Abdel Hameed Mahmoud, DDS, a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) student in the Department of Oral Biology and Pathology at Stony Brook School of Dental Medicine (SDM), earned first place for his research poster at the American Association of Endodontists (AAE) annual meeting in Boston, Massachusetts, last week.
Mahmoud’s research, titled “An Innovative Injectable Retrievable and Sustainable Drug Delivery System for Endodontic Therapy”, showcased a new thermo-reversible hydrogel that, combined with calcium hydroxide and salicylic acid, effectively eradicates E. faecalis biofilm, and improves intracanal delivery and retrievability in endodontic cases. His work was selected from a pool of more than 160 presenters at the specialty’s largest conference.
“It’s truly an incredible honor to have my research recognized by the AAE,” Mahmoud said. “Winning first place among such talented residents and students from prestigious schools across the country is both humbling and deeply rewarding. In addition to it being a personal achievement, it highlights the exceptional clinical and research training I've received at Stony Brook School of Dental Medicine. I’m especially grateful for the incredible support and mentorship from my supervisors. Their guidance has been instrumental throughout this journey.”
“We are so proud of Dr. Mahmoud not only for being acknowledged in such a fashion, but for the commitment to excellence he demonstrated through each step in the research process,” said Stephen Walker, MSc, PhD, interim associate dean for research at the SDM, who co-authored the paper.
His mentors on the paper included Miriam Rafailovich, PhD, Distinguished Professor in Stony Brook University’s Department of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering; Walker and Marcia Simon, PhD from the SDM’s Department of Oral Biology and Pathology; and Thomas Manders, DDS ’91, Jerome Cymerman, DMD, and Rita O’Dwyer, DDS ’17, MPH, MS, Endo ’20, from the Department of Periodontics and Endodontics. Mahmoud’s triumph comes just weeks after he captured the Graduate Student Research Award, with the same poster, at the SDM’s annual Research Symposium.
Through his experience on this project, Mahmoud gained hands-on skills in areas like chemical and morphological characterization, cell biology and differentiation, and in vivo animal studies.
“This research journey has been incredibly rewarding,” he said. “What has stood out most to me has been the interdisciplinary collaboration between all the departments. It’s been truly inspiring to be part of such a dynamic team.”
Mahmoud earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) from the University of Jordan, and a postgraduate certificate in regenerative dentistry from University of Michigan School of Dentistry, where he developed a deep interest in tissue engineering and regenerative endodontics. Seeking a research-focused degree, he came to Stony Brook, citing the ability to work with Rafailovich, and the collaboration opportunity with the university’s College of Engineering and Applied Sciences for his choice.
After completing his PhD at Stony Brook, Mahmoud will join the Advanced Education in General Dentistry (AEGD) program at the University of Rochester this summer, with designs on advancing into a career in endodontics, as a practitioner and educator.
“Being recognized by the AAE means so much to me — not just personally but as a reflection of the impact my research can have in improving the quality of dental care, especially in the field of endodontics,” Mahmoud said.
