Rena D'Souza

Rena D'Souza (born January 22, 1955) is a clinician-scientist and the Director of the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research. She was formerly the assistant vice president for academic affairs and education for health sciences at the University of Utah where she was also a Professor of Dentistry in the School of Dentistry and a Professor of Neurobiology and Anatomy in the School of Medicine.[1]

Rena N. D’Souza
Born (1955-01-22) January 22, 1955
Bombay, India
Alma materUniversity of Bombay, BDS (1977)
University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, DDS (1985)
University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, PhD (1987)
Known forDirector of the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research
Scientific career
FieldsDevelopmental Biology, Dentistry, Engineering
InstitutionsNational Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, National Institutes of Health, 2020 – Present
University of Utah, 2013 – 2020
Texas A&M University, 2006 – 2012

Early life and education

D'Souza was born and raised in Mumbai, India. She attended the University of Mumbai (then the University of Bombay), where she received her Bachelor of Dental Science degree in 1977. She then moved to Houston in the United States where she attended the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. There, she received her Doctor of Dental Medicine degree in 1985 and her doctorate degree in 1987.[1]

Career

D'Souza's research interests center of tissue engineering and dental care, working with tooth stem cells to develop a method to re-grow the living tissue and eliminate the need for root canals.[2][3] She has worked with colleagues to attempt to regenerate tooth pulp using a gelatin-like protein hydrogel, which serves as a base into which pulp cells, blood vessels, and nerves can grow.[4] Her research group has also worked to understand the underlying genetic basis for cleft palate working with mice as a model system, linking the condition to a mutation in the PAX9 gene. They found that they could inject pregnant mice carrying babies with cleft palates with a drug that could restore the palatal shelves of their pups.[5] In June 2020, D'Souza became the inaugural Ole and Marty Jensen Endowed Chair, which was established to enable further innovations in tissue engineering for dental and craniofacial research.[2]

Leadership

From 2012 to 2013, D'Souza served as the American Association for Dental Research's forty-first President and from 2018 to 2019, she served as the International Association for Dental Research's ninety-fifth President.[6] On August 1, 2013, she became the first dean of the University of Utah's new School of Dentistry.[7] In August 2020, D'Souza was selected as the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research's ninth director, replacing Martha Somerman, who served from 2011 to 2020.[1] D'Souza's tenure as Director began on October 13, 2020.

Awards & honors

References
  1. "NIH names Dr. Rena D'Souza as director of the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research". National Institutes of Health (NIH). 2020-08-12. Retrieved 2020-12-29.
  2. "Dr. Ole T. Jensen launches new company and endowed chair". us.dental-tribune.com. June 30, 2020. Retrieved 2020-12-29.
  3. Whiitehurst, Lindsay (September 3, 2013). "Utah has lowest percentage of female dentists in the country". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved 2020-12-29.
  4. Wang, Shirley S. (2013-07-05). "To Avoid Root Canals, Teeth That Replace Themselves". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 2020-12-29.
  5. "Restoring smiles? Research targets mutation linked to missing, deformed teeth". Genetic Literacy Project. 2017-08-14. Retrieved 2020-12-29.
  6. "IADR and AADR Past President Rena D'Souza Selected as NIH NIDCR Director". International Association for Dental Research. Retrieved 2020-12-29.
  7. "Rena N. D'Souza, D.D.S., Ph.D., Named 1st Permanent Dean of New Dental School". healthcare.utah.edu. Retrieved 2020-12-29.
  8. "AAAS Members Elected as Fellows". American Association for the Advancement of Science. December 23, 2011. Retrieved 2020-12-29.
  9. "Irwin D. Mandel Distinguished Mentoring Award > Recipients". International Association for Dental Research. Retrieved 2020-12-29.
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