AADR to present prestigious awards and recognitions

As part of the Opening Ceremonies of its 37th Annual Meeting & Exhibition, convening today at the Hilton Anatole Hotel, the American Association for Dental Research (AADR) will present numerous prestigious awards and recognitions. Details follow:

Every two years, the AADR recognizes a distinguished scientist who has contributed outstanding research of particular significance in any of the fields related to oral science. The award prize is $5000, which is generously supported by GlaxoSmithKline. The 2008 AADR Distinguished Scientist Award winner is Kenneth M. Yamada from the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (Bethesda, MD). Dr. Yamada has contributed multiple advances toward our current understanding of the mechanisms of cell interactions with the extracellular matrix. He is an Editor of the Journal of Cell Biology and is currently an Associate Editor or editorial board member of eight additional journals. Dr. Yamada also serves on a number of major NIH committees for promotion, administration, and ethics, as well as on the councils of the major societies in the fields of cell and matrix biology. This award is the highest accolade the AADR can bestow.

The three most recent living Past Presidents of the AADR may elect an honorary member. This person is not a member of the Association but has made significant contributions to and/or supports dental research. This year’s honorary member, selected unanimously, is John E. Sexton, President, New York University. Dr. Sexton has been an innovative leader that has encouraged collaboration - among one of these is the integration of the School of Nursing with the College of Dentistry.

The 2008 award is presented Joan Steen Wilentz, freelance science writer and editor from Chevy Chase, Maryland. This award honors individuals who have given exemplary service in the area of public affairs by consistently promoting the interests and activities of oral health research to a wide constituency. The award is supported by the AADR and consists of a plaque. Previous recipients of the Award are Jack W. Hein (1996), Gertrude Quigley (1997), Christopher Squier (1998), Jay Gershen (1999), Anthony Picozzi (2000), John Crawford (2001), Michael Barnett (2002), Judith Sherman (2003), Michael Alfano (2004), Linda Niessen (2005), Robert (Skip) Collins (2006), and Dushanka Kleinman (2007).

This award is presented to Firoz Rahemtulla (University of Alabama – Birmingham), with sincere appreciation for dedication and commitment to mentoring and inspiring the next generation of researchers.

Nine recipients will be announced after the AADR Hatton Awards Competition, to be held on Tuesday, April 1, 2008. The competition is designed for junior investigators in three categories—junior, senior, and post-doctoral—who exhibit potential for a productive career in dental research. The nine winners will proceed to the IADR Unilever Hatton Awards Competition, to be held in Toronto, ON, Canada on July 1, 2008.

This AADR Fellowship, sponsored by the Task Force on Design and Analysis in Dental and Oral Research, has been established in memory of Neal W. Chilton. The Fellowship was designed to enable dental clinical faculty to obtain training in clinical Research. The 2008 Fellowship is awarded to Efthimia Ioannidou from the University of Connecticut Health Center.

These Fellowships, supported by several major industrial companies, as well as by AADR and IADR Group Chapters, Sections, and members, have been created to encourage dental students living in the United States to consider careers in oral health research. The 2008 recipients will be announced at the Opening Ceremonies, April 2, 2008 in Dallas, Texas.

The 21st annual AADR National Student Research Group (NSRG) DENTSPLY/Caulk Student Award Competition, sponsored by DENTSPLY/Caulk, will be held in Dallas, Texas, on Thursday, April 3, 2008. This competition highlights original poster presentations by AADR student members within dental, oral health, and craniofacial research. The 2008 competition features 14 students from 10 U.S. dental schools and awards a total of $2,500 USD in cash prizes to the top three participants in both clinical and basic science categories.