This Symposium is hosted by the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP), which is designed to encourage full-time BU undergraduate students to become involved in research.
Symposium participants presented their work at the morning and afternoon poster sessions. The event concluded with an awards ceremony, which acknowledged three students for their outstanding poster presentations and three faculty members for their roles as outstanding mentors.
Four of the students presenting at this Symposium carried out their research at Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine (GSDM) over the 2014 UROP summer term. Each UROP student is paired with a GSDM faculty mentor and assigned a research project. This year, GSDM was well represented by its UROP trainees, who included: Marisa Borchardt, mentored by Dr. Raffi Miller, Department of General Dentistry; Selene Ayuso, mentored by Dr. Serge Dibart, Department of Periodontology; Suzanne Krishfield, mentored by Dr. Paula Friedman, Department of General Dentistry; and Taymiah Mahmood, mentored by Dr. Salomon Amar, Department of Molecular & Cell Biology.
Dr. Raffi Miller, Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of General Dentistry, was one of three Boston University faculty members to receive an Outstanding Mentor Award. This year, and for the first time, students were invited to nominate mentors they felt truly epitomized the role. Dr. Miller—who was nominated by his student, Marisa Borchardt—had this to say about winning the award, “I was honored to be selected by UROP as an outstanding mentor. Marisa made my job as a mentor very easy. She did an excellent job and I am happy we were both able the represent the School of Dental Medicine so well.”
“I applaud the hard work of the UROP students and their faculty mentors and, on behalf of the entire Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine community, congratulations to Dr. Miller on receiving the Outstanding Mentor Award,” said Dean Jeffrey W. Hutter. “I am pleased to see members of our faculty working to cultivate the next generation of researchers.”
The high level of participation and scale of this event demonstrates the significant value placed on research and research education at Boston University, and within GSDM. Dean Jeffrey W. Hutter and Associate Dean for Research Dr. Maria Kukuruzinska encourage faculty to continue to participate in UROP and other mentorship programs.
The abstracts presented at this event are listed below:
“A Prospective, Randomized, Controlled Pilot Clinical Trial on Evaluation of Bone Volume After Extractions With and Without Bone Grafting”; Selene Ayuso, Dr. Serge Dibart
“Higher POQl Scores in Medically Disabled Children with Caries Reflects a Lower OHRQoL”; Marisa Borchardt, Dr. Raffi Miller
“An Assessment of the Number of Older Adults Residing in Assisted Living Facilities Who Participate in a Free Oral Health Screening—A Pilot Study”; Suzanne Krishfield, Dr. Paula Friedman
“Treatment for Porphyromonas Gingivalis Induced Rheumatoid Arthritis using Kava 1-223”; Taymiah Mahmood, Dr. Salomon Amar