New addition to UR CTSI: Jin Xiao appointed as Associate Director for KL2 Career Development Program
In a significant move, Dr. Jin Xiao, DDS, PhD, has been appointed as the associate director of the KL2 Career Development Program at the University of Rochester Clinical & Translational Science Institute (UR CTSI), effective July 1. The KL2 program offers two years of financial support and mentorship for early-career clinical and translational scientists.
Dr. Xiao, a researcher affiliated with the University of Rochester’s Eastman Institute for Oral Health, has made notable strides in the field of dental science. Her research, which focuses on severe early childhood tooth decay, a chronic, preventable, and painful condition that significantly impacts children’s quality of life, has received backing from UR CTSI.
With KL2 support in 2017, Dr. Xiao established a community-centered dental clinic for underserved pregnant women. Her research has also shown a strong link between infant's and mother's oral health and has identified certain types of yeast and bacteria that are more likely to lead to poor oral health in early childhood.
Dr. Xiao's team has also developed a smartphone app that uses artificial intelligence to detect tooth decay, aiming to improve access to dental care and achieve oral health equity in the community and beyond. The app is one of the ways Dr. Xiao is using translational science to drive improvements in diagnosis, prevention, and management of severe tooth decay in early childhood.
Dr. Xiao's research trajectory embodies the spirit and mission of UR CTSI and its KL2 program. UR CTSI Co-Director Karen Wilson, MD, MPH, praised Dr. Xiao's work, saying, "Dr. Xiao's research career exemplifies the mission of UR CTSI and its KL2 program, which is to bridge laboratory findings with clinical application to develop more effective prevention and treatment strategies."
In addition to her research, Dr. Xiao has experience mentoring several students in the UR CTSI Translational Biomedical PhD Program, visiting scholars from Research Centers in Minority Institutions, and a Diversity Supplement Awardee.
Dr. Xiao will lead the KL2 program alongside Director Thu Le, MD. In her new role, she is eager to give back to the KL2 family and support the next generation of translational scientists.
Susanne Pritchard Pallo is the author of this article, dated June 7, 2024.
[1] Note: Specific details of Dr. Xiao's work on severe early childhood tooth decay are not explicitly outlined in the search results, but her position within a leading oral health research institute, her role with the ADA, and the backing by the Clinical & Translational Science Institute collectively indicate a significant and impactful contribution to improving oral health outcomes in children by addressing this widespread dental condition.
- Dr. Jin Xiao's research in dental science, particularly her focus on severe early childhood tooth decay, aligns with the mission of promoting health equity, as her work targets a chronic, preventable condition that significantly impacts children's quality of life.
- In addition to her research, Dr. Xiao's experience in mentoring students and scholars in education-and-self-development programs, such as the UR CTSI Translational Biomedical PhD Program, demonstrates her commitment to personal-growth and career-development of the next generation of scientists.
- Through her development of a smartphone app utilizing skills-training in artificial intelligence, Dr. Xiao is driving learning and innovation to improve access to dental care and contribute to the achievement of oral health equity in the community and beyond.
