Extramural Training Award Recipients
Ana Paula Piovezan Fugolin, D.D.S., M.S., Ph.D.
I cannot overemphasize how essential the NIDCR Dual Degree Dentist Scientist Pathway to Independence Award (K99/R00) program was for my transition to an independent faculty position. This award provided me with all the necessary tools to smoothly transition into an independent role and thrive in this new phase of my career. It is an outstanding program that allows us to create and execute a comprehensive career plan tailored to hone the skills required for building and managing a sustainable and independent research program, leading a team, and mentoring the next generation of STEM trainees.
During my trainee phase, I had the opportunity to pursue advanced training in organic chemistry and participate in various workshops on lab management and mentorship academies. The outcome could not have been better: I successfully transitioned to a tenure-track faculty position with confidence and have since been developing and expanding my research program. It's worth noting that the NIDCR Dual Degree Dentist Scientist Pathway to Independence Award (K99/R00) program not only played a pivotal role in my transition but also supported my success as an independent researcher, exemplified by the R01 Stephen Katz award I received just one year after establishing my research lab.
I am not only an awardee of this program but also a fervent advocate for its continuation and expansion. I firmly believe that programs like the NIDCR Dual Degree Dentist Scientist Pathway to Independence Award (K99/R00) are the lifeblood of our scientific community, empowering aspiring researchers to achieve their full potential and contribute significantly to the field. In summary, this award reshaped my career trajectory, facilitated my establishment as an independent faculty member, enhanced my skill set, and positioned me for success as an independent researcher.
Ana Paula Piovezan Fugolin, D.D.S., M.S., Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Oral Rehabilitation and Biosciences
Oregon Health & Science University, Portland
https://www.fugolinlab.com
Erica L. Scheller, D.D.S., Ph.D.
During my time as an undergraduate I worked with Dr. Leslie Kuhn at Michigan State University. In this first experience with research, I learned the science behind how textbooks are written and how medical decisions are made. It was fascinating and resonated strongly with my desire to build new knowledge to promote human health. I was already set on going to dental school, but Dr. Kuhn encouraged me to consider doing a Ph.D. as well. Around the same time, the University of Michigan had graduated their first dual D.D.S./Ph.D. student, Dr. Darnell Kaigler, and they were planning to expand. I was fortunate to be accepted as the second student into the program, starting at the same time as now Dr. Chad Novince.
During dental school I worked with Dr. Paul Krebsbach to study the role of central versus peripheral leptin signaling in bone homeostasis. I found a great appreciation for everything related to quantitative imaging and visualization of peripheral tissues, and a respect for the physiologic interactions between the diverse neural and metabolic systems that control skeletal health. After graduation, this led me to start a postdoc in bone marrow adipose tissue biology with Dr. Ormond MacDougald, with co-mentoring in neurobiology from Dr. Martin Myers. Initially, I also pursued concurrent Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology Residency training. Though I enjoyed the specialty, given postdoc and family needs, which included an infant and a toddler at the time, I ended up taking a step back to focus solely on research.
As a postdoc, it became clear that I wanted to stay in academia. I knew that this would be a difficult path, but with the support of my mentors I developed an application to the NIDCR Dual Degree Dentist Scientist Pathway to Independence Award (K99/R00) program that was later selected for funding. This opened possibilities in research and academia that were previously out of reach. This became very clear when I attended the Advances in Mineral Metabolism meeting in 2014 as a John Haddad Young Investigator Award recipient. During my short talk to this intimidating group of leaders in skeletal biology, I mentioned that I had recently received a K99 from NIDCR, and that I was hoping to find a place to start my own lab. This led to discussions and interviews, and eventually the decision to join the Division of Bone and Mineral Diseases at the Washington University School of Medicine, a place I had never dreamed a dentist-scientist could find a home. I have now been running my lab at Washington University for 7 years and was recently promoted to Associate Professor, in addition to taking on a new role as the Executive Director of our Center of Regenerative Medicine. I am grateful for the support from NIDCR that started this journey, to the fellowship program officer Dr. Leslie Frieden for her years of help and advice, and to the reviewers for giving me a chance. I look forward to moving science forward day-by-day and to supporting the next generation of dental researchers and D.D.S./Ph.D. students as they navigate their own paths.
Erica L. Scheller, D.D.S., Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Division of Bone and Mineral Diseases
Washington University School of Medicine
Executive Director, Washington University, Center of Regenerative Medicine
President, International Society of Bone Morphometry (2022–2024)
For Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about the NIDCR Dual Degree Dentist Scientist Pathway to Independence Award (K99/R00), please refer to the FAQs for more information.
October 2024