A pair of student researchers from the School of Dentistry claimed top honors at the American Dental Association’s Annual Session in New Orleans. Vivian Maung and Mohammad Panahpour, both of the PBL Class of 2003, won the student poster competition with their project “Gene Expression as a Result of Orthodontic Tooth Movement and/or Root Resorption.”

Their research examined the effects of orthodontic pressure on gene expression in laboratory rats. By utilizing microarray technology, the two where able to demonstrate that pressure applied to the rat’s tooth significantly influenced cellular activity in as little as twenty-four hours.

“Our study has identified more than 800 genes that may play a role in the initial molecular events of tooth movement and/or root resorption. Our current research aims at identifying the role each gene plays in this process,” Maung said.

Maung and Panahpour are rapidly becoming veterans of the research circuit. Since their first presentation during USCSD’s Student Research Day, the two have presented at the IADR Scientific Session and at several universities in China. With their latest success, the two have now been invited to present at a meeting of the Chicago Dental Society.

“It’s been an honor to represent USC at various conferences. It is an amazing experience learning from the other projects at the conferences and also meeting students from all over the world. We feel really lucky to have opportunities like this supported by so many, especially our principal investigator, Dr. Zeichner-David, Dean Slavkin and the American Association of Orthodontists,” Maung said.