Distinguished researcher Mary MacDougall Ph.D., professor of pediatric dentistry, associate dean for research and the President’s Council Chair for Excellence in Dental Research at the Health Science Center, received one of the most prestigious awards in dental research. The International Association for Dental Research (IADR) awarded her the 2005 Distinguished Scientist Award for Basic Research in Biological Mineralization at the annual meeting held recently in Baltimore, MD.
The award, supported by Unilever Research, is given by the organization for outstanding contributions related to hard tissue formation and mineralization. It includes a cash prize and a plaque.
Dr. MacDougall’s research has focused on characterization of both dentin and enamel extracellular matrices. Her research team is responsible for the molecular characterization of three of the five most recently identified tooth matrix proteins in humans. In collaboration with Juan Dong, M.D., Ph.D. and Shuo Chen, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professors of pediatric dentistry, she has investigated the molecular etiology of human genetic diseases altering tooth structure and gene regulation of tooth matrix proteins.
Dr. MacDougall was also installed as the president of the American Association for Dental Research (AADR) at the annual meeting. She has served as an AADR board officer for the past two years and will continue to serve for one additional year as past-president.
“I’m truly honored to receive the Distinguished Scientist Award from the IADR, especially in the year that I begin my AADR presidency,” Dr. MacDougall said.
The AADR, the U.S. division of the IADR, is a non-profit organization with over 5,000 members and 100 institutional members within the United States.
Dr. MacDougall first joined the AADR as a student member and is the youngest person in the organization’s history to serve as president. She has been active in AADR, serving as chair of the Fellowship Committee, member of the Publication Committee, publication member-at-large and past president of the Mineralized Tissue Group.
