SOD Labs and Clinical Researchers
Welcome to the Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) School of Dentistry Laboratory page, where you can discover the cutting-edge research and innovative educational programs conducted by our faculty and students. As a leading academic institution, we are committed to providing outstanding clinical care, advancing scientific knowledge, and educating the next generation of oral health professionals. Our state-of-the-art laboratories and facilities are equipped with the latest technology, enabling our researchers and students to explore new frontiers in dentistry, including oral pathology, biomaterials, and community dental research. Whether you are a current student, a potential applicant, or a dental professional, we invite you to explore our laboratory page and learn more about the exciting work taking place at OHSU's School of Dentistry.
Direct links to lab pages: Baker Lab | Bertassoni Lab | Fugolin Lab | Hsu Lab | Kreth Lab | Lampi Lab | Merritt Lab | Momeni Lab | Pfeifer Lab | Wu Lab
Clinical Orthodontics
Nickel- Iwasaki Lab
Our focus is on clinical and translational research that investigates the effects of biomechanics on the craniofacial system. Among our foci are measurements of jaw-loading mechanics and behaviors in order to understand conditions of growth, maintenance, degeneration, and pain associated with the human temporomandibular joint (TMJ).
Contact Jeff Nickel. | Contact Laura Iwasaki
Public Health Research
Lydie Foster Page
The Division of Dental Public Health, led by Dr. Foster-Page, conducts research to advance oral health equity and inform policy. Current projects address health inequalities, prevention of oropharyngeal cancer through HPV vaccination, stigma and bias in dental students’ care of patients with HIV, and the oral health needs of unstably housed individuals. By developing evidence for innovative workforce models and health policies, the Division aims to improve oral health outcomes and reduce disparities at the community and population level.
Contact Lyndie Foster-Page
Richie Kohli
Dr. Kohli, focuses on research, policies, and providing oral health care in underserved populations, including at the Russell Street Clinic and clinics throughout Oregon. Their work focuses on innovative workforce models to improve dental access and care and highlight the importance of oral health to improve oral health outcomes at the local and policy level.
Contact Richie Kohli
CaseCATs
CaseCATs provides a structured opportunity for students to advance their understanding of evidence-based dentistry while refining skills in literature retrieval and critical appraisal. Participants learn to systematically evaluate research, frame and address clinical questions, and present findings in the PICO format through a scholarly poster. Projects are showcased at OHSU Research Day in March and the Oregon Dental Conference in April, offering professional visibility and academic engagement. DS1 and DS2 students typically select a topic of interest within clinical dentistry, while DS3 and DS4 students develop their projects around specific patient cases, ensuring a progression from conceptual exploration to applied clinical analysis.
Contact Samyia Chaudhry and Christina Truong
Biomaterials
Fugolin Lab
The Fugolin lab focus is to design and validate biomimetic synthetic systems that induce minute, orchestrated changes, leading to significant physicochemical and biological responses to external and internal stimuli.
Pfeifer Lab
The Pfeifer lab combines polymer chemistry and microbiology to develop innovative materials for uses in Dentistry and beyond. Past projects included the development of a composite formulation with higher strength and lower polymerization stress, and of an adhesive with twice as high bond strength to the tooth, which was stable over time. Current projects focus on 1. the development of material coatings capable of selectively inhibiting caries-forming bacteria at the tooth-restoration interface, using computational chemistry for design of small molecules and peptides; 2. the stabilization of the bonded interface through inhibition of the enzymes responsible for the breakdown of collagen. Both these lines of research involve computational simulations of enzyme-drug interactions, as well as organic synthesis, and microbiology and molecular biology techniques. Material characterization for mechanical and optical properties is also part of our day-to-day.
Contact the Pfeifer Lab | Pfeifer Lab Website
Oral Microbiome
Baker Lab
The research in Dr. Baker’s laboratory leverages emerging technologies in bioinformatics and molecular biology to answer fundamental questions regarding the ecology, physiology, and pathogenesis of the human oral microbiome. This research has discovered new species of bacteria and novel biosynthetic pathways, and has the long-term goal of improving overall human health by better understanding how the ecosystems within the mouth work and interact with the human host.
Contact Jonathon Baker | Baker Lab
Kreth Lab
The Kreth lab investigates fundamental processes of commensal bacterial interactions in the oral biofilm. We aim to identify and characterize the molecular mechanisms that promote commensal species to better understand the healthy oral microbiome.
Contact Jens Kreth | Kreth Lab Webpage
Lampi Lab
The Lampi lab at Oregon Health and Science University focuses on investigating the role of deamidation in protein dynamics using multiangle laser scattering and mass spectrometry.
Contact Kirsten Lampi | Lampi Lab Website
Merritt Lab
Research in the Merritt laboratory focuses upon the molecular and cellular microbiology of the human oral microbiome to understand how mucosal health is regulated in the human body. Projects in the Merritt Lab encompass a wide range of topics including clinical microbiology, bacterial genetics, protein biochemistry/structure, and infection biology. Mechanistic studies of microbiome pathobiology are primarily investigated using bacterial strains isolated directly from clinical specimens obtained from OHSU dental clinics. Key interests encompass various aspects of bacterial and host genetics as well as mechanisms of microbiome polymicrobial synergistic pathogenesis and associated immunopathology.
Contact Justin Merritt | Merritt Lab Website
Wu Lab
Our focus is investigating the underlying molecular mechanisms of biofilm formation for bacterial persistence and chronic infections. We are particularly interested in understanding molecular cross talks between microbes and aim to develop new anti-infective approaches that prevent and treat persistent infections.
Contact Hui Wu | Wu Lab Website
Tissue Engineering
Bertassoni Lab
Our focus is 3D bioprinting for the fabrication of complex tissue environments with functional vascular networks for regenerative applications. We are also interested in the development of functional hydrogels for the study of the interaction of biomaterials with matrix molecules on the nanoscale.
Contact Luiz Bertassoni | Bertassoni Lab Website
Hsu Lab
Angiogenesis plays a critical role in bone regeneration. My laboratory focuses on both translational and clinical research to uncover the underlying mechanisms by utilizing osteochondral tissue (OCT) models and perivascular stem cells to study vascular–bone interactions and enhance regenerative outcomes.
Baker Lab | Bertassoni Lab | Fugolin Lab | Hsu Lab | Kreth Lab | Lampi Lab | Merritt Lab | Momeni Lab | Pfeifer Lab | Wu Lab