The work of two Penn Dental Medicine postgraduate researchers has been recognized by the International Association for Dental Research (IADR): Aurea Simon-Soro was the recipient of the 2020 IADR Oral Health Research Young Investigators Travel Award, and Yuan Liu (GD’19) was honored with the 2020 IADR Women in Science Promising Talent Award. Both women are part of the research lab of Hyun (Michel) Koo, professor in the department of orthodontics and divisions of pediatric dentistry and community oral health at Penn Dental Medicine.

The Oral Health Research Young Investigator Travel Award is open to predoctoral students, postdoctoral students and students who are in a certified dental hygiene program who have an accepted abstract in Oral Health Research and would be presenting the abstract themselves at the IADR General Session. Selection is based on originality, scientific rigor and potential impact on global oral health. The award is meant to help cover travel to and accommodations at the General Session. With the cancellation of the 2020 IADR General Session due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the IADR Oral Health Group has offered to support travel to the 2021 IADR General Session in Chengdu, China, through this award.

Presently in the Biomedical Postdoctoral Program at Penn (her second PhD program at Penn), Dr. Simon-Soro has been conducting research within the Koo lab for three years, applying her skills in bioinformatics, microbiome analysis and biofilm imaging.

She was selected for a study that investigated an animal model that looked at modifications of microbiota related to oral disease and therapeutic intervention, examining specific microbiota composition and changes at different body sites.

The Women in Science Promising Talent Award recognizes young members of the IADR Women in Science Network who are dedicated to research as part of their postdoctoral training. Dr. Liu completed her DScD at Penn Dental Medicine in 2019 (and also holds an MS, a certificate in pediatric dentistry and a PhD) and has been conducting research in Dr. Koo’s lab since 2014. Her research focuses on understanding the relationship between biofilms and dental caries and seeking novel therapeutic strategies to control cariogenic biofilms.

Drs. Liu and Simon-Soro were both previously recognized for their research by the American Association for Dental Research (AADR) and the IADR. Dr. Liu was awarded second place (post-doctoral category) in the 2018 AADR Hatton Awards and Dr. Simon-Soro was the 2019 recipient of the IADR Women in Science Award for Distinguished Research.