Sunstar honors Dr Genco’s legacy at the American Academy of Periodontology 2024 Annual Meeting
November 19, 2024
Sunstar attended the American Academy of Periodontology (AAP) 2024 Annual Meeting and co-sponsored the Dr. Genco Perio-Systemic Symposium at the San Diego Convention Center from October 30th to November 3rd.
The Dr. Genco Perio-Systemic Symposium, which took place on November 1st, provided critical insights into the connection between rheumatoid arthritis and periodontal disease and perspectives on the molecular mechanisms that link these two inflammatory conditions.
The session explored scientific evidence on how immune responses in periodontal disease may drive autoimmunity seen in rheumatoid arthritis, and counted with significant speakers, including: Professor Felipe Andrade, Associate Professor of Medicine in the Division of Rheumatology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, Professor Iain L. C Chapple, Professor of Periodontology and Consultant in Restorative Dentistry Head of Research for Institute of Clinical Sciences, Dr Hatice Hasturk, Director, Center for Clinical and Translational Research, and Dr Purnima Kumar, William and Mary K. Najjar Endowed Professor of Dentistry and Chair of the Department of Periodontology and Oral Medicine at the University of Michigan School of Dentistry,
The American Academy of Periodontology (AAP) annual meeting is a gathering that each year brings together thousands of experts and innovators to explore groundbreaking developments in periodontal health. For 110 years this meeting has served as a major platform for periodontists, researchers, and healthcare professionals who are dedicated to enhancing patient outcomes.
Left to Right: Mayumi Kaneda, Frances Genco, Barbara Van Dyke
Honoring Dr. Robert J. Genco’s Legacy
Mayumi Kaneda, Director of the Sunstar Foundation, delivered a heartfelt speech to honor the late Dr. Robert J. Genco’s contributions to oral health and systemic health research.
Kaneda highlighted Dr. Genco’s legacy as a mentor and pioneer and his long-standing relationship with Hiroo Kaneda, Mayumi Kaneda’s father and Sunstar Board Member. Their 44-year-long partnership identified the connection between periodontal disease and general health and continues to inspire ongoing research to improve global health.
Left to Right: Purnima Kumar, Iain L.C. Chapple, Mrs. Frances Genco, Thomas E. Van Dyke, Hatice Hasturk, Felipe Andrade, Mayumi Kaneda
As a result, Sunstar’s partnership with Dr. Genco is marked by significant contributions to research, numerous academic papers, and the development of the global oral care brand, GUM. Beginning in 1979, Sunstar and Dr. Genco, united by their shared focus on periodontal disease, collaborated under the University at Buffalo's School of Dental Medicine to establish a fellowship that has since provided opportunities for numerous Sunstar scientists to contribute to pioneering research and innovation.
This connection continues to this day, with the Sunstar Foundation honoring Dr. Genco’s legacy by creating an endowed chair in his name. The Sunstar Robert J. Genco Endowment Chair is currently headed by Dr Patricia Diaz, UB Microbiome Center’s Director, who will bring Dr Genco’s research to the next level by further exploring the mouth and body connections through the oral microbiome lens.