Dr. Jennifer Webster-Cyriaque, acting director of the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), will present this year’s Donald B. Giddon Memorial Lecture in Behavioral Medicine and Dentistry. Her lecture will provide an overview of her career and research, highlight the impact of mentorship in the biomedical sciences, and share opportunities at NIDCR for students and fellows.
A reception will immediately follow the lecture.
Dr. Jennifer Webster-Cyriaque is the acting director of the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) at the National Institutes of Health. An accomplished clinician, researcher, and leader, she joined NIDCR after serving for more than two decades as a faculty member at the University of North Carolina’s schools of dentistry and medicine.
At UNC, Webster-Cyriaque was a tenured full professor and served as an attending clinician in the UNC Hospitals dental clinic. Her research has focused on identifying potential etiologic agents for salivary gland disease in patients living with HIV, evaluating the oral microbiome and its role in cancer-associated viruses, and studying the relationship between oral health, the oral microbiome, and HIV outcomes.
In addition to her research, Webster-Cyriaque has held numerous national and international leadership roles, including chair and vice chair of the Oral HIV/AIDS Research Alliance, research director at the National Dental Association Foundation, director of postdoctoral CTSA training, and leadership roles within the American Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research and the International Association for Dental Research. Since 2004, she has led the UNC Malawi project and helped establish Malawi’s first dental school in 2019.
Webster-Cyriaque earned a PhD in microbiology and immunology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, a DDS from the University at Buffalo, and a bachelor’s degree in biology and interdisciplinary social science from the University at Buffalo.
This annual lecture honors the legacy of the late Donald B. Giddon, DMD59, PD62, a distinguished scholar, educator, and advocate whose work transformed how oral health is understood within the broader context of human health and behavior.
Each year, the Giddon Lecture serves as the culminating event of Student Research Day, a signature HSDM program that celebrates the scholarship and discovery of our graduating students. Following the lecture, Student Research Day awards will be presented, and the day will conclude with a reception honoring the speaker and our students.
Student Research Day is an annual event where graduating dental students showcase their scholarly work, engage with peers' research, and connect with faculty and staff through interactive poster sessions.
