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Dental student wins prestigious research award

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Manshi Patel (D3) receives award
Manshi Patel is pictured with, from left:
Dr. Timothy L. Hottel, dean of the University
of Tennessee College of Dentistry; Dr. Brian
Carpenter, president of the Hinman Dental Society;
and Dr. Franklin Garcia-Godoy, senior executive
associate dean for research at the
Tennessee dental school.
Manshi Patel (D3) won an award for most outstanding presentation in basic science research at the 16th annual Hinman Student Research Symposium, which was held Oct. 29-31 in Memphis. Hers was one of six awards in clinical and basic science given at the symposium, which featured oral and poster presentations of research projects by 86 dental and graduate students from 47 dental schools in 29 states, Washington, D.C., and three Canadian provinces.

Patel’s research, “Regulation of Human Bmp4 Promoter by Pax9, Msx1 and Msx,” was directed and mentored by Dr. Rena D’Souza, professor and chair of biomedical sciences, and Dr. Gabriele Mues, assistant professor of biomedical sciences. It studied the role of the Pax9 transcription factor on expression of other transcription factors important in tooth development.

Six additional student researchers represented Texas A&M Health Science Center Baylor College of Dentistry at the symposium. These included D2 students Ida Khobahy and Greg Knutsen, and D3 students Caytlyn Foy, Karen Liang, Drew Vanderbrook and Patrick Whittington.

The symposium was co-sponsored by the University of Tennessee College of Dentistry and the Hinman Dental Society. It is supported in part by grants from the National Institute for Dental and Craniofacial Research, ADEA Gies Foundation, Procter & Gamble Company, and Colgate-Palmolive Company.