Find a Faculty Mentor

Many faculty members participate in the Student Research Program. Their research interests include all areas of the basic sciences and dental clinical sciences. Students are encouraged to contact these faculty members to pursue specific projects.

How to Find a Faculty Mentor

There are several ways to find a research mentor. For example, you could begin the search by talking with the instructor of a course that you enjoy and that includes topics that may be of interest to you for a research project.

Research mentors encourage students to come with their own ideas, even if those ideas are not suitable for an initial research experience. By expressing your own ideas, you demonstrate that you are taking some responsibility for your research.
Read a recent article by your potential mentor, so that you have a better understanding of the focus of their research.
Send your current resume to a potential mentor when you are asking for an appointment to talk with them about research.

Meet the Mentors

Thikriat Al-Jewair, DDS, MSc, MS, FRCD(C)
L.B Badgero Endowed Chair and Associate Professor, Department of Orthodontics
140 Squire Hall
Phone: 716-829-6190
Email: thikriat@buffalo.edu

Research Focus: Orthodontic treatment outcomes; adult and pediatric sleep-disordered breathing; artificial intelligence in orthodontics; evidence-based dentistry/orthodontics

Praveen Arany, DDS, PhD
Associate Professor, Department of Oral Biology
553 BRB
Phone: 716-829-3479
Email: prarany@buffalo.edu

Research Focus: Clinical translational research; lasers; biophotonics; TGF beta signaling; wound healing; smart biomaterials

Marcelo W.B. Araujo, DDS, MS, PhD
Dean & Professor, Department of Periodontics and Endodontics, School of Dental Medicine
325 Squire Hall
Phone: 716-829-2069
Email: araujo@buffalo.edu

Research Focus: Periodontics

Arash Poursattar Bejehmir
Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Orthodontics
127 Squire Hall
Phone:716-829-6189
Email: arashpou@buffalo.edu

Research Focus: Orthodontics

Robert Cohen, DDS, MS, PhD

Professor and Chair, Department of Periodontics and Endodontics
250 Squire Hall
Phone:716-829-3845
Email: rcohen@buffalo.edu

Research Focus: Biostatistics; immunology; inflammation; oral biology; immunology; immunopathology; implant dentistry; inflammation; monoclonal antibodies; oral biology; oral medicine; periodontics

Zhibin Cui, DDS, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Oral Biology
655 BRB
Phone: 716-829-3509
Email: zhibincu@buffalo.edu

Research Focus: Gene expression; gene therapy; cancer treatment and prevention; genome-wide screening; immunology; molecular and cellular biology; molecular genetics; oral biology; translational research; genetics; genomics; head and neck oncology; immunotherapy; oral/maxillofacial surgery

Patricia I. Diaz, DDS, PhD
Sunstar Robert J. Genco Endowed Chair and Empire Innovation Professor; Department of Oral Biology; Director, UB Microbiome Center; 621 BRB
Phone: 716-829-5822
Email: pidiazmo@buffalo.edu

Research Focus: Oral microbiome; Inter-species interactions; Periodontitis; Cancer chemotherapy; Oral mucositis; Candidiasis; Bacteria-Candida interactions; Bioinformatics

Jennifer Frustino, DDS, PhD
Director of Oncology Research, Erie County Medical Center; Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Otolaryngology, JSMBS
462 Grider St.
Buffalo, NY 14215
Phone: 716-362-9585
Email: frustino@buffalo.edu

Research Focus: Oncology clinical trials; HPV and HIV co-infection; photobiomodulation therapy; oral potentially malignant disorders

Ashish Gurav, DMD, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Orthodontics
140 Squire Hall
Phone: 716-829-6174
Email: agurav2@buffalo.edu

Research Focus: Clinical orthodontics

Laertis Ikonomou, PhD
Associate Professor, Department of Oral Biology
619 BRB
Phone: 716-829-6206
Email: laertisi@buffalo.edu

Research Focus: Bioethics of cell and gene therapies; developmental biology; pluripotent stem cell biology; regenerative medicine

Kathryn Kauffman, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Oral Biology
617 BRB
Phone: 716-829-5830
Email: kmkauffm@buffalo.edu

Research Focus: Microbiome; bacteriophages; ecology

Jason Kay, PhD
Associate Professor, Department of Oral Biology
545 BRB
Phone: 716-829-2073
Email: jasonkay@buffalo.edu

Research Focus: Apoptosis and cell death; image processing and analysis; immunology; inflammation; lipid homeostasis; microbial pathogenesis; microbiology; molecular and cellular biology; molecular basis of disease; oral biology; signal transduction; oral biology

Keith L. Kirkwood, DDS, PhD
Senior Associate Dean for Research; Centennial Endowed Professor, Department of Oral Biology
645 BRB
Phone: 716-829-6667
Email: klkirk@buffalo.edu

Research Focus: Myeloid cell biology; periodontal disease; cancer progression

Jill Kramer, DDS, PhD
Associate Professor, Department of Oral Biology
517 BRB
Phone: 716-829-2551
Email: jkramer@buffalo.edu

Research Focus: Sjogren’s disease; immunology; mouse models; toll-like receptors

Jessica Kruger, PhD, MCHES
Clinical Associate Professor, School of Public Health and Health Professions
319 Kimball Tower
Phone: 716-829-6748
Email: jskruger@buffalo.edu

Research Focus: Consumption and addictive behaviors; health behavior decision-making; pedagogy in Public Health.

Rohitashw Kumar, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Oral Biology
651 BRB
Phone: 716-829-2520
Email: rohitash@buffalo.edu

Research Focus: Microbiology; immunology; innate; oral candidiasis, oral epithelial immunity, protease dysregulation

Rui Li, DDS, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Restorative Dentistry
235 Squire Hall
Phone: 716-829-2862
Email: rli7@buffalo.edu

Research Focus: Digital dentistry; dental materials; antifungal treatment

Michael R. Markiewicz, DDS, MD, MPH, FACS
Professor, Chair, and Associate Dean for Hospital Affairs, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
112 Squire Hall
Phone: ‭716-829-5425
Email: mrm25@buffalo.edu

Research Focus: Head and neck cancer; microvascular surgery; facial trauma and reconstruction; skull base surgery; pediatric cleft and craniofacial surgery

Ahmet Orgev, DDS, MSc, MSD, FACP
Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Restorative Dentistry,
215J Squire Hall
Phone: 716-829-3332
Email: ahmetorg@buffalo.edu

Research Focus: Implant dentistry, oral/maxillofacial surgery, prosthodontics, technology

Rubelisa Oliveira, DDS, MS, PhD
Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Periodontics and Endodontics
250 Squire Hall
Phone: 716-829-3845
Email: rubelisa@buffalo.edu

Research Focus: Oral health; public health; health disparities; health equity; epidemiology

Lucila Piasecki, DDS, BDS, MS, PhD
Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Periodontics and Endodontics
230 Squire Hall
Phone: 716-829-6197
Email: lucilapi@buffalo.edu

Research Focus: Endodontics; tooth apex; endodontic instruments; MicroCT; CBCT; tooth anatomy

Mohini Ratakonda, BDS, MDS
Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Periodontics and Endodontics
240F Squire Hall
Phone: 716-829-6229
Email: mohinira@buffalo.edu

Research Focus: Endodontic treatment outcomes, predoctoral teaching and evaluation methods

Stefan Ruhl, DDS, PhD
Professor and Chair, Department of Oral Biology
649 BRB
Phone: 716-829-6073
Email: shruhl@buffalo.edu

Research Focus: Saliva; salivary proteins; microbial adhesion; biomaterials; evolution of saliva

Camila Sabatini, DDS, PhD
Associate Professor, Department of Restorative Dentistry
315 BRB
Phone: 716-829-6343
Email: cs252@buffalo.edu

Research Focus: Bioactive restorative materials; antibacterial resins; regenerative medicine; therapies for pulp-dentin repair

Frank A. Scannapieco, DMD, PhD
SUNY Distinguished Professor, Department of Oral Biology
353 BRB
Phone: 716-829-2854
Email: fas1@buffalo.edu

Research focus: Oral biology; periodontics; microbiology/biochemistry; oral microbilogy; oral disease/systemic disease connection

Michelle Visser, PhD
Associate Professor, Department of Oral Biology
513 BRB
Phone: 716-829-3943
Email: mbvisser@buffalo.edu

Research Focus: Microbiology; immunology; innate; periodontitis; systemic disease; scaffold; tissue healing

Christina Zachariadou, DDS, MS, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Periodontics and Endodontics
250B Squire Hall
Phone: 716-829-3850
Email: czachari@buffalo.edu

Research Focus: Oral biology; implant dentistry; periodontics