The Indiana University School of Dentistry (IUSD) community converged on the top floor of the IU Indianapolis Campus Center for the 34th Annual Research Day on Thursday, April 16, 2026. The event showcased research from across all disciplines, bringing the IUSD community together for an afternoon of engaging, research-driven conversation. After playing a pivotal role in securing IU Indianapolis’ designation as an R1 university last year, IUSD followed that feat with a record-breaking number of posters at this year’s Research Day.
“In this past year, our faculty secured 40 funded research projects, totaling more than $6 million in research support,” said Dr. Tien-Min Gabriel Chu, associate dean for research. “This achievement keeps us firmly within the top one third of all U.S. dental schools in NIH funding. I want to express my deep appreciation for our faculty’s dedication and perseverance in advancing their research programs.
This year saw 144 abstract submissions, something Chu credits to not only the intellectual curiosity, dedication, and collaborative spirit of IUSD’s academic community, but also the collaborative spirit of our mentors, students, and staff as they tackle issues across the spectrum of oral health.
This year’s keynote address was delivered by Dr. Effie Ioannidou, professor and chair of the Department of Orofacial Sciences at the University of California, San Francisco; the immediate past-president of the American Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research (AADOCR); and editor-in-chief of both the Journal of Periodontology and Clinical Advances in Periodontics.
Ioannidou’s address, titled “Elevating Scholarship: How to be a successful author in the era of AI,” covered the benefits and pitfalls of incorporating artificial intelligence into the process of scientific publishing. While AI tools can support researchers with surface-level issues such as plagiarism and statistical inconsistencies, relying on AI for more complex extrapolation creates unforeseen challenges. In biomedical research, human discretion remains paramount, and AI should be seen as an augmentation, not replacement, of expertise.
A big thank you to all who played a hand in ensuring one of IUSD’s biggest events of the year went off without a hitch, especially the Research Day Planning Committee, led by Co-Chairs Keli Seering and Dr. Chandler Walker.
Congratulations to all faculty, staff, and students who participated this year! The Research Day 2026 award recipients are listed below.
Divya Acharya—Delta Dental Foundation Award for Innovation in Oral Care Research.
Haya AlSharif—King Saud University Best Clinical Case Report Award.
Mona Arrageg—King Saud University Ph.D. Student Research Award.
Grace Bassler, Samuel Caskey, Sanjana Madarapu, Oluwatoyin Olasode, Naomi Riley, and Bala Sankuratri—Research Honors Program Certificate of Achievement.
Dr. Angela Bruzzaniti—The Stookey Trailblazer Faculty Researcher Award.
Benjamin Cameron—AADOCR Student Research Day Award.
Giovanna Denucci—Postdoctoral Research Fellow Award.
Jeremy Fry—Research Staff Award.
Dr. Ana Gossweiler—IUSD Alumni Association Distinguished Faculty Award for Research.
Gianna Guido—IU Fort Wayne Oral Health Research Award.
Madison Hagan—Predoctoral Student Best Clinical Case Report Award.
Khris Hahn—IU Indianapolis Dental Hygiene Research Day Award.
Fajer Hasan—The Stookey Trailblazer Student Researcher Award.
Anna Haste and Ella Klevickas—IU Indianapolis Dental Hygiene Research Day Award.
Olivia Hendzel—IDA Student Research Award.
Megan King—Undergraduate Student Research Award.
Yu Kubota—King Saud University Graduate Student Research Award and Maynard K. Hine Award for Excellence in Dental Research.
Sanjana Madarapu, Bhakti Patel, Kirby Robertson, and Michael Zenni—Recognition Award for Outstanding Research Engagement.
Sanjana Madarapu and Naomi Riley—Cyril S. Carr Dental Research Scholarship Award.
Murphy McManama—King Saud University Predoctoral Student Research Award.
Blake Ratliff—Selected competitor for the Dentsply Sirona and AADOCR SCADA Award Program.
Bala Sankuratri—Dean’s Award for Research Excellence.
Amelia Swain—Outstanding Staff Researcher Award.
Guillermo Tamayo Cabeza—The Stookey Preventive Dentistry Research Award.