Can Wang, B.D.S., M.D.S., Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Endodontics at the UAB School of Dentistry, has recently received multiple research and faculty development recognitions supporting her continued work in oral health and translational research.
Wang was selected to participate in the UAB Clinical Trialist Development Program (CTDP), received a UAB Faculty Development Grant Program (FDGP) award and was named a recipient of a 2026 GC-CODED Pilot & Feasibility Funding Award.
The Clinical Trialist Development Program supports early-career faculty pursuing clinical and translational research through mentorship, institutional research resources and interdisciplinary collaboration opportunities designed to strengthen long-term research development and external funding success.
The UAB Faculty Development Grant Program provides seed funding for research, scholarship and creative activities, allowing faculty to pursue new and innovative areas of investigation that may support future externally funded work and long-term research development.
Wang’s research focuses on oral biofilms, bacterial adhesion mechanisms and bacterial-host interactions. Her work has explored gene expression in oral biofilms and microbial adhesion at both single-cell and single-molecule resolution, advancing understanding of biofilm formation and preventive treatment strategies.
Her 2026 GC-CODED Pilot & Feasibility Award supports a project titled, “Role of biofilm amyloids in oral-systemic infection,” which investigates how microbial interactions within the oral environment may contribute to broader health outcomes.
“I am honored to receive these recognitions and grateful for the opportunity to continue developing my research program at UAB,” says Wang. “The support provided through CTDP, FDGP and GC-CODED will help advance collaborative research focused on oral biofilms and oral-systemic health connections.”
Ashraf F. Fouad, D.D.S., M.S., professor and chair of the Department of Endodontics, says the recognitions reflect Wang’s strong potential as an emerging investigator.
“Dr. Wang has quickly established herself as a promising researcher and collaborator within our department,” says Fouad. “These awards and faculty development opportunities reflect both the quality of her work and the significant potential of her research program.”
The combined recognitions support Wang’s continued development of collaborative and translational research initiatives at UAB.
Wang joined the UAB School of Dentistry Department of Endodontics in 2025. Prior to joining UAB, she completed clinical residencies in general dentistry and endodontics at Wuhan University in China and earned a doctorate from the University of Groningen in the Netherlands. She later completed postdoctoral research at Université Catholique de Louvain in Belgium, where she studied microbial adhesion mechanisms at single-cell and single-molecule resolution.
Her work has been published in journals including Nano Letters, PNAS Nexus, Cell Reports, mBio and NPJ Biofilms and Microbiomes.
Read more about the 2026 GC-CODED Pilot & Feasibility Awards supporting oral and craniofacial research at the UAB School of Dentistry.