New PhD students from around the world begin their UCL Eastman journey

Saudi Arabian students Yousef Eshmawi and Arwa Almusa join Professor Anne Young’s team, developing innovative materials for minimally-invasive repair of teeth. New material features include ability to self-etch and bond to enamel and dentine which substantially simplifies the tooth restoration procedures. Furthermore, material novel methods of self-repair can help maintain restoration sealing. Effective tooth cavity sealing is required to prevent continuing underlying bacterial growth or action by enzymes that cause the tooth to decay. New material features should decrease  the need for local anaesthesia and sedation in patient groups such as children.

Stephanie Jaen Solorzano will be studying oral cancer prevention, control and strategies in her home country of Ecuador with a view to creating the first set of national guidelines and prevention plans. Stephanie is supervised by Dr Rachel Leeson and Dr Colin Hopper.

Ola Redha from Kuwait, a graduate of our Prosthodontic MClinDent Programme, returns to us to study the effect of teeth-whitening, peroxide agents on tooth structure. Ola, who has extensive clinical experience in Kuwait City and Cairo, will be supervised by Professor Ailbhe McDonald.

Intercalating medical student Matthew Wilcox, joins Dr James Phillips to look at advancing the available therapeutic options for treating and managing peripheral nerve injury. Matthew will be a part of the UCL Centre for Nerve Engineering and will be working concurrently in the renowned Peripheral Nerve Injury Unit at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital. Matthew’s research will also benefit from collaborations with Queens Square National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery and UCL Centre for Medical Imaging.

Tomoko Kumagai, from Japan, joins us after receiving a prestigious MRC Clinical Research Training Fellowship to investigate the processes which drive Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). Tomoko is supervised by Dr Andrew Smith whose team has carried out extensive research into the immunopathogenesis of IBD.

Good luck in all your studies!