Neha Parikh

Dr. Neha Parikh serves as Associate Professor in the Department of Diagnostic & Biomedical Sciences at UTHealth Houston School of Dentistry, where she directs Human Biology and Oral Biology I courses while mentoring through summer research and career fellowship programs. Her institutional journey includes prior research roles at Baylor College of Medicine and teaching positions at University of Houston Downtown.

Education:

• PhD, National Centre for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (2007)
• MS, Biotechnology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi (2001)
• BS, Human Biology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi (1999)

Her pioneering research investigates oral-systemic health connections in Alzheimer's disease progression, examining how oral microbial dysbiosis and systemic inflammation serve as early biomarkers. Complementing this, her educational scholarship develops evidence-based dental pedagogy through student-centered methodologies and pandemic-responsive assessment frameworks, creating synergistic advances in both clinical understanding and educational practice.

Recent publications reveal strong dual expertise in endodontic materials science (analyzing irrigant chemical interactions) and dental education innovation (evaluating synchronous teaching effectiveness), demonstrating consistent translational impact across basic science and educational domains.

Scientific Recognition:

• 2023 Dean's Excellence Award in Scholarship of Integration
• 2022 Colgate Research Excellence Award
• 2020 Chris and Helen Smith Research Award (UTHealth Institute on Aging)
• Multiple competitive grants from AADOCR and UTSD Dean's Academy

Dr. Parikh actively mentors through structured programs including UTSD Summer Research and ADEA Dental Career Fellowships, with current funding supporting her dual-track research on Alzheimer's biomarkers and educational innovation. She collaborates extensively across UTHealth Houston institutions while serving as ADEA Councilor for Physiology, Pharmacology and Therapeutics, driving both scientific discovery and educational advancement in dental academia.