Pamela Den Besten, DDS, MS
Professor and co-director of the UCSF DDS/PhD and PhD programs
in Oral and Craniofacial Sciences, and the Director for COR.
Dr. DenBesten is a pediatric dentist, with a focus on the translation of pediatric dental research to clinical care for children. She completed her dental training and obtained a DDS degree from the University of Iowa. She then completed a MS and residency in pediatric dentistry at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, followed by additional postdoctoral training at the Forsyth Dental Center, Boston, MA.
The focus of research in the DenBesten laboratory is related to tooth formation, including the mechanism of dental fluorosis. Her research interests also include the use of stem cells in tooth regeneration, and how enamel maturation results in optimal enamel biomineralization. Of particular interest to her are the causes and treatment of amelogenesis imperfecta.
DenBesten is a member of the International and American Associations for Dental Research, the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, California Society of Pediatric Dentistry, and is a diplomat of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry. She was a member of the NIDCR Board of Counselors from 2011-2015, was named a Fellow of the AAAS in 2012, and received a Distinguished Scientist Award from the International Association for Dental Research in 2009.
Rebecca Kim, DDS, PhD
Post-doctorate scholar
Orofacial Sciences
Dr. Kim received her DDS and PhD training at UCSF. During her PhD, she studied the Wnt signaling pathway that regulates mammalian tooth development. Upon completing her training, Rebecca joined the Den Besten lab as a postdoc to study the molecular etiology of bloodstream infection caused by S. mitis. When she is not in the lab, she enjoys exploring the city on foot, watching shows and spending time with friends.
Trang Duong, DDS, PhD
Post-doctorate scholar
Orofacial Sciences
Dr. Duong began her scientific career at the University of Houston, where she earned her B.Sc. in Biochemistry & Biophysics in 2012. While at the University of Houston, she worked in Dr. Timothy Cooper lab as a researcher assistant, study how single cell organism such as bacteria E. coli optimizing their sugar metabolism to achieve higher fitness. Fascinated with the molecular mechanisms of living cells, she decided to pursue a dual degree, D.D.S/Ph.D, training program at UCSF in 2013. At UCSF she joined the lab of Dr. Noelle L’Etoile for her Ph.D training. Her Ph.D studies focus on understanding the role of small interference RNA plays in memory formation in C. elegans. After completing the DDS/PhD training in March 2022, she joined Dr. Pamela Den Besten's lab as a postdoctoral fellow to study the biosynthesis and function of miR-exon4, a micro-RNA that was identified in a mouse’s enamel in 2016. She hypothesized that miR-exon4 might play an essential role in bone remodeling during development and bone healing in mammals.
Ida Shaffer
DDS/PhD Candidate
Ms. Shaffer graduated from UC Davis studying developmental neuroscience. Spent 2 years working on understanding the molecular mechanisms underpinning the relationship between viral infections during pregnancy and neurobiological outcomes of autism and schizophrenia. Now at UCSF, she is studying the relationship between stress during pregnancy and tooth enamel development. The long-term goal of this research project is to identify tooth biomarkers that predict young children at risk of mental health disparities.
Chih Chang, BS
Research Assistant
Orofacial Sciences
Mr. Chang has extensive knowledge and working background in lab management. He had worked in a couple of biotech companies and Gladstone Institute before joining UCSF.
Outside of the lab, he enjoys hiking, camping, photography, and art.
Kairong Lin, BS, BA
Research Associate
Orofacial Sciences
Mr. Lin is a D2 dental student who has participated in multiple dental research projects since undergraduate. He also enjoys hiking and playing badminton, watching movies and traveling.
Jake Ngu
Junior Specialist
Orofacial Sciences
Mr. Ngu was born and raised in San Francisco and graduated from UC Berkeley in 2021 with a degree in Molecular and Cell Biology. He joined the Den Besten lab after graduating with a focus on the role of ion channels/ transporters in the maturation stage of ameloblasts. In his free time, I enjoy cooking, taking care of my house plants, and watching movies.
Janelle Urata, RDH, MS
Research Coordinator
Orofacial Sciences
Ms. Urata is a registered dental hygienist and works in clinical research. She received her bachelors at UCSD in human development but decided to continue school to become a dental hygienist and now has been practicing for over 15 years. She received her masters in dental hygiene in 2015 in effort to pursue her passion to work in research. She manages several studies by overseeing IRB submissions, participating in data collection, analysis, and manuscript publication. She has been part of the Den Besten lab since 2018.