ANN ARBOR—Former University of Michigan dentistry department chairman, Dr. Peter Polverini, now a dean at the University of Minnesota, has been recommended as the new leader for the U-M Dental School. The announcement was made by President Mary Sue Coleman and Provost Paul N. Courant. Polverini’s appointment as dean of the Dental School will be effective on or before July 1, pending approval by the Board of Regents. He also will be appointed as a professor of dentistry with tenure. Polverini currently serves as dean of the University of Minnesota Dental School. "Peter Polverini brings a wealth of experience in both research administration and dental education," Courant said. "I am delighted he is returning to the University of Michigan as dean, and look forward to working with him to continue and extend the tradition of greatness of our dental school." In 1992, Polverini came to the U-M as a professor of dentistry and chief of oral and maxillofacial pathology. He was appointed chair of the Department of Oral Medicine/Pathology/Surgery in 1995, and a year later became chair of the Department of Oral Medicine/Pathology/Oncology. In 1996, he also was awarded the Donald A. Kerr Endowed Collegiate Professorship. "The U-M is fortunate to have found a leader with the outstanding credentials Polverini brings to the Dental School," Coleman said. "His pioneering work in angiogenesis (the growth of blood vessels), and its relation to cancer and other diseases, has earned him a stellar scientific reputation" Polverini says while getting closer to family and friends was part of the motivation for returning to U-M, his desire to continue active research was also in the forefront of his decision. "Returning to Michigan gives me the opportunity to be in a world-class academic institution where there is freedom to be creative at a level not possible in many other institutions," Polverini said. "U-M is a resource-rich environment." Polverini was chosen from a rich pool of candidates, according to the search committee chairwoman, Dr. Laurie McCauley, professor of dentistry and chairwoman of the Department of Periodontics/Prevention/Geriatrics. "We were looking for a leader who could successfully approach the challenges of running a complex program that involves not only research but extensive teaching and patient care," McCauley said. "Peter Polverini is an outstanding candidate who has a breadth of strengths. He has an impressive record of scholarly accomplishments, and brings a wealth of experience in administering the multifaceted aspects of an academic program in dentistry." Polverini’s career began at the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine in 1977, where he served as an assistant professor in the Department of Diagnostic and Surgical Sciences. In 1981, he was recruited to Northwestern University Medical and Dental School. While at Northwestern, Polverini directed the Laboratory of Diagnostic Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, helped organize a graduate Ph.D. program in Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology and developed the Northwestern University Dental School undergraduate dental student research program. He holds a bachelor’s degree in biology and a D.D.S. from Marquette University. He completed specialty training in oral and maxillofacial pathology at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine and was awarded the Doctor of Medical Sciences degree from the Harvard Medical School. Polverini is on the editorial board of Laboratory Investigation and the Journal of Oral Pathology and Medicine, and is an associate editor of the journal Angiogenesis. He is a charter member of the National Cancer Institute’s Subcommittee C, Basic and Preclinical Sciences review committee Polverini also has an active NIH-funded research program that focuses on angiogenic signaling pathways, gene expression, and cell survival mechanisms pertinent to tumor development and angiogenesis-dependent diseases.
Contact: Jerry Mastey
Email: jmastey@umich.edu