School of Dental Medicine hires four experienced faculty members in oral biology

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Four scholars, all considered trailblazers in the field of dental, oral and craniofacial research, have recently been hired as tenure-track assistant professors in the Department of Oral Biology in the University at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine.

Each of them brings expertise in different diseases that originate in or affect the oral cavity.

“The fact that we were able to attract these highly qualified, research-intensive candidates speaks to the prestige of our oral biology department and the dental school,” said Stefan Ruhl, chair of oral biology. “We are thrilled to welcome these four stellar faculty members to our department. I know they are destined to make great strides throughout their careers at UB.”

The new faculty members are Zhibin Cui, DDS, PhD; Rohitashw Kumar, PhD; Carla Alvarez Rivas, DDS, PhD; and Harim Tavares dos Santos, DDS, PhD.

“Hiring these four individuals is a significant boost to the research efforts of oral biology. They are an exceptional cadre of young investigators with diverse research interests — from oral cancer to salivary gland biology,” said Mira Edgerton, DDS, PhD, professor and vice chair in the Department of Oral Biology, who chaired the search. “This talented cohort of teacher-scholars brings an array of scientific expertise that will enhance the academic and research experience of our students and enrich the dental school.”

Zhibin Cui

Formerly an assistant professor in the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at the University of California, San Francisco, Cui has worked toward better understanding the complex interactions between genetic mutations and the tumor immune microenvironment, particularly in relation to resistance to chemotherapy and immunotherapy. After his dentistry training, Cui earned his PhD from Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine’s Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery-Head and Neck Cancer Program in Shanghai, China.

Cui conducts basic and translational research on head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, one of the most aggressive malignancies in the oral cavity. His research aims to identify novel molecular targets to improve therapeutic options for therapy-resistant head and neck cancers.

He is a recipient of the prestigious Tobacco-Related Disease Research Program (TRDRP) postdoctoral fellowship and has a robust publication record with recent studies published in Cell Death and Disease and Molecular Cancer Research.

“UB’s strengths in immunology, molecular biology and translational research align seamlessly with my focus on head and neck cancer immunology,” he said. “In addition, UB’s commitment to innovation and the chance to work alongside renowned faculty make it the ideal place to advance my research on the intricate relationships between genetics and the tumor immune microenvironment.”

Rohitashw Kumar

Kumar joined UB’s Department of Oral Biology in 2010 as a postdoctoral associate and was promoted to a research scientist and research associate. In these roles, he focused on oral fungal infections.

He earned his doctorate in life sciences from Jawaharlal Nehru University in India. His continuing research focuses on how certain proteins lining the mouth play a role in how the whole body reacts to oral diseases such as fungal infections. He’s also examining how substances in saliva, including metal ions and small pieces of protein, help maintain a healthy balance of bacteria and other microorganisms in the mouth. His long-term research goal is to create interventions that can alter protease-mediated inflammatory responses in the oral environment, thereby halting disease progress.

He has been awarded the Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award Institutional Research Training Grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in recognition of his scholarly contributions. In addition, he’s published more than 20 peer-reviewed research articles, and his research initiatives have received funding from the NIH’s National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research.

Kumar said his experience as a postdoctoral associate at UB allowed him to thrive in a distinguished setting surrounded by innovators, thought leaders and researchers who prioritize teaching and mentoring students.

“I have continually aimed to join this exceptional research community as a faculty member,” he said.

Carla Alvarez Rivas

Alvarez Rivas recently completed an NIH-funded postdoctoral fellowship at the American Dental Association (ADA) Forsyth Institute located in Cambridge, Mass., where she researched periodontal immunology. 

Alvarez Rivas earned her DDS from the University of Chile and a PhD in biomedical sciences from the University of Chile’s Medical School.

She’s currently studying different types of memory T cells associated with periodontitis. These immune cells can remember past infections, and she’s trying to determine the difference between the cells participating in health versus disease.

Most recently, Alvarez Rivas was awarded a seven-year National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research award. Her goal is to find ways to stop periodontitis from becoming a chronic, life-lasting condition.

“UB’s Department of Oral Biology offers everything I sought to successfully establish my lab,” she said. “This includes a clear commitment to developing future leaders in dental and oral health research with support from highly collaborative and interdisciplinary faculty, access to advanced technologies, and a well-established PhD program in oral sciences that attracts top students eager to engage in cutting-edge research.”

Harim Tavares dos Santos

Tavares dos Santos most recently worked as a senior research scientist at the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery in the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Medicine.

He earned his DDS from the Federal University of Sergipe and his PhD in Oral Pathology from the University of Campinas, both in Brazil.

Throughout his masters and PhD programs, Tavares dos Santos focused on the analysis of head and neck diseases, with emphasis on salivary gland (SG) cancers. He participated in a stomatology residence program at AC Camargo Cancer Center in Brazil and was invited to teach in the Department of Dentistry at Ages University Center in Brazil.

Tavares dos Santos has detected new receptors for specialized pro-resolvin lipid mediators in Sjögren’s disease and irradiated SGs, all of which may be targets to reduce SG inflammation. Moreover, he has identified tuft cells in mouse and human SGs and has been developing the tools necessary to understand how these cells regulate SG immunity. Also, Tavares dos Santos has been awarded grants by the Sjögren’s Foundation and the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research.

Tavares dos Santos chose UB for its strong emphasis on innovative research and its reputation as one of the leading dental programs in the United States and worldwide.

“Through my research,” he said, “I aim to mentor future dental researchers, advance knowledge in epithelial biology, and enhance the quality of life for patients.”