Balazs Feher receives generous grant from Osteology Foundation

Balazs Feher, PhD candidate at MedUni Vienna's University Clinic of Dentistry, has been awarded a scholarship from the Osteology Foundation, which will enable him to undertake a one-year postdoctoral research placement at Harvard School of Dental Medicine in Boston, MA, USA. Starting in February 2023, on completion of his PhD, Balazs Feher will join the Department of Oral Medicine, Infection, and Immunity at Harvard School of Dental Medicine in the laboratory of Dean William V. Giannobile to research cellular and molecular mechanisms of oral soft tissue destruction and regeneration, particularly in the context of periodontitis. Periodontitis, a chronic inflammatory disease of the periodontium, is one of the commonest diseases worldwide. The inflammatory processes in the bone result in tooth loss and increase the risk of systemic diseases including cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Although risk factors such as smoking have been clearly identified, the pathological mechanisms underlying the disease are not yet fully understood. This is a particular challenge when it comes to the clinical therapeutic goal of restoring lost, healthy hard and soft tissue. In his current PhD studies, Balazs Feher is focusing on the role of osteocytes in bone regeneration.