Stony Brook University School of Dental Medicine's Annual Day of Research Goes Virtual

April 2021 – Each year, Stony Brook University School of Dental Medicine hosts the Leo and Mickey Sreebny Lectureship and School of Dental Medicine Research Symposium. The event reflects the University's commitment to research and intellectual endeavors; Stony Brook's membership in the Association of American Universities (AAU) places it among the top 65 research institutions in North America.

The School of Dental Medicine provides direct access to research opportunities and mentorship to all predoctoral and postdoctoral students and residents. The resulting projects culminate in a rich display of discovery for its annual symposium. Following the cancellation of the 2020 event at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, this year's event was held virtually with presenters circulating through breakout rooms to show and explain their posters to judges and guests.

Attendees were able to hear from William V. Giannobile, DDS, MS, DMSc, Dean, Harvard School of Dental Medicine. Dr. Giannobile's continuously NIH-funded research program over the past 25 years has focused on Oral and Periodontal Regenerative Medicine, Tissue Engineering, and Precision Medicine. For the lectureship, Dr. Giannobile highlighted his work, "Future Prospects in Periodontal Tissue Engineering."

Faculty researchers served as judges, assessing research presentations based on the quality and clarity of the abstract, the oral presentation, the presenter's knowledge of the subject area, and their responses to the judge's questions. The awards presentation is a celebratory conclusion of the day, with students being announced and recognized for their efforts. At this year's ceremony, the winners' research explored various topics, including new surgical techniques provided within clinical care and outcomes of periodontal procedures.

Dr. David Lam, Interim Associate Dean for Research, noted the importance of discovery in reflecting upon the translational, basic, and clinical research presented within the event. "As clinicians, we have the honor of helping one person at a time, but as scientists, we have the potential to help millions," said Dr. Lam.

View the entire event program. 

Honoring Dr. Leo Sreebny 

Dr. Leo M. Sreebny, former Dean (1975-1979) and faculty member (1975-2005) of Stony Brook School of Dental Medicine, passed away on April 5th, 2020, from complications caused by COVID-19. Dr. Sreebny was a passionate advocate for research and innovation. He encouraged discovery for hundreds within our community through his establishment and generous support of the annual Leo and Mickey Sreebny Lectureship and Stony Brook School of Dental Medicine Research Symposium. Dr. Sreebny's impressive career — spanning from his military service in World War II to his numerous academic papers — is worth celebrating. Personally, Dr. Sreebny was genuine and kind, known within our community for his warmth and his backing of our students and their academic pursuits, particularly in the name of research. It is a testament to his legacy that his namesake day of research will live on within the School of Dental Medicine.

Read more about the life and accomplishments of Dr. Sreebny.

2021 Award Recipients of the Leo and Mickey Sreebny Lectureship and School of Dental Medicine Research Symposium

NY Academy of Dentistry 2019 Award Jasmine Sze, BS 
AADR/Dentsply Sirona Student Research Award Rui Zhang, BS 
Hinman Symposium Award Susan Erickson, BS 
AADR National Student Research Day Award Rui Zhang, BS 
AADR LI Section Student Research Award Farzad Koosha, DDS 
Resident/Fellow Research Award Farzad Koosha, DDS, and Rahul Tase, DMD, MS
Graduate Student Research Award Heta Dinesh Bhatt, BDS, PhD 
Omicron Kappa Upsilon Sigma Tau Chapter Research Award Philip Bacigalupo, BS

Pictured above: Stony Brook School of Dental Medicine student Philip Bacigalupo presents his research abstract virtually.