����һ������

Josue “Josh” Murillo, a student in the  at the UT San Antonio School of Dentistry, has been named a recipient of the 2026 American Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research () Student Research Fellowship.

Murillo is one of 16 students selected for the national fellowship, which was created to encourage dental students in the United States to pursue careers in oral health research. The fellowship provides $2,100 to support research and $600 in travel support. 

Murillo is pursuing his DDS as well as a PhD in integrated biomedical sciences under the mentorship of , endodontics program and clinic director and associate professor in the Department of Endodontics. His research project, “Evaluation of MIF in mediating stem cell analgesia in a model of orofacial pain,” focuses on better understanding how stem cell-based approaches may help relieve dental-related pain. Murillo’s current research explores mechanisms of mesenchymal stem cell-induced analgesia in a model of apical periodontitis, with the long-term goal of advancing understanding of peripheral pain mechanisms in the orofacial region. 

Ruparel’s research focuses on pain and stem cells, including the development of novel non-opioid strategies using human tissues and stem cells to treat infection induced pain. 

The AADOCR Student Research Fellowship recipients were recognized during the opening ceremonies of the 55th Annual Meeting of the AADOCR, held in conjunction with the 104th General Session of the International Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research and the 50th Annual Meeting of the Canadian Association for Dental Research in San Diego, California, March 25 through 28, 2026. 

“Josh is a dedicated and persistent scientist, and this fellowship is a well-deserved recognition of his commitment and his potential to make meaningful contributions to oral health research,” said Ruparel.

Congratulations to Josh on this national recognition and his continued contributions to the research community.