Dr. Magda Feres, an internationally-recognized scholar who currently serves as dean for Dental Research and Graduate Education and chair of the advanced Graduate Program in Dentistry at Guarulhos University in Brazil, has been named to lead Harvard School of Dental Medicine’s (HSDM) Department of Oral Medicine, Infection, and Immunity (OMII). She will join HSDM on March 15, 2023.
Feres is an alumna of HSDM and received her Doctor of Medical Sciences degree in Oral Biology at the School while conducting clinical and translational research at The Forsyth Institute, for which she received a certificate in microbiology. She also holds a Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from Gama Filho University, a Master of Science in Periodontology from Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, and a Master of Business Administration from Guarulhos University.
Her research program focuses on oral and periodontal microbiology and the clinical outcomes of periodontal and peri-implant therapies. Feres’ work has been funded by the Sao Paulo Research Foundation, the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development in Brazil, the National Institutes of Health and the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, and other national and international governmental agencies and foundations.
“I’m thrilled to be returning to HSDM, where I received my postdoctoral training and where my research interests were first developed,” Feres said. “I look forward to working with the talented faculty, students, and researchers within the department of OMII to build on the excellence of the department, grow its renowned educational programs, and advance its clinical research aspirations. The prospect of working with Dean Giannobile, whom I greatly admire as a researcher, leader, and human being, makes this job even more meaningful and unique.”
Feres has been instrumental in creating innovative research and educational programs at Guarulhos University including establishing the university’s Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and a Center for Clinical Trials, the Young Scientist Program, and the Forsyth/UNG Student Scholars Undergraduate Summer Program. She is well-recognized as an inspirational mentor to graduate and undergraduate students and a strong advocate for the next generation of female clinical researchers. She received the International Association for Dental Research Women in Science Distinguished Female Mentor Award, among other prestigious honors. Feres is also one of the founders of the Latin American Oral Health Association.
“I am delighted that Dr. Feres is returning to HSDM, and I look forward to her leadership in OMII. She brings a strong scientific background and dynamic vision to the role,” Dean William Giannobile said in an announcement to the community. “She is an excellent choice for the role of overseeing the department’s educational and research mission and mentoring a cadre of talented clinicians, scientists, and clinician-scientists.”
Giannobile also expressed gratitude to Dr. Howard Howell who has served as interim department chair for OMII since July 2021, and to the search committee, led by Dr. Yingzi Yang, for their dedication to the process.
“Succeeding Dr. Howard Howell as the chair of the OMII department is an honor and a huge responsibility that I take with great joy,” Feres said. “Dr. Howell interviewed and accepted me into the DMSc program in Oral Biology in 1996. Having the chance to come back and add value to the department where I was trained is an honor that truly humbles me.”
