Ken Sims of Benoit Lab receives NRSA funding

Ken Sims, a PhD student working in the lab of Danielle Benoit, has received funding from the Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (RRSA) Individual Predoctoral Fellowship program (F31). 

His project is titled, "Engineered pH-Responsive Nanoparticle Drug Delivery to Inhibit Oral Biofilm Formation," and addresses the issue of tooth decay, which affects over two-thirds of children and nearly all adults worldwide and results in billions of dollars of direct and indirect healthcare costs each year. Most current treatment options involve topically applied drugs that provide little to no protection against tooth decay. The study will focus on designing a drug delivery system capable of penetrating dental plaque and releasing antibacterial drugs specifically where cavities develop: the acid covered tooth enamel surface. This research may lead to a new promising, clinically relevant therapeutic approach to prevent tooth decay and other oral diseases.