The 2010 CADR-IMHA Student Research Awards were presented during the annual meeting of the Canadian Association for Dental Research (CADR), held in March in conjunction with the meeting of the American Association for Dental Research in Washington, DC.
Students and postdoctoral fellows involved in oral health sciences research in Canada are eligible to submit a manuscript describing their research for this student research competition.
This year’s CADR-IMHA award winners were Ms. Jia Hao from the University of Western Ontario (UWO), Dr. Carol Forster from the University of Toronto (U of T), Mr. Simon Jean from Laval University, Mr. Jason O’Young from UWO, Dr. Matthew Chan from U of T, and Ms. Angela Wong and Darlene Tam from the University of British Columbia.
From this group, two investigators also received the IADR/Unilever Divisional Travel Award and represented Canada at the Hatton Award competitions at the 2010 meeting of the International Association for Dental Research (IADR) in Barcelona, Spain.
Ms. Hao and Dr. Forster were selected to represent Canada in this year’s international contest and Ms. Hao earned second prize in the junior category.
The CADR-IMHA Student Research Awards are co-sponsored by the CADR and the Institute of Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis (IMHA) of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). Winners are selected by a panel of leading oral health researchers from across Canada.
Jia Hao from the University of Western Ontario was awarded first place in the CADR-IMHA’s Junior category. She went on to receive second place honours in the Junior category at the IADR Hatton Award competition in Barcelona. Ms. Hao’s research investigates how osteoclast motility is influenced by surface topography.
Dr. Carol Forster from the University of Toronto was awarded first place in the Senior – Basic Science category for her research project entitled “The role of innate immunity in the pathogenesis of bisphosphonate-induced osteonecrosis of the jaw.” Dr. Forster also represented Canada at the Hatton Award competition.
Mr. Simon Jean (centre) from Laval University was awarded second place in the Junior category for his research project entitled “Role of jaw muscle spindle afferents in chronic oro-facial pain.” Mr. Jean received his award from Dr. Jeff Dixon (l.), CADR past-president, and Dr. Richard Ellen (r.), chair of the CIHR-IMHA Institute Advisory Board.
Mr. Jason O’Young from the University of Western Ontario was awarded third place in the Senior - Basic Science category for his research project entitled “Molecular dynamics simulations of hydroxyapatite-nucleating and growth-inhibiting macromolecules.”
Dr. Matthew Chan from the University of Toronto was awarded second place in the Senior – Basic Science category for his research project entitled “mDia regulates force-induced myofibroblast differentiation.”
Ms. Angela Wong from the University of British Columbia was awarded second place in the Senior – Clinical category for her research project entitled “Oral health assessments for elderly residents of long-term care facilities.”
Ms. Darlene Tam from the University of British Columbia was awarded first place in the Senior – Clinical category for her research entitled “Barriers to tobacco cessation in patients with high-risk oral lesions.”