Alexandria, VA, USA – The International Association for Dental Research (IADR) announced that Niki Moutsopoulos is this year’s recipient of the IADR Distinguished Scientist Research in Oral Biology Award. Moutsopoulos, from the National Institutes of Health - National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), Bethesda, Maryland, USA, was recognized during the Opening Ceremonies of the 101st General Session of the IADR, which was held in conjunction with the 9th Meeting of the Latin American Region and the 12th World Congress on Preventive Dentistry, that took place on June 21, 2023, in Bogotá, Colombia.
Moutsopoulos is a senior investigator and Chief of the Oral Immunity and Inflammation Section at the NIDCR. She received her DDS degree from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece and her Certificate in Periodontics from the University of Maryland, Baltimore, USA. She obtained her PhD in Immunology at the University of Maryland and NIDCR under the supervision of Sharon Wahl. She then served as a clinical fellow focusing on human immunology with Steven Holland at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Moutsopoulos currently serves as the Associate Scientific Director of NIDCR.
As an independent investigator, Moutsopoulos has established a vigorous research program that encompasses clinical, translational, and basic oral immunology. She has made important contributions to understanding host factors implicated in susceptibility to periodontitis. Her studies of patients with genetic immune defects have provided fundamental insights into oral mucosal biology and led to the identification of new therapeutic targets.
Moutsopoulos has published extensively in top journals including the New England Journal of Medicine, Science Translational Medicine, the Journal of Dental Research, Science, and Cell. She has presented her work at numerous academic institutions and international conferences, including IADR meetings. In 2019, she received the Distinguished Female Mentor Award from the IADR Women in Science Network.
Sponsored by Church & Dwight Company, the Research in Oral Biology Award is one of the 17 IADR Distinguished Scientist Awards and one of the highest honors bestowed by IADR. The award recognizes outstanding research in the field of oral biology.
About IADR
The International Association for Dental Research (IADR) is a nonprofit organization with a mission to drive dental, oral, and craniofacial research for health and well-being worldwide. IADR represents the individual scientists, clinician-scientists, dental professionals, and students based in academic, government, non-profit, and private-sector institutions who share our mission. Learn more at www.iadr.org.