Lasting Impressions | Fall 2014

4 © LASTING IMPRESSIONS The three researchers at the CDM represent a number of research experts at the college who are anticipating the opportunity of shar- ing knowledge for the sake of furthering science and improving dental health when the CCR opens in 2016. “The thing about research, and particularly human biology, is that science doesn’t know any disciplines,” said Linda Niessen, D.M.D., M.P.H., M.P.P., dean of NSU’s College of Dental Medicine. “What the CCR offers is opportunity.” The dean uses a hypothetical example of the kind of interaction that she envisions for her researchers. “Perhaps one of our researchers is working on an oral health study and someone from another discipline is steeped in studies on diabetic health, and they are able to come together to discover similarities that wouldn’t have been possible had they been working separately,” she said. The center will house the Rumbaugh-Goodwin Institute for Cancer Research, where, Kandalam said, experts from the cancer field could collab- orate on head and neck cancers, an important area of study at the CDM because of its link to oral health disease. Cancers of the head and neck account for about 3 to 5 percent of all cancers in the United States, according to the researcher. “With an incidence of more than 40,000 new cases a year nationwide, head and neck cancer remains a major public health prob- lem,” said Kandalam, assistant professor, Depart- ment of Pediatric Dentistry. “In this context, the expertise from those studying cancers would benefit us for future collaboration.” Kandalam’s primary area of research focuses on regeneration of bone using stem cells. “Our long-term goal is to repair cleft palate,” she said. Her research team is investigating different biomaterials for stem cell growth and differentiation. “Reconstruction of hard palate is important to preserve normal growth. Our research team has established isolation procedures of stem cells from various tissues