Division of Oral and Systemic Health Sciences Concludes 2025 Seminar Series
Inaugural, year-long program designed to spotlight faculty research and strengthen the School’s cross-disciplinary collaboration
The UCLA School of Dentistry’s Division of Oral and Systemic Health Sciences has concluded a successful first year for its Seminar Series, designed to spotlight faculty research and strengthen cross-disciplinary collaboration within the School. Held from March through December, the program featured eight faculty presenters embedded in the Division’s Sections of Biosystems and Function and Public and Population Health whose work advanced understanding across microbiology, cancer biology, liquid-biopsy technologies, genomics, and more.
“The Division Seminar Series serves as a platform for faculty to present and share their latest research,” said Dr. Hung Ton-That, who was appointed Division chair in February. “It aims to strengthen interdisciplinary connections across the School of Dentistry while enhancing the Division’s cohesion, visibility, and impact.”
Dr. Ton-That’s presentation, Metabolic Modulation of Fusobacterium nucleatum Virulence, inaugurated the series on March 18 and set the tone for a robust slate of lunchtime talks to follow.
Other presenters and their topics included:
- April 15 | Dr. David T.W. Wong, EFIRM Liquid Biopsy for Early Cancer Detection
- May 20 | Dr. Karolina E. Kaczor-Urbanowicz, Next-Generation Sequencing Approaches in Salivary, Dental-Oral, and Craniofacial Research
- June 24 | Dr. Yi-Wei Chen, Of Worms, Mice and Men: Revelation of a Fusobacterium Hydrogen Sulfide–Hypoxia–Cancer Axis
- July 22 | Dr. No-Hee Park, Therapeutic Versatility of GV1001: Cancer Immunotherapy and Host Tissue Protection
- Sept. 22 | Dr. Steve S. Hu, Metabolomics of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma and Beyond
- Oct. 28 | Dr. Renate Lux, Oral Microbial Extracellular DNA: Inducer of Gingival Tissue Signaling During Early Events of Periodontitis Development?
- Dec. 2 | Dr. Yan Wang, From Oral Microbiomes to Population Health: Data-Driven, Collaborative Approaches to Connect the Puzzle Pieces of Personalized Dentistry
All seminars were open to faculty, trainees, and students, and were held in CHS rooms 53-105 or 13-105. The 2026 speaker slate is being finalized.
By convening experts from across the School, the Oral and Systemic Health Seminar Series strengthened UCLA Dentistry’s commitment to advancing innovative research and fostering interdisciplinary exchange that leads to wider scientific discovery and newfound collaborations.
The 2026 Seminar Series schedule will be announced shortly and feature faculty experts from across the School of Dentistry’s academic sections.
