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Monday 7 August 2017 12:04pm

The New Zealand Dental Association and Ministry of Health are key supporters of our cutting-edge dental and oral health research, through the NZDA Research Foundation and MoH Oral Health Research Fund grant rounds. Funding from these grants supports the research of our academic and research staff as well as training of our postgraduate students. This year, a total of $106,068 in funding has been awarded from the NZDA Research Foundation for projects led by our staff, PhD and DClinDent students. SJWRI researchers were also principal or key named investigators on projects awarded $68,697 in targeted Ministry of Health Oral Health Research funding. We thank the NZDA Research Foundation and the Ministry of Health for their continued support.

NZ Dental Association Research Foundation
Established in 1964, the NZ Dental Association Research Foundation awards grants for research projects related to dentistry. Its overall purpose is to "promote, foster and extend the study and practice of the art and science of dentistry in New Zealand". Since its inception, the Foundation has provided financial support for decades of dental and oral health research projects within the Dental School and the SJWRI, to help extend the boundaries of dental knowledge and to promote the fostering and extension of the study and practice of the art and science of dentistry in New Zealand. The Research Foundation is funded by donations from dental practitioners, the dental supply industry and other businesses, as well as profits from the annual NZDA Conference and other fundraising activities. The SJWRI and the Faculty are hugely grateful for the role and contribution of the NZDA Research Foundation in supporting our research over the past five decades, in the process helping many of our Masters, PhD and specialising dental postgraduate students complete their studies.

In the 2017 NZDA Research Foundation grant round, SJWRI researchers led projects awarded a total of $106,068 in funding, including $4,100 from the International College of Dentists and $9,700 from the Continuing Dental Education Trust of Auckland.

Principal investigator Other named investigators Project title Awarded
Dr Joseph ANTOUN Ana Low, Dr Li (Peter) Mei, A/Prof Geoffrey Tompkins, Prof Mauro Farella Effects of different adhesive removal methods on bacterial colonization on in vivo orthodontic bracket model $11,965
Deepak CHELLAPPA Dr Peter Cathro, A/Prof Geoffrey Tompkins Comparing the antimicrobial efficacy of contemporary irrigation techniques in curved root canals $3,500
Harsha DE SILVA Dr Haizal Hussaini, Prof Alison Rich Role of Candida albicans in oral carcinogenesis $9,589
Philippa GREER Dr Dawn Coates, Dr Benedict Seo, Dr Haizal Hussaini, Prof Alison Rich The regulation of galectin-1 and implications for epithelial-mesenchymal transitioning in oral squamous cell carcinoma $14,584
Poppy HORNE A/Prof Lyndie L Foster Page, Prof Jonathan Leichter, Prof Murray Thomson, Dr Ellie Knight Psychosocial aspects of periodontal disease diagnosis and treatment

$4,100
(ICD)

Dr Erwin LAMPING Prof Richard Cannon NanoBRET - a novel and versatile protein reporter technology for oral health research $5,696
Adelyn LAU Prof Darryl Tong, Prof Murray Thomson, A/Prof Rohana De Silva, Harsha De Silva The use of dexamethasone in the reduction of post-operative outcomes after wisdom teeth surgery. A comparison of two routes of administration

$9,700
(CDET)

Dr Li (Peter) MEI Prof Richard Cannon, Prof Mauro Farella Management of biofilm formation with Air-Flow in patients with fixed orthodontic appliances $5,512
Sabarinath PRASAD Prof Mauro Farella, A/Prof Michael Paulin (UO Zoology), Prof Sandro Palla (U Zurich) Validation of a wireless device to access EMG activity in freely moving subjects $5,380
Amira SALEM
A/Prof Geoffrey Tompkins, Dr Peter Cathro Novel therapeutic targets for endodontic infections $14,900
Oripa WAQA
Dr Benedict Seo, Dr Haizal Hussaini, A/Prof Rohana De Silva, Prof Darryl Tong, Prof Alison Rich BRAF mutations in ameloblastoma: Correlation with clinical and histopathological features and behaviour $7,600
Elizabeth WILLIAMS
Dr Dawn Coates, Dr Benedict Seo, Dr Haizal Hussaini, Prof Alison Rich
Human papillomavirus in oral verrucal-papillary lesions: detection by polymerase chain reaction
$13,542

Named investigators are from the SJWRI/Faculty of Dentistry, University of Otago unless otherwise noted. Italicized names are doctoral research (PhD/DClinDent) candidates.
ICD: International College of Dentists Award
CDET: Continuing Dental Education Trust (Auckland) Award

Ministry of Health Oral Health Research Grants
In 2007, the NZ Ministry of Health established a funding programme for oral health research, managed by the NZDA and its Research Foundation, to fund research targeted towards the oral health priorities of the Ministry. Priority is given to oral health research that targets children and adolescents; people of all ages with physical, intellectual, behavioural, or cognitive disabilities, or who are medically compromised; people experiencing inequalities of outcome (e.g. Maori, Pacific and low-income populations); maternal oral health; older adults; and research focusing on promoting oral health, building links with primary care and building the oral health workforce.

In the 2017 MoH Oral Health Research round, SJWRI researchers were named investigators on awards totalling $68,697.

Principal investigator
Other named investigators Project title Awarded
A/Prof Sheila SKEAFF (UO Human Nutrition) Prof Bernadette Drummond To determine the actual fluoride intakes of New Zealand children living in fluoridated and non-fluoridated areas of the lower South Island $14,698
Dr Moira SMITH (UOW Public Health) Prof Murray Thomson Public-sector oral health service provision for high needs and vulnerable New Zealanders $44,029
Nurulhuda THIYAHUDDIN Prof Richard Cannon, Dr Erwin Lamping, Prof Alison Rich Candida species and strains in the oral cavity of the elderly: a comparison between people in home-based care and in an aged care facility $9,970

Named investigators are from the SJWRI/Faculty of Dentistry, University of Otago unless otherwise noted. Italicized names are doctoral research (PhD/DClinDent) candidates.

Congratulations to all those funded in this year's rounds.

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