Tufts University Professor Receives IADR Pharmacology/Therapeutics/Toxicology Award

Main Category: Dentistry
Also Included In: Clinical Trials / Drug Trials;  Medical Devices / Diagnostics;  Cancer / Oncology
Article Date: 18 Mar 2009 - 6:00 PDT

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The International Association for Dental Research (IADR) has selected Dr. Athena Papas, from Tufts University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA, as the 2009 recipient of the Pharmacology/Therapeutics/Toxicology Research Award. The award will be presented at the IADR 87th General Session & Exhibition in Miami, Florida, USA, on April 1, 2009 Dr. Papas is the Erling Johansen Professor of Research, as well as a professor in the Department of General Dentistry at the Tufts University School of Dental Medicine. She received her Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1971, followed by her dental degree from Harvard University School of Dental Medicine in 1974.

Dr. Papas has had a very active and distinguished research career in multiple areas of dental drug and device therapy. Her major focus has been as principal investigator in clinical trials involving various aspects of dry mouth (xerostomia), including drug therapy for patients with Sjögren's syndrome, devices to stimulate salivary flow, and understanding why patients with dry mouth are susceptible to tooth decay. She has spearheaded numerous other areas of therapeutic research that have included studies on tooth sensitivity, effects of implants in restoring nutrition in the elderly, and means of improving the oral health of head and neck cancer patients who receive radiation therapy.

The total amount of grant money that Dr. Papas has secured during her nearly 30-year academic career exceeds $20 million. She has published articles, presented her research findings at numerous AADR and IADR meetings, and been a peer reviewer for many scholarly journals, including the IADR's Journal of Dental Research, Gerontology, and the New England Journal of Medicine.

Supported by Wyeth Consumer Healthcare, the Pharmacology/Therapeutics/Toxicology Research Award is one of the 16 IADR Distinguished Scientist Awards and is one of the highest honors bestowed by IADR. The Award is made for outstanding and sustained peer-reviewed research that has contributed to our knowledge of the mechanisms, efficacy, or safety of drugs used in dentistry and consists of a monetary prize and a plaque.

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About the International Association for Dental Research

The International Association for Dental Research (IADR) is a nonprofit organization with more than 11,300 individual members worldwide, dedicated to: (1) advancing research and increasing knowledge to improve oral health, (2) supporting the oral health research community, and (3) facilitating the communication and application of research findings for the improvement of oral health worldwide.

Source: Ingrid Thomas
International & American Association for Dental Research

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