Local Student Research Group (SRG) Start Up Kit Presented by the AADR National Student Research Group (NSRG)

What’s Included IADR/AADR and NSRG What can the NSRG do for you? Starting a local SRG SRG activities Writing and presenting your research Funding opportunities Careers in dental research and academics

IADR/AADR and NSRG

IADR/AADR and NSRG You are a member of three distinct but related groups: NSRG, AADR, and IADR. –All student members of the AADR are automatically members of the NSRG. This includes, Residents, Graduate Students, and Dental Students – all student members are eligible to be officers of the NSRG!

IADR/AADR and NSRG International Association for Dental Research –The IADR was created to advance research and increase knowledge for the improvement of oral health worldwide by: Promoting oral health research through global Divisions and Sections. Establishing partnerships with oral health, scientific and educational groups. Increasing membership and participation in scientific meetings. Developing the IADR Global Headquarters as a communications hub. Disseminating and applying research findings.

IADR/AADR and NSRG American Association for Dental Research –The AADR is the largest Division of the IADR, with over 4,000 members in the United States. –The mission of the AADR is: –To advance research and increase knowledge for the improvement of oral health, –To support and represent the oral health research community, and –To facilitate the communication and application of research findings.

IADR/AADR and NSRG National Student Research Group –The National Student Research Group is the largest scientific group within the AADR with over 1,000 student members annually. –The NSRG’s goal is to foster an environment in every dental school whereby students interested in enriching their dental education through research are encouraged to do so. –Visit the NSRG Web site at for more information!

What can the NSRG do for you?

What can the NSRG do for you? The primary purpose of the NSRG is to promote student research. Secondarily the NSRG seeks to: –Promote the advancement of dental research and careers in dental research. –Further the stated aims and objectives of the AADR and the IADR as they relate to student research.

What can the NSRG do for you? Promote student research –Support current student research and create new outlets for student research opportunities. –Direct students towards funding opportunities. –Facilitate and encourage opportunities for students to share and promote their research. Hinman Symposium ADA Conference on Student Research Regional Student Research Conference(s) –The NSRG Board actively seeks new opportunities to encourage current and future dental researchers.

What can the NSRG do for you? Advancement of dental research –Encourage quality student research and involvement. Annual AADR NSRG Competitions –DENTSPLY/Caulk Clinical and Basic Science Competition –Local SRG Contests (Newsletter, Membership and Abstracts) –Peer review Offer a range of student experiences to allow students to practice with peer, local mentors, and institutional mentors.

What can the NSRG do for you? NSRG Board Activities –The NSRG Board meets three times a year to discuss the direction of student research and how to best improve the research experience for our student members. Students obtain seats on the Board via an annual election. Students are encouraged to contact Board members with opinions and questions. Although NSRG meetings are closed, minutes are made available upon request. Several students are appointed by the Board to serve on committees.

What can the NSRG do for you? Networking –The NSRG facilitates the collaboration of students with common interests via Regional, AADR, and IADR Annual meetings. –Networking events provide an environment free of competition for students to learn from each other by sharing their research experiences.

Starting a local SRG

Starting a local SRG What is often required from your University for the formation of new student groups? –Student interest –Constitution and Bylaws –Officers and members

Starting a local SRG Formation of a Constitution and Bylaws –The Constitution and Bylaws is essential to define the group’s fundamental purpose and processes as well as the organizational structure and specific procedures of the group. –Consider modeling your Constitution and Bylaws after the AADR NSRG Constitution and Bylaws:

Starting a local SRG –Name –Objectives –Organization –Government –Officers –Nominations and Elections –Membership requirements and eligibility –Payment of Dues –Meeting structure and frequency –Authorized Banks, and Expenditures Formation of a Constitution and Bylaws –Writing your own Constitution and Bylaws If you do need to create your own then the general structure should include the following (consider the AADR and the NSRG as an example):

Starting a local SRG Members –How will you encourage membership? –Will you have a dues structure? If so, how much? What will the dues be used for? –This should be defined in the Constitution. **Members also join the IADR/AADR as student members ($39 a year for 2008)**

Starting a local SRG Officers –Examples include: President, Vice-president, Secretary, Treasurer (if you will collect funds/dues), Webmaster, class representatives, science officer, etc. –Outline procedures for nomination and election of officials, terms, and guidelines/standards of SRG officers.

Starting a local SRG Faculty Support –The local chapter of the SRG will need the support of faculty members including: –The Dean or Associate Research Dean of the college/university. –Research faculty members. These individuals are needed to provide mentorship and research experience for student projects.

Starting a local SRG Selecting a Faculty Advisor Selection of an enthusiastic faculty advisor to assist the student leaders of the SRG is critical to your SRG’s long-term success. When selecting a faculty advisor of a Student Research Group chapter, consider the following roles: –The faculty advisor plays a key role in maintaining the group’s steady momentum and continuity during membership turnover. –The faculty advisor is a liaison to school administration and faculty.

Starting a local SRG –The faculty advisor develops/mentors student leadership. –The faculty advisor encourages active faculty support. Faculty support and assistance are an integral part of the ultimate success of the SRG and its objectives. –The faculty advisor serves as a link between both students interested in research and those involved in research. –Faculty advisors may encourage local and regional interaction among students through regional meetings and research competitions.

SRG activities

SRG activities Keeping student members interested and involved is key to the growth of your school’s SRG. Starting a Journal club –Journal clubs provide a forum for research articles and abstracts to be discussed among students and faculty. –Journal clubs bring about awareness and discussion of current issues/research topics and also train participants to evaluate scientific literature.

SRG activities Goals of your Journal club could include: –Introduction of research topics of interest. –Creation of an environment for discussion of current issues. –Guidance for critical reading and interpretation of results. It only takes a few interested students/faculty and a rotating discussion leader to start!

SRG activities Journal clubs could take place before or after classes/clinics or during lunch. –The discussion leader will select an interesting article in advance and it to club members. (the Journal of Dental Research is a great source for articles!)Journal of Dental Research –The club discusses research done in the article: Project objectives Research design, data Major findings and result interpretation Conclusions Relevance to dentistry/oral health

SRG activities Guest lecturers can attend journal club meetings –They can come to discuss their previously published or ongoing research. –The forum can serve as a recruiting/advertising tool for students interested in working on a project or just learning more about the research at their school/university. Your journal club can be held as often as you feel necessary. –Some SRGs host a journal club meeting once a month, others may only have one or two a semester.

SRG activities Newsletters –Serve as a communication tool for SRG members. –Can be detailed or simple depending on your message. A Newsletter can provide various information for your SRG: –Announce school activities –Promote membership –Highlight SRG members –Spotlight student research –Identify research opportunities with faculty advisors –Inform students of regional, IADR/AADR and NSRG awards

SRG activities Questions to answer before starting an SRG newsletter: –Who will be your audience? (students, faculty, whole student body) –How often will you release your letter? (monthly, semester, annual) –What will be the contents of your newsletter? –In what form will you publish? ( , hard copy) –Who will create and maintain? (SRG Board, a specific officer, faculty advisor)

SRG activities Build a foundation for your newsletter so it can be successful for many years to come. –Delegate responsibility to a SRG Board member or appointee to update and maintain the newsletter. –Apply for the AADR NSRG Newsletter award, an annual monetary prize for the best SRG publication!

SRG activities The following are other activities that have been organized by some local SRG chapters: –Lunch and Learns –Table clinics –Publish annual research abstracts –Fundraising events –Hands-on workshops –SRG Bulletin Board –Social events –Annual awards for students and faculty

Writing and presenting your research

Writing and presenting your research How to Prepare an Abstract –An abstract is: Brief description of the research conducted Organized into specific sections Traditionally less than 300 words in length –Tip: look at the requirements for your conference or competition, they will also specify length. If you exceed your word limit, you may be penalized, or worse, rejected. Used by readers and researchers to determine if the topic warrants further attention or pertains to their specific interest.

Writing and presenting your research Sections of an Abstract –Background Information pertinent to the topic Builds interest May cite previous work in area or work leading up to this –Example: “Human beta defensins (HBDs) are cationic, antimicrobial peptides produced by epithelial cells. Previously, our laboratory reported an altered expression and induction pattern in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) when compared to normal primary keratinocytes, suggesting an involvement in cancer.”

Writing and presenting your research Sections of an Abstract –Purpose Overall goal(s) of the research What the researcher set out to accomplish –Example: “The goal of this study was to evaluate HBD- 1, 2 and 3 loci for SNPs which could account for altered expression. Additionally, restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) assays were developed for future large-scale screening of identified polymorphisms (SNPs).”

Writing and presenting your research Sections of an Abstract –Methods Concise description of the experiments/methodology used to conduct the research –Example: “DNA from 17 healthy subjects and 13 OSCC cell lines were PCR amplified and the products separated by gel electrophoresis. Correctly sized bands were extracted and purified. Bidirectional sequencing of the promoter regions for HBD-1, 2 and 3 were performed. RFLP analyses for each SNP identified were performed.”

Writing and presenting your research Sections of an Abstract –Results Data obtained from performing the experiments Includes statistical values –Example: “For HBD-1, SNPs at positions -52bp and -20bp of the promoter region were significantly more frequent in the healthy population compared to the cancer population (P = and P = 0.016) respectively. For HBD-2, SNPs at positions -913bp, -924bp, -1028bp in the promoter region were significantly correlated with cancer (P= , P= , and P= , respectively). For HBD-3, a SNP located at -445bp was significantly correlated with cancer (P=0.0089). Unlike HBD-2 and 3, HBD-1 was homozygous in the cancer population.”

Writing and presenting your research Sections of an Abstract –Conclusion Impact of results Do the results support or refute the hypothesis? –Example: “Our results support the presence of genetic variation in normal and OSCC cell lines which may account for differences in expression. Frequencies computed for the different alleles identified a strong association between SNPs and health status. These preliminary results suggest the potential use of beta-defensins as markers of OSCC. Furthermore, loss of heterozygosity combined with the cancer associated SNPs observed for HBD-1, suggest its potential role as a cancer suppressor gene. Future studies are needed to confirm these findings in a larger population.”

Writing and presenting your research Common Abstract Errors –Too long or too short –Too much detail –Hard to follow because of lack of appropriate transitions –Failure to direct the focus of the reader –Lack of statistical evaluation or improper statistical tests employed

Writing and presenting your research Final Abstract Tips: –Organize the abstract into chronological order –Make logical connections between components –Transitions between ideas will help guide the reader –Avoid unnecessary details –Make sure you are using the correct and appropriate keywords. This is how others will search for and find your abstract and publication. –Edit, edit, edit!

Writing and presenting your research Presentations: Oral, Posters, Table Clinics, and Competitions –Where to Start? Event – Pick the event that you and your mentor determine is the best means of showcasing your work. You may choose to initially present your work as poster presentation and as you gain experience and confidence in presenting, you may elect to present orally and enter a competition. –First look at the event that you will be presenting at. –Examine the rules and know the expected time limitations and performance expectations to avoid unpleasant surprises. –Who is your audience? What is their background in your area of research? Direct your wording and visuals towards those viewing to increase understanding.

Writing and presenting your research –Research Topic Is your topic better related in a slide-based presentation to an audience? Is your topic better related in a small group setting by directing them through visual representations? The truth is that there may be an easy conversion between the two or that either format may work, depending on your comfort level and experience. It is most important to fully understand your research so that you can coherently explain it to those who don’t.

Writing and presenting your research –Is your research complete? Check and recheck statistics and results and make sure you understand them to avoid an embarrassing situation. Never present false data or falsify your results. This is unethical. If your results are preliminary, what is the next step? What is the future direction of your project? –Gather Collect preliminary research Collect previous work related to topic

Writing and presenting your research –Getting Started Map out a plan –Map out your time line, allowing time for edits and practice. –It is often helpful to look at others’ presentations. Start writing –Some start from the beginning to chronologically sequence their steps and thinking. –Some start from the end to trace the path taken to the end. –Some just dig in and write what they feel like.

Writing and presenting your research –Getting Started Edit –Remove unnecessary information or clutter. –Remove distracting information. –Proof read. –Allow multiple people to edit and proof read. –It may be helpful at this stage to give a mock presentation to ensure content and flow. –Make sure that the presentation logically flows from one idea to the next one.

Writing and presenting your research –Getting Started Visuals –Be creative. –Choose the visual that makes an impact and clearly conveys the message. –Don’t be afraid of colors but be careful of using too many. It could be distracting. –Many may not read or listen to every word of your presentation. Figures and tables must be able to stand alone. –Use tables and graphs to summarize your data. –Make sure of the acceptable resolution of the reformatted and compressed visual files.

Writing and presenting your research –Putting it together Create a logical flow of information that guides your audience through your topic in an efficient and intelligible fashion. Don’t overwhelm your audience. –Keep slides or panels simple. –You only need to put the main points because you will be explaining the rest. Reflect on your presentation to make sure you haven’t lost focus of purpose and audience.

Writing and presenting your research –Product Practice, practice, practice… The more comfortable you are with your topic, the better you will be at explaining and sharing it. Get excited! Hopefully, during the process, you’ve had a chance to reflect on your research accomplishments and you fully understand the work it requires. If you don’t show your audience that you are excited, why should they be?

Writing and presenting your research Presentation Keep multiple copies of resources. Familiarize yourself with equipment and atmosphere. Rehearse prior to presenting. Get enough sleep, eat and don’t overdo the caffeine. Make eye contact and engage your audience. Speak slowly and project your voice. Encourage questions and acknowledge sponsors or funding sources. Provide contacts for those interested in further discussion. When it is done, be proud of your accomplishments!

Writing and presenting your research –Important points to remember Know your research well. Create a presentation that flows logically. Don’t try to put too much material in your presentation. Practice several times.

Funding opportunities

Funding opportunities In order to have the most productive research experience, it is helpful to have some financial support. This will depend on many different factors and local environmental issues, but there are some consistent themes. –In general you will see funding at several different levels. Local funding AADR awards IADR awards NIDCR: Individual fellowships and training opportunities

Funding opportunities Local Funding –Many schools have summer student research fellowships, work- study programs, training grants, and faculty-sponsored research. –Local dental associations or AADR Sections may have awards. AADR awards –AADR Student Research Fellowships.AADR Student Research Fellowships –AADR NSRG Specialty Group Awards are available in Pathology and Fixed Prosthodontics.PathologyFixed Prosthodontics –AADR NSRG IADR Scientific Group Awards (proposed). –AADR/ADEA Academic Dental Career Fellowship Program (ADCFP).AADR/ADEA Academic Dental Career Fellowship Program (ADCFP) –AADR Hatton Awards Competition.AADR Hatton Awards Competition –AADR Block Travel Grant: An NIDCR-sponsored travel award that funds AADR NSRG students to travel to present their work at the IADR Annual meeting.AADR Block Travel Grant

Funding opportunities IADR Awards –IADR Hatton Awards: Qualified AADR Hatton recipients will compete in this IADR competition.IADR Hatton Awards –IADR/Colgate “Research in Prevention” Travel Awards.IADR/Colgate “Research in Prevention” Travel Awards –IADR Scientific Group Awards (some for students).IADR Scientific Group Awards

Funding opportunities NIDCR: Individual fellowships and training opportunities –There are many incentives and opportunities to pursue both short-term research experiences and long-term research training. The following is just a brief list of examples. For further explanation, please see: NIDCR Summer Dental Student Award Howard Hughes Medical Institutes Research Scholars Program Postdoctoral Fellowships Loan Repayment Programs

Funding opportunities Formal training and PhD programs –In order to pursue research and academics as a career, some students augment their dental degree with formal research training resulting in a PhD. –In some cases, students can combine their DDS training with PhD training and receive stipend support and tuition remission throughout the process. –These programs are variable depending on the institution(s) that sponsor the degrees. A survey of available dual-degree programs was published in the Journal of Dental Education in Roger, JM A survey of dual-degree training opportunities at US dental schools. J Dent Educ Sep;70(9): Roger, JM A survey of dual-degree training opportunities at US dental schools. J Dent Educ Sep;70(9): –Information about NIDCR-sponsored programs (not all dual- degree programs are NIDCR sponsored) can be found at:

Careers in dental research and academics

Careers in dental research and academics Careers in dental research and academics are in high demand. More than 250 academic positions are currently unfilled (Chmar et al) and there are decreasing numbers of those interested in pursuing research and academics. Approximately 75% of the available academic positions are found in clinical sciences whereas 6% are in the basic sciences. Of the remaining positions available around U.S. dental schools, nearly 12% can be considered ‘academic-track’ research positions (Herzberg et al).

Careers in dental research and academics In addition to academics, there are positions available within industry and dental laboratories around the nation. Detailed reports and surveys regarding the increasing vacancies in dental academics and research have been published in recent years. –Chmar JE, Weaver RG, Valachovic RW (2006). Dental school vacant budgeted faculty positions; academic year J Dent Educ 70: Chmar JE, Weaver RG, Valachovic RW (2006). Dental school vacant budgeted faculty positions; academic year J Dent Educ 70: –Herzberg MC, Griffith LG, Doyle MJ (2006). Driving the future of dental research. J Dent Res 85(6): Herzberg MC, Griffith LG, Doyle MJ (2006). Driving the future of dental research. J Dent Res 85(6): Therefore, students interested pursuing these tracks have many options available to them. –SRGs can match interested students with mentors in your school who can help them to pursue this track.

Contact the AADR National Student Research Group (NSRG) Questions? Comments?