Myers recognized with AADOCR-H Small Grant

Associate Professor艾伦·l·米yers, PharmD, PhD, of the Department of Diagnostic and Biomedical Sciences was named the Faculty Category recipient of the 2021 AADOCR-H Small Grant Program in Dental Research by the Houston Section of the American Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research (AADOCR-H) in early October.

Myers’ research grant title, “Alcohol-Mediated Drug Interaction with Arceoline, A Commonly Abused Betel Nut Toxin,” explores how alkaloids in the areca nut are processed in humans. Areca nuts, also called betel nuts, is one of the most potent oral toxins and psychoactive substances ingested throughout the world, with estimates of several million users.

Announced Oct. 4, Myers will receive $2,500 from the award.

Prior research inhis laboratoryfound that detoxification of arecoline (a chief toxin in areca nut) is facilitated by an unknown enzyme — he plans to identify this enzyme in the first aim of the project. This critical metabolism step is inhibited by alcohol, an interaction that forms a novel metabolite with undetermined pharmacology. In the second aim of the project, Myers will work with Danielle Wu, PhD, (Co-Investigator) and Mary C. (Cindy) Farach-Carson, PhD, both faculty at the School of Dentistry, to quantify toxicity of this metabolite in biomimetic organoid systems.

Ali Al Hatem, third-year dental student; and Mason Proctor, second-year dental student, were AADOCR-H Small Grant recipients in the Student Category:

• Hatem, “Metformin Induced Protective Mechanisms Against Mitis Group Streptococci,” mentor: Associate Professor Ransome van der Hoeven, PhD, director, Section of Basic Sciences;
• Proctor, “Database Update for Genes Related to Cleft Lip with/without Cleft Palate,” mentor: Professor Junichi Iwata, DDS, PhD.

The UTHealth Houston School of Dentistry Grants Program in Dental Research began in 2016 and has been offered yearly, with the exemption of 2020, since its establishment. Awards are dependent on funds available, but small grants can offer upwards of $2,500 for full-time dental school faculty. The project must involve at least one enrolled student in good standing in either the Dental or Dental Hygiene Programs. Projects are measured through a variety of factors such as Approach, Innovation, Investigator Potential for Future Funding, and Significance of Student Involvement.