Matt Wittmeyer / University of Rochester photo
Dear members of the Hajim School community,
Tooth decay and gum disease are among the most common chronic diseases worldwide, yet millions face barriers to care, including cost, transportation, location, and provider shortages. Jiebo Luo, a professor of computer science and the Albert Arendt Hopeman Professor of Engineering, is teaming up with researchers at Eastman Institute for Oral Health developing an artificial intelligence-powered platform designed to transform oral healthcare delivery from a clinic-dependent, treatment-focused model to a prevention-oriented, cost-effective oral healthcare system outside of traditional dental clinics.
The team, led by Jin Xiao, DDS, PhD, EIOH professor and associate dean for Oral Health Education at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, received $3.1 million from the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research. The researchers will advance their technology called SMARTeeth++, which combines portable oral imaging, AI and patient health information to examine images from inside the mouth and measure signs of both tooth decay and early stages of gum disease.
Read more at the University of Rochester Medicine Newsroom.
HOW LIGHT CAN FIGHT ABDOMINAL INFECTIONS
URochester illustration / Jennifer Yoo
Antibiotics have transformed medicine, but they don’t always work reliably. And as bacteria become increasingly resistant to such drugs, researchers are searching for new ways to treat infections.
One promising approach doesn’t involve developing another antibiotic. It involves using light.
By combining a common blue dye with low-powered laser light, Timothy Baran, an assistant professor of imaging sciences, biomedical engineering, and optics, and his colleagues are testing whether a treatment called photodynamic therapy can destroy bacteria inside the body without relying solely on antibiotics.
Read more at the News Center.
11 NEW ACADEMIC PROGRAMS AT UROCHESTER
Adam Fenster / University of Rochester photo
As the world changes, so does what students need to learn. That’s why the University has added to its 200-plus programs of study with new offerings that build on existing strengths and respond to emerging fields, evolving industries, and societal needs.
URochester recently launched 11 new programs, including two advanced certificates from the Hajim School in healthcare data science and artificial intelligence and high energy density science. Read more about these programs at the News Center.
STUDY LED BY PROFESSOR CASTANEDA RECOGNIZED AS PAPER OF THE MONTH
A transdisciplinary team led by Professor Ben Castañeda from the Department of Biomedical Engineering was recognized by the journal Physics in Medicine & Biology for their outstanding scholarship. A paper authored by physics PhD student Sara Gomez Ramirez, biomedical engineering PhD student Gilmer Alberto Flores Barrera, and Ben titled, “Radial energy-quantile estimation for geometry-aware local wavenumber mapping in harmonic shear-wave elastography“, has been selected as the journal’s article of the month.
Congratulations on this acknowledgement of the quality and significance of their work!
YOUR BRAIN STILL MATTERS: PUTTING AI IN PERSPECTIVE
Getty Images illustration
The Hajim School will offer a two-session module to all first-year students providing perspectives on generative AI use. Topics will include AI basics, AI and design, skills employers seek, ethics and responsibility, evaluating AI output, the impact of AI on learning, and the Handshake skills lab. Presenters will include Professor Ajay Anand Associate Professor Zhen Bai, Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs Paul Funkenbusch, Associate Professor Allison Lopatkin, Associate Professor Adam Purtee, and Associate Dean Jodyi Wren.
The modules take place from 3:25-4:40 p.m. on Monday, September 14 and Monday, September 21 in Meliora Hall room 203. Students should plan to attend both dates. Refreshments will be provided. For any questions, email Associate Dean Funkenbusch.
EXPLORING ENGINEERING SUMMER EXPERIENCES
The Gwen M. Greene Center for Career Education & Connections will host Exploring Engineering Summer Experiences, their annual fall event for students to discover career pathways, gain real-world insights, and build connections. Join the Greene Center for an engaging evening featuring a peer-moderated panel discussion with students and alumni sharing their unique career journeys, from internships to full-time roles. Learn about key skills, navigating the job search, and planning your next steps, followed by a Q&A session.
After the panel, enjoy an interactive networking session with table hosts from various engineering disciplines, plus a fun scavenger-hunt-style activity to spark meaningful conversations. Whether you’re just starting out or preparing for post-graduation, this event is your chance to connect and grow within the engineering and tech communities.
Register on Handshake.
NIH RENEWS TRAINING IN VISUAL SCIENCE GRANT FOR CVS
Congratulations to the team at URochester’s Center for Visual Science, who received a renewal from the National Institutes for Health’s T32 grant for their “Training in Vision Science Program. The grant provides nearly $2 million in funding through 2032 to support graduate students and postdoctoral fellows to advance optical technologies for vision correction and imaging as well as investigate the neural and cellular mechanisms of visual function, disease, and visually-guided behavior.
The program is now entering its 36th year. The principal investigators of the grant are Krystel Huxlin, the James V. Aquavella Professor of Ophthalmology at the Flaum Eye Institute, and Professor Duje Tadin from the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences.
Your dean,
Wendi Heinzelman
