Vice Dean Research Bernhard Ganss

Dentistry researchers net two NSERC Discovery Grants

Two fundamental science projects at the Faculty of Dentistry were recently awarded National Science and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) research grants in the latest round of competition. 

Vice-dean research and professor Bernhard Ganss was awarded a five-year grant to continue his search for a novel method to induce mineralization through applications of the enamel protein, amelotin. Ganss was the lead researcher who discovered amelotin in 2005 — and its unique mineralizing properties in 2015. “We’re focused on harnessing the mineral-promoting properties of this protein,” says Ganss, who one day hopes to produce applications from his research that can be translated into market-friendly products.

A second five-year grant was awarded to associate professor Celine Levesque to aid her further studies into the role of microbial growth inhibitors (bacteriocins) in biofilms. 

“Bacteria are ‘social’ organisms that live in biofilms, cities for microbes. Our goal is to understand how microbes in biofilms can be resistant to antibiotics and are responsible for chronic infections,” says Levesque.  

The scientists have both been awarded five-year grants totalling $360,000.