Chi T. Viet

Dr. Chi T. Viet is an Associate Professor in both the School of Dentistry (Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery) and the School of Medicine (Department of Medicine) at Loma Linda University. She holds a DDS, PhD, and MD, and is a diplomate of the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (ABOMS). Her clinical expertise includes head and neck oncology, microvascular reconstruction, oral cancer surgery, and management of maxillofacial trauma.

• MD: New York University
• PhD: University of California, San Francisco
• DDS: University of California, San Francisco

Dr. Viet's research focuses on the epigenetic mechanisms of oral cancer pain, carcinogenesis, and opioid tolerance. Her work integrates translational models with clinical data to develop biomarkers for early cancer detection and personalized pain management. She has pioneered studies on DNA methylation in saliva, mu-opioid receptor regulation, and the role of neurotrophins in perineural invasion.

Recent publications highlight the use of artificial intelligence in multi-omics analysis of oral cancer, STING pathway activation for analgesia, and the development of epigenetic risk scores like the REASON score. Her work spans molecular oncology, pain neuroscience, and surgical innovation, often combining epigenetics, bioinformatics, and clinical outcomes.

• National Merit Scholarship
• Phi Beta Kappa
• ASCO Career Development Award
• NIH Loan Repayment Program (multiple awards)
• Oral Maxillofacial Surgery Foundation Research Recognition Award
• American Pain Society Young Investigator Award
• AADR Hatton Award

Dr. Viet is a principal investigator on multiple NIH-funded grants (R01, K23), ASCO, IASP, and OMSF awards, totaling over $10 million. She mentors a multidisciplinary research team and collaborates with institutions nationwide. Her lab investigates epigenetic modulation, neuro-immune interactions, and novel therapeutics for cancer pain and recurrence. She also contributes to clinical guidelines and surgical education, particularly in reconstructive techniques and opioid stewardship.

Her laboratory is actively involved in developing non-invasive diagnostic tools, targeting pain pathways to reduce opioid dependence, and understanding the tumor microenvironment in head and neck cancer.