#  2026 Paul Goldhaber Distinguished Lecture 

 



    ![headshot](/sites/g/files/omnuum6001/files/styles/hwp_5_4__480x385/public/2026-10/Hajishengallis20George202018-1024x682_0.jpg?itok=Y3undXIg) 

 



 

####  calendar\_today Date and Time 

 **November 30, 2026** 

 03:00PM - 05:30PM EST 

####  pin\_drop Location 

 **REB Auditorium and lobby/Zoom**  



 

 



 

##  Save the date! 

**Registration details will be available the week of November 2.**





 

**3:00–4:00 PM | REB LOBBY**

## Special tea time 

Enjoy refreshments and conversation before the lecture.





 

**4:00–5:30 PM | REB AUDITORIUM**

## Lecture

### *The Thrill of the Chase: From Dental Plaque to the Bone Marrow*

Dr. George Hajishengallis reflects on his scientific journey from studying dental plaque to investigating hematopoietic stem cells and their role in chronic inflammation. He shares pivotal observations, unexpected findings, and moments of serendipity that shaped his research. His discoveries helped redefine periodontitis as a dysbiosis-driven inflammatory disease and revealed how inflammatory memory in the bone marrow can link oral inflammation to systemic comorbidities.

### This year’s honoree

Dr. George Hajishengallis earned a DDS from the University of Athens and a PhD in Microbiology and Immunology from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. His research examines periodontal disease and its links to systemic inflammation. He pioneered the concepts of polymicrobial dysbiosis and keystone pathogens, advanced complement-targeted therapy into clinical testing, and demonstrated how maladaptive trained immunity originating in bone marrow links periodontitis to systemic inflammatory comorbidities.

Hajishengallis has authored more than 260 scientific publications. His work has appeared in journals including *Cell*, *Nature Immunology*, *Science Translational Medicine*, *Journal of Clinical Investigation*, *Cell Host & Microbe*, *PNAS*, and *The New England Journal of Medicine*. He is a frequent invited and keynote speaker and has organized international scientific conferences.

His professional service includes advisory roles with Aegean Conferences and the NIDCR Board of Scientific Counselors. He also serves as co-editor of the ASM textbook *Oral Microbiology and Immunology*.

His honors include designation as a Clarivate Highly Cited Researcher, the NIH MERIT Award, the IADR Distinguished Scientist Award in Oral Biology, the William J. Gies Award for Biological Research, and the 2026 Paul Goldhaber Award from Harvard School of Dental Medicine.

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#### About the Goldhaber Award

The Goldhaber Award Lecture and Award Ceremony celebrates a distinguished leader whose work reflects the legacy of Dr. Paul Goldhaber, HSDM’s former dean, periodontist, and researcher. Established in 1989, the award is the School’s highest honor and is presented to an individual of international esteem in the field of oral and systemic health.





 

 

 



 

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