Lasting Impressions | Fall 2015

NSU COLLEGE OF DENTAL MEDICINE © 9 as Kandalam said, “When the hard palate is missing, the max- illofacial growth is affected.” The re- search being done in her lab could alleviate many of the challenges that those born with cleft palate face very early in life. Kandalam and her research team have established isolation procedures of stem cells from various tissues including gum tissues, which can be used to regenerate bony tissues in the cleft palate. “Our ongoing project involves investigating different biomaterials conducive for the stem cell growth and differentiation. Use of appro- priate stem cells and scaffold materials facilitate develop- ment of safe and clinically effective approaches to bone regeneration,” she said. Currently, the study involves expansion of stem cells in culture, their differentiation, and investigation of key regulatory factors that enhance bone growth. Other research being conducted by Kandalam and her pedi- atric dentistry residents is a way to overcome the immune barrier in stem cell therapies by developing immuno- compatible models. “Dr. Kandalam is an excellent representative of the depth and scope of research being done at the College of Dental Medicine. Her work will mean the difference in quality of life for millions of children,” said Linda Niessen, D.M.D., M.P.H., M.P.P., dean of the CDM. As a professor and researcher, Kandalam is looking forward to Nova Southeastern University’s future growth as a research university, especially with the addition of the Center for Collaborative Research (CCR), the 215,000- square-foot facility that is expected to open in spring 2016 at the Fort Lauderdale/Davie Campus. The CCR will provide wet labs for many of NSU’s researchers, as well as a general clinical research center. “I see NSU’s excellence, not only as a teaching university, but in the research area as well,” said Kandalam, who joined NSU’s College of Dental Medicine in 2008 and began her cleft palate project in 2011. Previously, she was in NSU’s College of Pharmacy. She and her team are also working on procuring more grants—“foundation grants and eventually federal grants,” Kandalam said. Her research does receive funding from internal NSU grants. “In the past, we received a grant from the Cleft Palate Foundation,” she added. While her research is a source of pride, the opportunity to mentor pediatric dentistry residents is yet another. Kandalam makes a point to mention that the work of one of her postgraduate residents was a finalist in a competition. The abstract by Reem Almashat, D.D.S., is in a competition conducted by the American Association of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) and the 2015 NuSmile Graduate Student Research Award. (See story on page 33.) “This is a novel area in which we are working, so this is quite an achievement,” Kandalam said proudly. u CDM assistant professor Umadevi Kandalam’s research investigates bone regeneration as a way to help correct cleft palates.