Peter Polverini, DMSc77, PD77, a distinguished alumnus of HSDM and a leader in the field of vascular and cancer biology, has been selected as this year’s Goldhaber Award recipient. Polverini currently serves as the Jonathan Taft Distinguished University Professor of Dentistry and dean emeritus of the University of Michigan Dental School and Professor of Pathology at the University of Michigan Medical School.
Dr. Polverini was selected for his contributions to oral tumorigenesis throughout his scientific career. His current research focuses on the role of cancer stem cells in the development of salivary gland cancer and the neoplastic progression of premalignant oral lesions. He is recognized as an accomplished mentor, scholar, and administrator who has fostered innovation in dental education by promoting scholarship and scientific rigor.
He is a diplomat of the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, fellow of the American Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Sciences, and past President of the American Association for Dental Research. He has been the recipient of numerous awards and honors, including the Distinguished Alumnus Award from Harvard School of Dental Medicine.
Each year the Goldhaber Award and Lecture recognizes a recipient who is held in the highest international esteem in his or her field related to oral and systemic health. The award was established in 1989 in honor of former HSDM dean Dr. Paul Goldhaber, a periodontist and researcher, upon the completion of his 22 years of service to the School.
Dr. Polverini will discuss, "How Crosstalk between Cancer Stem Cells and the Tumor Microenvironment Drives Neoplastic Progression of Preneoplastic Oral Epithelium," during the annual Paul Goldhaber Lecture on November 14, 2022.
