Ikhlas El Karim

Ikhlas El Karim is a Clinical Professor at Queen's University Belfast's School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences, where she leads research in regenerative endodontics and orofacial pain at the Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine. Her work bridges clinical dentistry with basic science to develop biologically-based therapies for inflammatory dental diseases.

Her research program focuses on:

• Dental pulp stem cell differentiation and regeneration
• Neuronal signaling in inflammatory pain pathways
• Links between oral infections and systemic inflammation
• Minimal intervention strategies for pulp preservation

Recent publications demonstrate strong emphasis on:

• Clinical validation of pulpitis classification systems
• European endodontic guideline development
• Biophysical enhancement of regenerative procedures
• Immunological mechanisms in pulp repair
• Dental education during the COVID-19 pandemic

Her contributions have been recognized through multiple awards including the British Endodontic Society Research Prize and Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons.