Meet Our Research Faculty
Biomaterials and Biomechanics
Professor
612-625-4467
apari003@umn.edu
Surface modification of metals for dental implants and other biomaterials; biomineralization of synthetic materials and tissues; biomimetic systems and synthetic materials for biomedical applications; regeneration of hard tissues; synthetic peptides and self-assembly
Professor Emeritus
612-625-1409
delon002@umn.edu
The Virtual Dental Patient - patient specific, accurate 3D representations of articulated upper and lower jaws and their relative movements; clinical measurement using 3D digitizing and computer graphics; robotics and its application to simulation of an artificial oral environment
Professor
612-625-5406
alexfok@umn.edu
Shape optimization of dental restorations; characterization of biomaterials; statistical analysis of brittle failure
Associate Professor Emeritus
612-624-5998
larso004@umn.edu
Restorative care research; developing clinical guidelines and best evidence for clinical procedures, materials and restorative prescriptions for care; esthetic materials, procedures and techniques
Professor
612-625-5432
perdi001@umn.edu
Electron microscopy;dentin bonding; clinical behavior of resin-bonded restoration; bonded fiber-reinforced resin posts; dental whitening
Emeritus Associate Professor
612-625-6975
pinta001@umn.edu
Pathogenesis of abfractions; toothbrush biomechanics; correlate clinical and in vitro data through the transfer of new state-of-the-art technology into the clinical setting; Virtual Dental Patient software developed by Dr. Ralph DeLong; "Tooth Explorer - A Digital Environment for Teaching Oral Anatomy"
Bone Biology and Craniofacial Development
Associate Professor
612-625-6147
ahmad005@umn.edu
Tissue engineering; mineralization of hard tissues; angiogenesis; radiation biology; temporomandibular joint imaging
Dean
612-625-5945
ander018@umn.edu
Temporomandibular disorders, orofacial pain, occlusion; cleft and craniofacial anomalies; evidence-based dentistry
Interim Chair
612-624-5046
conr0094@umn.edu
Implant screw mechanics; sinus grafting for implants; implant impression techniques; all ceramic crown materials and properties; virtual-reality based technologies
Professor
612-624-0918
gopal007@umn.edu
Transcriptional regulation of osteoblast differentiation and mineralization; effects of parathyroid hormone on osteoblasts; regulation of BMP signaling in bone formation; regulation of BMP signaling in craniofacial development
Associate Professor
612-625-3903
tgruenhe@umn.edu
New technologies in orthodontics; structure-function relationship of muscular systems in the craniofacial area; adaptation of the masticatory system to varying functional demands; cellular responses to mechanical stimulation during orthodontic tooth movement
Professor
612-626-5582
kmansky@umn.edu
Bone biology and bone cancer; osteoimmunology; bone metabolic disorders associated with HIV infection and antiretroviral therapy
Professor
612-624-2463
rohre008@umn.edu
Bone/dental implant integration;evaluation of bone grafting materials;evaluation of bone growth enhancing strategies;oral mucosal diseases; precancerous mucosal conditions
Associate Professor
612-625-5677
seong001@umn.edu
Mechanical properties of jaw bone using various techniques including nano-indentation; fiber reinforced bone cement development; quantification of bone density using various diagnostic tools; implant stability measurement tests and bone/implant interface analyses; animal study and clinical trials on dental implants and bone replacement materials; device fabrication using MEMS (micro-electro-mechanical systems);computer simulation of immediate implant loading and distraction osteogenesis; dental materials/ Prosthodontics study
Oral Health Disparities and Community Health
Professor Emeritus
612-625-4633
bebea001@umn.edu
Processes involved in ethical decision-making (sensitivity, reasoning and judgment, commitment, and actions) and their role as determinants of ethical behavior.
Associate Professor, Program Director
612-625-5954
bluex005@umn.edu
Variation in evaluation of chart documentation among dental hygiene clinical instructors; ability of dental hygiene students to self-assess their interpersonal communication skills; learning styles of dental hygiene students; comparing traditional lectures vs. computer based instruction for Head and Neck Anatomy
Associate Professor
612-625-6521
mtjohn@umn.edu
Temporomandibular disorders; oral health-related quality of life
Associate Professor
612-625-7477
lopez216@umn.edu
Developing a comprehensive approach to recruitment and retention of a diverse student body via inclusion of non-academic factors in student admissions and holistic review of applicants; recruitment of underrepresented minority and American Indian students to dental school; peer to peer mentoring relationship among dental students; knowledge of and perceived cultural competency of dental students; career aspirations of minority students; health seeking behaviors of immigrants
Associate Professor and Director
612-625-4121
quick003@umn.edu
Application of decision theory in dentistry and ethics; educational processes, hidden-curriculum, and relationship-centered care.
Associate Professor
612-626-4234
skaar003@umn.edu
Dental service utilization in the elderly; impact of drug therapies on dental service utilization.
Associate Clinical Specialist and Director
612-624-5331
schul095@umn.edu
Outreach opportunities for DDS/Hygiene students; promoting exchange student programs; dental access partnerships
Oral Infections and Microbiology
Professor
612-624-0667
jardine@umn.edu
Virus structure and assembly; biochemistry, biophysics and structural biology
Associate Professor
612-625-0395
rsjones@umn.edu
Understanding the bacterial biofilm associated with early secondary caries in young children; early caries detection using near infrared based imaging, e.g. optical coherence tomography; assessing risk factors in early childhood caries.
Director
612-626-5525
mansky@umn.edu
Cell and molecular biology of HIV and HTLV; HIV drug resistance; HTLV particle assembly and release; evolution of emerging viruses
Professor
612-624-9900
mccla056@umn.edu
Immunology/microbiology, coronal microleakage, restoration of endodontically treated teeth
Oral Inflammation and Cancer
Associate Professor
612-626-2466
costa002@umn.edu
Commensal microorganisms interact with the immune system; mouse models
Associate Professor, Director of Oral Pathology Laboratories
612-624-8607
koutl001@umn.edu
Associate Professor
612-624-5976
myers025@umn.edu
Identifying and characterizing gender-related biologic factors that may predispose women to develop TMDs or related orofacial pain conditions; identifying how cellular, humoral, genetic and neuroendocrine/hormonal factors are associated with individual responses to alloplastic implant materials; identifying and developing methods to investigate the histopathology of TMJ tissues associated with implant wear debris and foreign body reactions
Professor
612-625-0693
rhodu001@umn.edu
Oral cancer: early detection and chemoprevention; oral manifestations of systemic disease; chronic degenerative autoimmune diseases; Sjögren's Syndrome
Research Associate
612-626-1932
rossx007@umn.edu
Testing the hypothesis that Calprotectin serves as an innate intraepithelial defense against bacterial invasion in vitro and provide evidence for a fundamental role for this protein in resistance to infections.
Professor
612-625-5681
wolff001@umn.edu
Bacterial etiology of periodontal diseases, new diagnostic techniques to identify bacteria in plaque, the role of cytokines on the periodontal disease process, and the expression of virulence factors by periodontopathic bacteria and the host response to those virulence factors
Orofacial Pain and Neuroscience
Interim Associate Dean for Research
612-625-4541
bereiter@umn.edu
Central nervous system mechanisms of craniofacial pain; influence of sex hormones on pain sensation; trigeminal nerve physiology and anatomy
Research Assistant Professor
612-626-3334
khasa001@umn.edu
The development of pain sensitization and hyperalgesia; effects of the descending antinociceptive pathways from the brain on spinal processing of pain.
Professor
612-626-5407
nixdorf@umn.edu
Epidemiological aspects of tooth pain association with dental procedures, especally root canal therapy; functional imaging of chronic orofacial pain conditions
Professor, Department Chair, Division Director
612-625-6464
simon003@umn.edu
Neural encoding of pain and hyperalgesia; pain transmission: peripheral nerve and spinal cord; chronic pain mechanisms; cannabinoids and pain