Student Research Award Ceremony Spring 2025

Student Research Group Newsletter Spring 2025

Spring 2025 Edition

The Dental Student Research Group at the University of Iowa is one of the premier programs in the country. The accomplishments of participating students over the 2024-2025 year highlight the value and importance of the program.

Student Research Groups Stories

Michael Chavez and Claire Kettle earn Outstanding Dental Student Research Awards

Tuesday, June 3, 2025

At the spring meeting of Dental Student Research Group, Michael Chavez and Claire Kettle received the award for 2025 Outstanding Dental Researcher.

Jennifer Sukalski with the student who nominated her for the mentor of the year award

2025 Mentor of the Year

Tuesday, June 3, 2025

Dr. Jennifer Sukalski was named the 2024-25 Student Research Mentor of the Year by the Iowa Chapter of the American Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research. by the Iowa Chapter of the American Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research. This award was presented in recognition of his efforts to enhance students research at the College of Dentistry.

Eleven Student Researchers Earn Senior Research Achievement Awards

Tuesday, June 3, 2025

Senior Research Achievement Awards are determined based on a portfolio of research that is circulated to a group of electors. The electors select award recipients based on the scientific merit of projects, the significance and productivity of projects, the number of years of involvement in research, the originality of the research, and the student's professional conduct. Award recipients were selected in 2025: Olivia Bartholomew, James Beyer, Michael Chavez, Carter Coppinger, Garret Curtis, Casey Delaney, Zach Graham, Alex Harper, Austin Hinkle, Claire Kettle, and Jackie Yeh.

DDS student Alex Harper (D4) featured in Dare to Discover campaign

Tuesday, June 3, 2025

Samuel Allen (D4) was featured in the 2025 Dare to Discover Campaign for the University of Iowa Office of the Vice President of Research. Samuel Allen's research investigates how probiotics can boost oral health

DDS student Samuel Allen (D4) featured in Dare to Discover campaign

Tuesday, June 3, 2025

DDS student Vi Phan (D3) featured in Dare to Discover campaign

Tuesday, June 3, 2025

A dental student points out two sections of her poster during a presentation on Feb. 11, 2025.

College of Dentistry highlights, celebrates student researchers during AADOCR Research Day

Wednesday, February 12, 2025

Following a day of speakers, posters, and presentations inside the Dental Science Building for the 72nd annual meeting of the Iowa Section of the American Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research, students were recognized during the awards banquet at the Courtyard Marriott in University Heights.

AADOCR Student Research Group Award 2025

College of Dentistry receives 2 national student research awards

Monday, February 10, 2025

The UI College of Dentistry was named the winner of two significant awards from the American Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research (AADOCR) National Student Research Group (NSRG). The honors highlight the college's commitment to student research and discovery.

Fluoride Skepticism in Focus: Alex Harper’s Research on Attitudes about Fluoride Use

Friday, February 7, 2025

As debates surrounding fluoride gain attention across the U.S., a dental student from the University of Iowa is tackling the issue head-on. Alex Harper, a fourth-year dental student, is investigating attitudes about fluoride and tap water. As misinformation erodes trust in science, Harper’s research provides timely insights into public perceptions and oral health behaviors.

Student Publications

Hinkle A (D4) and Hovey L (Grad)

Petrin AL, Machado-Paula LA, Hinkle A (D4), Hovey L (Grad), Awotoye W, Chimenti M, Darbro B, Ribeiro-Bicudo LA, Dabdoub SM, Peter T, Breheny P, Murray JC, Van Otterloo E, Rengasamy Venugopalan S, Moreno-Uribe LM. Familial Oculoauriculovertebral Spectrum: A Genomic Investigation of Autosomal Dominant Inheritance. Cleft Palate Craniofac J. 2025 Jan 17;:10556656241306202. doi: 10.1177/10556656241306202. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 39819101; NIHMSID:NIHMS2056547.

Hovey L (Grad)

Awotoye W, Machado-Paula LA, Hovey L (Grad), Keen H, Chimenti M, Darbro B, Dabdoub S, Thomas JC, Murray J, Venugopalan SR, Moreno-Uribe L, Petrin AL. Multi omic analyses of a twin pair with mirror image cleft lip identifies pathogenic variant in FGF20 modified by differential methylation upstream of ZFP57. medRxiv. 2024 Nov 18;. doi: 10.1101/2024.11.16.24317351. PubMed PMID: 39606391; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC11601713.

Seaberg A (Grad)

Seaberg A (Grad), Awotoye W, Qian F, Machado-Paula LA, Dunlay L, Butali A, Murray J, Moreno-Uribe L, Petrin AL. DNA Methylation Effects on Van der Woude Syndrome Phenotypic Variability. Cleft Palate Craniofac J. 2024 Aug 7;:10556656241269495. doi: 10.1177/10556656241269495. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 39109995; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC11802890.

Delaney C (D4)

Delaney C (D4), Warren J, Rysavy OA, Marshall T. Dietary questions in caries risk assessment and their relationship to caries. J Public Health Dent. 2024 Oct 8. doi: 10.1111/jphd.12647. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39377152.

Phan AV (D3) and Coppinger C (D4)

Shao F, Phan AV (D3), Yu W, Guo Y, Thompson J, Coppinger C (D4), Venugopalan SR, Amendt BA, Van Otterloo E, Cao H. Transcriptional programs of Pitx2 and Tfap2a/Tfap2b controlling lineage specification of mandibular epithelium during tooth initiation. PLoS Genet. 2024 Jul 25;20(7):e1011364. doi: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1011364. PMID:39052671; PMCID: PMC11302917.

Bartholomew OC (D4)

Bowers RD, Shi W, Pendleton C, Dabdoub S, Sukalski J, Bartholomew OC (D4), Hogden CT. Electronic health record associations in patients self-reporting to be difficult to anesthetize. J Dent Anesth Pain Med. 2025 Apr;25(2):97-108. https://doi.org/10.17245/jdapm.2025.25.2.97

Hollinger NC (grad)

Leary, KS, Hollinger NC (grad), Qian F, Kanellis MJ, Weber-Gasparoni K. Comparisons between referred and non-referred patient to a university pediatric dental clinic. Int J Paed Dent. https://doi.org/10.1111/ipd.13203

National Presentations

AADOCR Annual Meeting

Thirty students attended and presented at the AADOCR Annual Conference in New York, NY March 12-15, 2025. The Student Research Program received an award for being recognized as having the highest number of student researchers registered nationally. Saba Manafi was awarded second place in the prestigious Hatton Competition. (D2) Elise Amerongen, Anna Hedges, Ann Luo, Katie McAllister, Veronica McClennen, Benjamin Pierson, Shubhi Sharma, Madison Thatcher, Kathryn Volz, Keshav Wagle (D3) Madeline Berst, Madison Bradley, Brandon Cooley, Austin Draws, Reid Hogan, Tyler Jenness, Saba Manafi, Corben Masterson, Maya Olson, Vi Phan, Jeremiah Poppen, Reis Schweiner, Christina Spencer, Marnie Vonderhaar, Taylor Westphal (D4) Carter Coppinger, Casey Delaney, Austin Hinkle, Annel Lueth, Jackie Yeh

AAE Annual Conference

(D4) Zachary Graham presented at the AAE conference in Boston, MA April 2-5, 2025.

NOHC Annual Conference

(D4) Claire Kettle presented at the NOHC conference in Orlando, FL April 7-9, 2025

AAPD Annual Conference

(D4) Garry Emmons presented at the AAPD conference in Denver, CO May 22-25, 2025.

National AADOCR Awards

2025 Hatton Competition: Junior Category

2nd place Saba Manafi (D3)

2025 AADOCR Bloc Travel Grant Recipient

Saba Manafi (D3)

2025 NSRG 411 Rapid Research Competition Finalist

Anna Hedges (D2)

2025 Dentsply SCADA Competition Representative

Madison Bradley (D3)

Looking Forward to Next Academic Year

Forty-six student research proposals were funded for the 2025-2026 school year.

Student Research Officers for the 2024-2025 Academic Year

2025-2026 Student Research Program Officers

President: Vi Phan (D4)
Vice-President: Jeremiah Poppen (D4)
Secretary/Treasurer: Austin Draws (D4)
D4 Representative: Christina Spencer
D3 Representative: Ben Pierson
D2 Representative: Kim Vo
D1 Representative: TBD at Fall Mtg