AADOCR NSRG Vice-president Candidate 2026-2027
UCLA School of Dentistry
Los Angeles, LA
Graduation Date: 2031
Reasons for Running
Many social determinants of health contribute towards the widening of health inequities, particularly in oral health access and education. My research interests in health policy and evidence-based clinical practices aim to positively impact these challenges in both local and global communities. Thus, I have been committed to an academic research career since my pre-dental stages, encouraging my engagement with the NSRG and my current pursuit of a DDS/PhD at UCLA.
Over the past 2 years, I have served on AADOCR’s NSRG Board as Member-at-large and GOHIRN as the Student Representative, actively working alongside other officers to initiate programs aimed at increasing predental and minority representation. For instance, I helped create an annual research competition for predental students at the AADOCR meeting and hosted webinars to foster student research engagement. I also collaborated with industry and academic leaders to establish a pathway program to increase underrepresented groups in research and dentistry. Additionally, I worked with NSRG Board members to organize events hosted at AADOCR’s meetings on anti-racism, accessibility, and scientific communication. If elected, I aim to expand these initiatives to increase student and minority representation, fostering a more diverse and productive dental academic workforce while promoting oral health for all.
Research Conducted / Student Activities
Complete list of my research articles: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=bRshB9QAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao
- Postbaccalaureatte Fellow; Warner Lab at NIDCR (January 2024 – Present)
- Generate a 3D organ culture model of the human minor salivary glands; study health and disease using single cell and spatial technologies
- Visiting Scholar; Daniell Lab at UPenn Dental (January 2022 — December 2023)
- Developed plant-engineered oral biologics to treat infectious and metabolic diseases
- Thesis Lab; Myneni Lab at Princeton University (May 2021 — December 2023)
- Created a biomarker to predict human toxic metal exposure using deciduous teeth
- Student Representative; AADOCR’s Global Oral Health Inequalities Research Network (GOHIRN) (March 2024 - Present)
- Enhancing student engagement in global oral health disparities research through panels and leadership events
- Member-at-Large; AADOCR (August 2023 - Present)
- Organize events to promote oral health for all
- NIDCR Representative; NIH Women Scientist Fellows (January 2024 - Present)
- Leading initiatives to foster belonging within the NIDCR
- Health Profession’s Advising Peer Mentor; Princeton University (December 2023 - Present)
- Mentoring undergraduates interested in health careers
- Ambassador, Summer Health Professions Education Program (SHPEP) (March 2023 - Present)
- Buiding underrepresented undergraduates internship application processes
- Abstract Reviewer; National Conference on Undergraduate Research (December 2022 - Present)
- Evaluating research abstracts for the largest national undergraduate conference