The UAB Global Center for Craniofacial, Oral and Dental Disorders (GC-CODED) has awarded 2026 Pilot & Feasibility Awards supporting innovative research projects focused on oral health, craniofacial biology and microbial ecology.
The funded projects bring together investigators from the UAB School of Dentistry and UAB Heersink School of Medicine and reflect GC-CODED’s continued investment in early-stage, collaborative research with potential for future translational impact and external funding support.
“GC-CODED pilot funding is designed to support innovative, collaborative research projects that can generate foundational data for future discovery and external funding opportunities,” says Amjad Javed, Ph.D., associate dean for research at the UAB School of Dentistry and director of GC-CODED.
“These projects represent innovative approaches to important questions in oral and craniofacial health research. Pilot funding helps investigators generate foundational data, strengthen collaborations and pursue discoveries that can ultimately improve patient care and advance scientific understanding.”
Awardees include:
Can Wang, B.D.S., M.D.S., Ph.D.
Department of Endodontics, UAB School of Dentistry
“Role of biofilm amyloids in oral-systemic infection”
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, helping advance understanding of biofilm formation and preventive treatment strategies.
The newly funded GC-CODED project will investigate the role of biofilm amyloids in oral-systemic infection and examine how microbial interactions within the oral environment may influence broader health outcomes.
Amjad Javed, Ph.D.
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, UAB School of Dentistry
“Identifying new molecular regulators of amelogenesis imperfecta”
Javed’s project focuses on identifying molecular regulators involved in amelogenesis imperfecta, a group of inherited disorders affecting tooth enamel development. His research examines molecular and genetic mechanisms involved in craniofacial and skeletal tissue development, with an emphasis on bone, cartilage and tooth biology.
Findings from the project may help advance understanding of developmental dental disorders and support future therapeutic strategies related to enamel defects and craniofacial development.
Jessica Scoffield, Ph.D.
Department of Microbiology, UAB Heersink School of Medicine
“Role of a commensal-derived metabolite on oral microbial ecology”
Scoffield’s research examines interactions among oral microbes and mechanisms that support microbial balance and oral health. Her work focuses particularly on polymicrobial infections and how beneficial commensal organisms may suppress pathogenic activity within the oral environment.
The funded project will explore how metabolites produced by commensal organisms influence oral microbial ecology and shape microbial communities associated with oral health and disease.
GC-CODED is a University-Wide Interdisciplinary Research Center (UWIRC) focused on advancing research, education and collaboration related to craniofacial, oral and dental disorders.