Research

Student Research Group

The Department of Dentistry Student Research Group (SRG) is a student-run organization supported by Network for Canadian Oral Health Research (NCOHR), Canadian Association of Dental Research (CADR), and the School of Dentistry.

Purpose

To foster an environment that encourages undergraduate and graduate student interaction in research. We provide students with networking, leadership training, and mentorship opportunities and foster research collaborations amongst students. Benefits in being associated with the SRG include opportunities for SRG-sponsored research activities and the ability to provide suggestions, comments, and/or concerns regarding student life to the executive committee through your representative.

The SRG representatives are elected in Fall of every year and the student representatives for 2022-2023 are listed below.

President

Carlos Alberto Figueredo
Elected Representative: Clinically Intensive Graduate Programs

Carlos was born and raised in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where he completed his D.D.S.
degree. In 2018, he moved to Edmonton to pursue an M.Sc. in Oral Biology at the University of Alberta, which he defended in 2021. Currently, he is pursuing a Ph.D. in Periodontology with the topic of intraoral ultrasonography. Whenever not working, you can find him playing volleyball, kickboxing, and, on the weekends, some video games.

Vice President

Masoud Mirimoghaddam
Elected Representative: Research Intensive Graduate Programs

Masoud obtained his DDS degree from Iran in 2018. After two years of clinical practice, he decided to pursue his graduate studies and joined the University of Alberta in 2021. Currently, he is a master’s student in the dentistry program. As his primary research, he works on administrative databases to determine healthcare utilization and associated costs of oral cancer management in Alberta.

Secretary

Amir Rahmati
Elected Representative: Member at Large

Amir completed his BSc degree in Biological Sciences at the University of Alberta. He became fascinated by research early on during his undergraduate studies as he became engaged in Biochemistry research. Currently, Amir is pursuing graduate studies in immunology, investigating the immune response in a mouse model of breast cancer

Treasurer

Karla Carpio
Elected Representative: Post-doctoral Fellows

Karla is originally from Peru, where she completed her DDS and worked as a dentist in the community. She moved to Brazil, where she obtained and specialty degree in Orthodontics, MSc, and Ph.D. in Dental Science. She moved to Edmonton in 2022 to work as an Associate Researcher at the University of Alberta. Her research topic is data analysis of patients with condylar hyperplasia that underwent a surgical procedure. This project is being developed in joint work with research groups from Chile and Spain. She has experience analyzing microtomography of animals submitted to induced tooth movement and research involving genetic associations with craniofacial and dental phenotypes. She loves to be with her family, travel, and play sports in her spare time.

DDS Program Representative

Jeron Bennett

Jeron is from Spring Coulee, a small farming community in Southern Alberta. He began his undergraduate degree in Biology at the U of A and was initially unsure what field to pursue at first. After shadowing some dentists, he gained a great interest in the field and was admitted into the DDS program in Fall of 2022. He is excited to get involved with research taking place at the UofA School of Dentistry and to help his fellow classmates do the same.

DH Program Representative

Jaskaranjit Dhaliwal

Jas as she's fondly called, was born and raised in Punjab, India. Upon relocation to Canada in 2008, Jas's interest in dentistry grew and in 2019, she was offered admission to the Science program at the University of Alberta. In 2021, She joined the Dental Hygiene Program and is currently in her third year. When she's not studying or in school, Jas loves to spend them with her two kids.

Graduate Studies Committee Representative

Ramon Souza Carvalho

Ramon completed his dental degree in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Afterwards, he pursued his clinical training in Dental Implants focusing also on Digital Dentistry. Most recently, he joined the University of Alberta as a Master's student and is working at Dr.Khaled Altabtbaei lab. Whenever not in the lab, you can find him playing videogames, listening to podcasts or creating excuses to avoid hikes.

FOMD Council Representative

Mohsen Gholizadeh

Mohsen graduated in 2018 as a dentist and got his DDS degree from Iran.
After four years of experience in the clinical field of dentistry, he joined the University of Alberta as an MSc student in 2022. Orthodontics is his favorite field, and his research topic relates to clear aligners. His hobbies are spending time with family, reading books, watching movies, photography, and riding bicycles.

Graduate Students’ Association Council Representative

Victor Ladewig

Victor obtained his DDS degree in Brazil and has been practicing as an Orthodontist since 2013. He fell in love with research and teaching in 2015, and realized his interest and passion for the academic field. In 2022, he moved to Edmonton to pursue this dream. He was accepted as a Master's in Dentistry student and is trying to enjoy every minute at UofA. When he is not in ECHA, you might find him at Tim Hortons! He will be the guy with headphones listening to some podcast about some TV show he has just watched.

To learn more about research opportunities and the summer research program within the Department of Dentistry, visit Dentranet.