Each year, the Marquette University School of Dentistry’s research committee reviews dozens of student-submitted abstracts to select one winner to represent the school at the annual meeting of the American Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research —one of the foremost gatherings of dental researchers in the world.
Rebecca Odeh, a 2023 Marquette graduate and second-year dental student, was selected for her research titled “Impact of Scaffold Pore Size on Cell Attachment and Proliferation for Oral Hard Tissue Engineering.”
Odeh presented her research this week in New York alongside students from nearly 80 other accredited dental schools in the Student Competition for Advancing Dental Research and Its Application (SCADA) at the AADOCR meeting.
Although Odeh was ultimately not named a top three SCADA award winner on March 12, she was happy to share her experience and research outcomes with Marquette Today.
The dental school’s research committee selects only one student to represent Marquette. What has this process meant to you since you found out you were the winner?
It has been an incredible honor to be chosen to represent Marquette’s School of Dentistry. It makes me feel so seen and valued in the hard work and dedication I’ve put into this research. I truly feel so blessed that I get this opportunity to meet such amazing students from all around the world and be a part of this community. I also feel thankful to share our findings with such a notable scientific community and contribute to advancements in oral tissue engineering.
How has your experience in New York been presenting alongside dental students from across the country?
This experience in New York has been so inspiring and motivating. My mind has been constantly expanding throughout every interaction with the various students and researchers from across the world. This experience has led me to learn more about new creative approaches in research and gain cultural knowledge through engaging with such a diverse group of intelligent people. It’s truly amazing to be part of a community that is as wonderful as the SCADA group.
The objective of your research “aimed to evaluate the effect of scaffold pore size on cell attachment and proliferation to determine the optimal porosity for bone tissue engineering.” Can you explain what that means for those outside dental health care?
I like to think of scaffolds as a “super Band-Aid” that aid in growth and healing. The tiny holes (pores) in the scaffold allow cells to attach and multiply, which is essential for healing damaged tissue. If the pores are too small, cells can’t move in easily, and if they’re too big, the structure may not be strong enough. So, our research looks at finding the best balance to create the best “super Band-Aid” for repair.
Why this topic?
Tissue engineering is a rapidly growing field in dentistry and medicine, and finding the best materials and structures to promote bone growth is essential for improving treatments. As the building framework is very essential to the success of the healing properties of the scaffolds, establishing an understanding of how design influences cell behavior can lead to the best outcomes for our patients.
How long did you work on your research?
I’ve been working on this project for just over a year as I started in the beginning of spring semester of my D1 year. It’s been a rigorous but rewarding process, requiring much balance with schoolwork, innovation and teamwork.
How valuable was having a faculty research team in the research lab to assist with the work you did?
Our research team has been instrumental in guiding this project. Their expertise in biomaterials, tissue engineering and experimental techniques has provided invaluable support. Having a strong team to collaborate with not only enhances the research quality but also makes the process more engaging and educational, which is why I am so thankful for this amazing team to be by my side.
What do you hope to accomplish with your findings?
I hope our findings contribute to the development of better scaffold designs for tissue regeneration, ultimately improving treatments. If we can optimize scaffold porosity, we can enhance healing outcomes for patients needing repairs, making procedures the most effective and reliable.
