Genco Receives Ross Award from American Dental Association

By Sue Wuetcher

Release Date: October 24, 2003 This content is archived.

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BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Robert J. Genco, D.D.S., Ph.D., of Buffalo, SUNY Distinguished Professor in the Department of Oral Biology in the University at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine, has won the 2003 Norton M. Ross Award for Excellence in Clinical Research from the American Dental Association for his research into the relationship between periodontal and cardiovascular diseases.

The Ross award recognizes an individual who has made significant contributions in clinical investigations to advance the diagnosis, treatment and/or prevention of craniofacial-oral-dental diseases and other outstanding research accomplishments.

Genco also is director of the Periodontal Disease Clinical Research Center in the UB dental school, as well as vice provost and director of UB's Office of Science, Technology Transfer and Economic Outreach.

He has devoted an almost-40-year career to studying immunological principles that affect clinical dentistry. A past winner of the association's Gold Medal Award for Excellence in Dental Research, he has published more than 325 scientific articles and books on periodontology, microbiology, diabetes and other periodontal-systemic associations.

A consistent recipient of funding from the National Institutes of Health, he currently is the principal investigator on an NIH multi-center, pilot study of the relationship between the bacteria responsible for periodontal disease and cardiovascular disease.

"I'm very pleased (to receive the award), particularly since the Ross award recognizes clinical research, which I feel is very important to dentistry right now," Genco said. "The Ross award's recognition of clinical research as a science unto itself will further the goal of transferring laboratory research and animal studies to humans to improve clinical dental practice and better treat the public."

The Ross award is sponsored by the ADA through the ADA Foundation with the support of Pfizer Consumer Healthcare, and honors the memory of Norton M. Ross, a renowned dentist, pharmacologist and researcher.