School of Dentistry Faculty Member Nisha D’Silva Leads National Research Organization

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Ann Arbor, Mich., April 24, 2026 – University of Michigan School of Dentistry faculty member Dr. Nisha D’Silva is the new president of the American Association for Dental, Oral and Craniofacial Research (AADOCR) for 2026-27.

She began her term in March in San Diego at the 55th annual meeting and exhibition of AADOCR, held jointly with the annual meetings of the International Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research (IADR) and the Canadian Association for Dental Research. With more than 3,000 members across the country, AADOCR is the largest division of IADR.

D’Silva is the Donald A. Kerr Endowed Collegiate Professor of Oral Pathology in the dental school’s Department of Periodontics and Oral Medicine. She is also Professor of Pathology at the U-M Medical School and a Rogel Scholar at the U-M Rogel Cancer Center.

An oral pathologist, cancer biologist and educator, D’Silva conducts research on head-and-neck cancer that focuses on biomarkers and molecular mechanisms of tumor progression and treatment resistance. She has published more than 100 papers in top journals, including the Journal of Dental Research, the Journal of Experimental Medicine, Clinical Cancer Research, and Nature Communications.

Advocacy within the scientific research community was a theme she emphasized when she addressed the national conference during her installation as president. “In science, as in life, progress depends on our interconnectedness,” she said. “What affects one researcher, one project, or one community reverberates through all of us. Today, with global challenges and shrinking research budgets, our unity and advocacy have never been more important. We must be at the table. AADOCR has always served and continues to serve as a beacon for dental, oral and craniofacial research advocacy. Our efforts, from Capitol Hill to other national and international organizations, demonstrate that every voice matters.”

“Yet, advocacy is not reserved for a select few. Each of us, whether a trainee, early career or established scientist, can play a vital role in championing scientific research by sharing our findings, supporting policy, and actively participating in our local organizations. Science today is more interdisciplinary and demanding than ever. It is precisely these challenges that make our work vital. In times of uncertainty, we must stand together, supporting evidence, encouraging innovation, and advocating for resources. We must persist in the face of setbacks, question dogmas or false narratives, and ensure that truth and progress are our guiding stars.”

D’Silva has received numerous awards for her research and mentoring, including the Distinguished Scientist Award for Oral Medicine and Pathology Research from the IADR. She is a Diplomate of the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology and an AADOCR Fellow.

D’Silva is the second AADOCR president from the U-M School of Dentistry in the last five years. Dr. Jacques Nör served in that role from 2021-22 when he was chair of the Department of Cariology, Restorative Sciences and Endodontics before he became dean of the school in 2023. U-M will continue to lead AADOCR next year when faculty member Dr. Margherita Fontana, now currently president-elect of the organization, assumes the presidency for 2027-28.
 

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The University of Michigan School of Dentistry is one of the nation’s leading dental schools engaged in oral healthcare education, research, patient care and community service.  General dental care clinics and specialty clinics providing advanced treatment enable the school to offer dental services and programs to patients throughout Michigan.  Classroom and clinic instruction prepare future dentists, dental specialists and dental hygienists for practice in private offices, hospitals, academia and public agencies.  Research seeks to discover and apply new knowledge that can help patients worldwide.  For more information about the School of Dentistry, visit us on the Web at: www.dent.umich.edu.  Email: [email protected], or (734) 615-1971.