The ADA Forsyth Institute

ADA Forsyth’s Inaugural Golf Tournament was a huge success! ⛳️🎉

The day was marked by immaculate weather, healthy rivalries, and a shared excitement for the future of oral health innovation. Everyone had a fantastic time, both on and off the course! Looking forward, AFI is truly excited for the growth of both our research and community programs thanks to the support of this event and our mission.

Congratulations to our winning team, who finished with an impressive score of 49! And of course, this event would not have been possible without the generous support of our sponsors, including: Crest Oral-B for Dental Professionals, Voyager Dental Services, Upcera_Official , North River Company, JLL, CareCapital, and many others!

Thank you to all who attended, and we look forward to seeing you at next year’s tournament!

Stay tuned for more content from the day!

We recently caught up with ADA Forsyth StudentScholars alumni Khoi Nguyen to discuss his current role as a Chief Technology Officer, how the StudentScholars program impacted and still benefits him, and his advice for young people. Read the full interview here: https://forsyth.org/from-student-scholar-to-startup-cto-an-interview-with-khoi-nguyen/

Today we would like to give special thanks to Crest Oral-B for Dental Professionals, the Course Sponsor for ADA Forsyth’s upcoming Inaugural Golf Tournament Fundraiser which will support ADA Forsyth's innovative research and impactful community programs.

Crest + Oral-B is a leading oral care company that is dedicated to providing innovative and effective oral care products to help people achieve healthier smiles. We are truly grateful for their support.

ADA Forsyth’s Inaugural Golf Tournament will be held on June 11. Click the link in to learn more about this exciting event: https://trellis.org/ada-forsyth-inaugural-golf-tournament

We are excited to welcome Dr. Chengji Zhou, PhD, to ADA Forsyth's distinguished faculty and growing team of researchers working in the Mineralized Tissue Biology and Bioengineering areas.

With a career dedicated to innovative research, Dr. Zhou has made significant contributions to understanding the molecular and cellular mechanisms and maternal interventions of tissue closure birth defects, including neural tube defects and orofacial clefts.

“We are actively seeking to expand craniofacial research at AFI because of its clear impact on growth and development, cancer, and regeneration. We are excited to welcome Dr. Zhou and his lab to the team.” said Ben Wu, PhD, DDS, Chief Science Officer, and Chief Operating Officer at AFI.

Learn more about Dr. Zhou's work here: https://forsyth.org/dr-chengji-zhou-joins-ada-forsyth-enhancing-craniofacial-research-at-the-institute/?_thumbnail_id=7738

Join ADA Forsyth and the International Orthodontics Foundation for our first joint International Orthodontic Symposium! It will be an amazing event featuring 29 thought leaders from 22 prestigious institutions around the globe, including AFI's very own Wenyuan Shi, Ben Wu, Tingxi Wu, and Kang Ting. The focus of this symposium will be on Orthodontic Innovation and Technology for Practicing Orthodontists.

Where: ADA Forsyth Institute, Cambridge, MA
When: October 5-6, 2024

Register here: https://www.iofglobal.org/2024ios
We look forward to seeing you there!

ADA Forsyth’s Inaugural Golf tournament, sponsored by Voyager Dental, is just 1 month away. Don’t worry though, there is still time to sign up!

The proceeds from this event will go towards ADA Forsyth's impactful community and research programs. These include ForsythKids, which provides dental care to children in need. Attending this event not only guarantees an amazing day filled with 18 holes of golf, networking opportunities, and a concluding reception but also enables you to contribute to a great cause.

Of course, this event would not be possible without the amazing organizations who have chosen to partner with us on this event. We would like to extend our gratitude to: Voyager Dental Services , P&G , Upcera_Official , North River Company , Young Innovations , OraBio , Universal Orthodontic Lab, Inc., GC America , STEMDEN , Thermo Fisher Scientific , and 32Health.

Click the link to register, donate, or sponsor: https://trellis.org/ada-forsyth-inaugural-golf-tournament

Earlier this week, the Boston section of the American Association for Dental, Oral and Craniofacial Research (AADOCR) met at ADA Forsyth for the annual poster session. It was an amazing event where postdoctoral students had a chance to network with and present their work to peers and researchers from Boston-area institutions. We had a great turnout. This event was a success due to the stellar work, motivation, and attendance of trainees, reflected in the presentation of 34 excellent posters. Thank you to everyone who participated!

Massachusetts General Hospital , Harvard School of Dental Medicine , Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine , Tufts University School of Dental Medicine

ADA Forsyth Institute (AFI) researchers received just under $10 million in funding from the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) during the federal fiscal year 2023. The institute ranked number 1 on the East Coast, and number 4 nationally on NIDCR’s ranking list. Congrats to the entire AFI team! Learn more here: https://forsyth.org/afi-ranks-number-1-on-the-east-coast-in-oral-health-research/

Our very own Director of ADA Forsyth's Center for Clinical and Translational Research, Hatice Hasturk, was featured on the Osteology Foundation's Next Regeneration Podcast, highlighting her innovative work on inflammation and periodontal disease. Listen below!

🎙️Host modulators are changing the game in inflammatory disease treatment!
Check out the latest episode of Next Regeneration Podcast where Anina and Elena chat with Hatice Hasturk about her pioneering work on specialized pro-resolving lipid mediators (SPMs) for periodontal diseases.🦷

Their approach represents a significant shift in how we handle inflammation, aiming for active resolution rather than suppression. The results of her translational research are promising and suggest that these modulators may not only target local inflammation but also have systemic effects, potentially breaking the link between periodontitis and systemic diseases. It's serious progress in the fight against inflammatory disorders. 🌟

🎧Listen to the podcast: https://osteology.org/en/education/podcasts/next-regeneration/

Today we would like to give special thanks to Voyager Dental, the Course Sponsor for ADA Forsyth’s upcoming Inaugural Golf Tournament Fundraiser to support ADA Forsyth research and community programs.

Voyager Dental is a proprietary software platform based on advanced automation, next generation 3D design tools, and systematic data analysis to transform quality in digital dentistry. Voyager sees AI at its best when informed by clinical outcomes and delivers business intelligence on the "why" and "how" to make a difference, organizing practice management data to be actionable, underscoring the correlation between lab quality with chair time. Determined to build better, the team is anchored by technology leaders who have built tech platforms in both dentistry and healthcare. Surrounded by dental experts, and bolstered by leaders from national labs, DSOs, dental software, and healthcare IT successes, Voyager is on a defined trajectory forward for the benefit of patients.

ADA Forsyth’s Inaugural Golf Tournament will be held on June 11. To attend or become a sponsor of this exciting event, click here: https://ow.ly/LXBu50RlxCg

Registration for ADA Forsyth dentech® is now open!

ADA Forsyth dentech® is the leading oral health technology innovation conference. At dentech® you can expect to connect with thought leaders surrounding oral health, research, biotech, venture capitalists, and more... The aim of dentech® is to accelerate innovation and launch new ventures in the oral health space. We are currently accepting applications for our startup pitch competition and would love to hear from startups working in the following industries :

- Diagnostics
- Therapeutics
- Devices
- Software as a service (SaaS)
- Business-to-Business (B2B) solutions

Whether you would like to register as an attendee or enter our startup pitch competition, this is truly a must-experience event. Register here: https://forsyth.org/events-courses/dentech/

ADA Forsyth CEO Wenyuan Shi will be a keynote speaker at "Microbes & Alzheimer's: Bridging Silos to Accelerate Innovation", on July 27th. The day-long conference will feature over 20 expert speakers exploring connections between microbes and Alzheimer's disease. ADA Forsyth is pleased to sponsor this event, which is being put on by Intracell Research group in partnership with the Alzheimer's Pathobiome Initiative and hosted by the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. To register visit this link: https://ow.ly/frl350Rhx96

ADA Forsyth scientists, led by investigator Xuesong He, have discovered a new phage resistance mechanism in the oral phage-bacterial arms race. Bacteriophages (phages) are a lethal predator of bacteria and play a critical role in microbial ecology. The study shows a third player in this environment called TM7x, an ultrasmall parasite that helps its host bacteria resist certain phages when in the oral microbiome. These same episymbionts harm their host bacteria when studied in an environment outside of the oral microbiome. This discovery shows a complex and very dynamic oral ecology. As the environment changes, the relationship between microbes can change. This study was published in the Proceedings of the Nation Academy of Sciences. Click here to learn more: https://ow.ly/yB6L50RbISY

NIDCR has awarded the prestigious K99/R00 career transition award to ADA Forsyth researcher Ning Yu for her periodontal research. Periodontitis causes tooth loss by gradually damaging the underlying tooth support structures over time, and the insidious tissue damage can lead to systemic health problems beyond the teeth and mouth. Dr. Yu studies how the body’s early immune defense system influences the oral microbiome in a mouse model of periodontitis.

Working with a special mouse strain that resolves inflammation by engaging the specialized pro-resolving mediators (SPMs) pathways, Dr. Yu and her team will explore how a healthy immune system protects the body from gum disease by promoting a healthy oral microbiome, with the goal of applying those lessons to future therapeutic interventions.

Periodontal disease may be persistent, but it’s no match for Dr. Yu who applied for the NIDCR K99/R00 four times throughout her postdoc career before finally receiving this award. Congratulations, Ning, on your grit and perseverance! Dr. Yu’s mentor team includes ADA Forsyth microbiologists Drs. Xuesong He and Jessica Mark Welch, and immunologist Dr. Thomas Van D**e. This collaborative, multidisciplinary approach is just one of the reasons why AFI postdocs are sweeping the training grant category, of which there are only a handful awarded annually in the U.S. Find out more at forsyth.org/research.

Congratulations to ADA Forsyth Graduate Fellow Christina Rothenberger! Christina has been awarded the NIDCR’s Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Individual Predoctoral Fellowship to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research. Christina is completing her research training with us while she works toward her PhD in Microbiology & Immunology from the University of Florida. Christina is interested in the lifecycle and physiology of Porphyromonas gingivalis, one of the bacteria known to contribute to periodontal disease. In this study, which will be the basis for her doctoral dissertation, Christina breaks down the components and mechanisms by which P. gingivalis capitalizes on red blood cells and the bloodstream to acquire nutrients and move throughout the body. Learn more about AFI pre- and postdoctoral training opportunities here: https://forsyth.org/training/

This February ForsythKids attended two great Give Kids a Smile events, pictured below: The Give Kids a Smile kickoff in D.C. with the American Dental Association and Howard University College of Dentistry. As well as the University of New England College of Dental Medicine Give Kids a Smile event. These events were both excellent occasions for Forsyth Kids to partner with other outstanding dental organizations that provide dental care to children in need. 🙌

An average of 41% of children ForsythKids screens at our sites have untreated decay, which is significantly higher than the 13% national average of untreated tooth decay in children, according to the CDC. The importance of preventive oral health care measures like fluoride varnish and sealants cannot be overstated for children in our underserved communities.

In the 2022-2023 school year, ForsythKids provided care (including dental screenings, fluoride varnish, cleanings and sealants, and education) to over 3,250 children in 68 preschool programs, elementary schools, middle schools, high schools, summer camps, transitional housing facilities, and drop-in shelters. The children in the communities we serve, including Boston, Brighton, Lynn, Somerville, Cambridge, Randolph, Hull, Dennis-Yarmouth, Holyoke, Waltham, and Canton, would otherwise have been without vital preventive care. This school year, ForsythKids is on track to provide care and education to at least as many children as last year. 📈

A newly published study from ADA Forsyth rising star Dr. Pu-Ting D**g, in collaboration with her advisor Dr. Xuesong He, illuminates an interaction between two strains of oral bacteria that results in a phenomenon not commonly observed in any bacteria, and practically unheard-of in oral bacteria: drastic accumulation of intracellular fats in an oral bacteria coculture system. Further, the appearance of intracellular lipid droplets in oral bacteria was found to be a stress response resulting from the inherently parasitic relationship between Saccharibacteria and its host. Scientific excellence and impressive use of advanced imaging techniques earned Dr. D**g the QPC Lasers Young Investigator Best Paper Award by the Chairs of the Conference “Photonic Diagnosis, Monitoring, Prevention, and Treatment of Infections and Inflammatory Diseases” at the SPIE Photonics West conference. Get the full story here: https://ow.ly/2YcX50QC4kM

The ADA Forsyth Institute is pleased to announce its New Board of Directors!

Under the strategic guidance of the new board, AFI will continue to be the leader and incubator of firsts in this space, focusing on biological research, clinical service and public health outreach and technological innovation.

“Some of the field’s greatest innovators and leaders reside on our new board of directors,” said Wenyuan Shi, Ph.D., AFI Chief Executive Officer. “Together with the unparalleled talent of our researchers, the AFI is now positioned to usher in a new era of research, development, and innovation in dentistry and oral health.”

ADA executive director Raymond Cohlmia, D.D.S., will chair the new board. Three members of the former Forsyth Institute board – Elyse Cherry, Michael Greeley, and Stephen E. Thorne IV – will be part of AFI’s board. James M. Boyle, D.D.S., Teresa Dolan, D.D.S, M.P.H. and J. Leslie Winston, D.D.S., Ph.D. are former ADASRI Board members who will join the ADA Forsyth Board.

American Dental Association

Read the official press release here: https://ow.ly/JYaa50QBbnB

How well do you know the trillions of microorganisms living in your body? ADA Forsyth scientist George Chen, PhD, is on a mission to understand their characteristics and behaviors so intimately that someday your doctor may be able to use these data for early detection of cancer before it starts. Together with his colleague Nezar Al-Hebshi of Temple University, Dr. Chen is using his bioinformatics expertise to comprehensively characterize the multi-kingdom microbiome (bacteria and fungi) associated with oral leukoplakia or “OL” – a potentially precancerous buildup of plaque in the oral cavity, and different grades of dysplasia – a condition where cells grow abnormally in size, shape, or organization, and may become cancerous over time. Their study will be the first to use metagenomic sequencing (a massive-scale sequencing of all DNA) to characterize the OL-associated microbiome, the results of which could empower scientists to identify microbial signatures and functions of dysplasia and early carcinogenesis.

ADA Forsyth Scientist, Dr. Yang Hu, was awarded an R03 grant to advance the development of localized therapeutic strategies for the treatment of gum disease. After 3 successful publications on the topic, Dr. Hu is advancing his research further by exploring critical hypotheses about exactly how the mechanism he has been working on regulates previously poorly understood pathways of inflammation.

ADA Forsyth scientists are testing a novel technology to replace root canal therapy with tissue regeneration. The technology promotes formation of the type of stem cells that can differentiate into dentin (tooth), bone, cartilage or fat. This development has huge potential for regenerative medicine beyond the tissues in the teeth. It could eventually be used to grow bones in other parts of the bone. Read more: https://forsyth.org/ada-forsyth-scientists-work-to-bring-tissue-regeneration-to-replace-root-canal-treatment/

New Forsyth research encourages dentists to be mindful of social and dietary determinants of health when treating overweight children with dental cavities. While the study determined no direct correlation between caries and obesity, children with extreme cases of both conditions had multiple overlapping risk factors, suggesting that comprehensive approaches to treatments are necessary to prevent disease progression. Read more: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ipd.13093

This study was made possible by the Barr Foundation.

ADA Forsyth scientist, Dr. Thomas Van D**e, will work with UT Health Houston scientist Chun-Teh Lee to examine the impact of race and ethnicity on inflammation and the oral microbiome of people with periodontal disease. This project will focus on the oral microbiome of Mexican-Americans, who have an increased risk of periodontitis compared to other ethnicities.

This project is funded by the NIDCR.

ADA Forsyth scientists continue to design exciting projects that earn grant awards and corporate sponsorships. Dr. Qing Yu recently received a corporate sponsorship to study the efficacy of a novel compound in treating Sjӧgren’s disease. Dr. Yu's work to explore a new treatment will be valuable, considering Sjӧgren’s disease has no cure.

Forsyth scientists Drs. Hatice Hasturk, Alpdogan Kantarci, and Tom Van D**e presented their research at the American Academy of Periodontology. Their cutting-edge work in oral-systemic health was fitting for a conference honoring Dr. Robert Genco, who pioneered the field of oral-systemic connection.