Amjad Javed, Ph.D., has been named associate dean for research at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Dentistry following a national search. He served in an interim capacity since 2018.
Amjad Javed, Ph.D.In his role, Javed will lead an enterprise that consistently ranks among the top U.S. dental schools with research funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). He will be responsible for advancing a cohesive research agenda, developing strategic collaborations to expand the school’s internationally recognized scientific expertise within its five core research themes, and positioning the dental school for continued national and international leadership in oral health research.
Javed is a professor in the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery with secondary appointments in Biomedical Engineering; Cell, Development & Integrative Biology; Otolaryngology; and Pathology. He is a senior scientist in several UAB research centers, including the Comprehensive Arthritis, Musculoskeletal, Bone and Autoimmunity Center (CAMBAC), as well as an associate scientist in the O’Neal Comprehensive Care Center and others. An active investigator with 5 current grants totaling more than $5.7 million, his laboratory focuses on understanding the molecular mechanisms that govern the formation and remodeling of skeletal tissues such as cartilage, bone, teeth, and tendon. He has published more than 125 articles and books/chapters and given invited talks in regional, national, and international meetings.
Active in the International Association for Dental Research (IADR), among other national and international organizations, Javed chaired the IADR Mineralized Tissue Group and the AADOCR Constitution Committee in addition to holding other leadership positions. He has also served on more than 50 national/international study sections and review panels, and editorial boards of 3 journals.
Javed, is director of the Global Center for Craniofacial, Oral and Dental Disorders (GC-CODED) at UAB and is director of postgraduate education in the School of Dentistry, is an ardent student mentor. He has served on more than 165 M.S. thesis committees and nearly 30 Ph.D. and D.M.D./Ph.D. dissertation committees.
Dean Russell S. Taichman, D.M.D., DMSc, said that Javed oversaw the renewal of key grants and programs, including the Dental Academic Research Training (DART) grant and GC-CODED, in his time as the interim research dean. He also navigated the research enterprise in its COVID response, helped accomplish the dental school’s successful re-accreditation, and established a new four-pronged program to support and encourage both young and established faculty in their research efforts.
“Javed has worked to strengthen our core programming,” said Taichman. “Within our goal to improve health through better oral health, we will look to his leadership to help grow our team of research-intensive faculty, serve as a catalyst for faculty engagement in research, and continue to develop inter- and trans-disciplinary opportunities within UAB’s world-class research enterprise.”
Immediate goals include recruitment of additional research-intensive faculty and utilizing the Institute of Oral Health Research, a one stop resource to support the work of investigators as they advance dental, oral, and craniofacial research, to make sure everyone – including clinical faculty – is aware of the robust resources available on campus.
Javed also shared that he wants to capitalize on his connections at UAB and around the globe to position the school’s research initiatives for continued success. “I look forward to building upon our existing foundation by implementing new Institute for Oral Health Research initiatives and services,” said Javed. “Our future includes continuing to develop opportunities and support for our investigators within the dental school, as well as expanding our collaborations across campus and beyond.”
His appointment is effective September 1, 2022.