Thomas Diekwisch

Thomas Diekwisch is a tenured Professor and Head of the Department of Oral and Craniofacial Sciences at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry. He holds the Margaret and Cy Welcher Professorship in Dental Research and directs the Center for Oral and Craniofacial Sciences. Previously, he served at institutions like the University of Illinois and Texas A&M, holding roles such as Allan G. Brodie Endowed Chair. His research integrates developmental biology, epigenetics, and biomaterials engineering to advance understanding of tooth and periodontal tissue formation.

Diekwisch earned dual PhDs in Anatomy and Philosophy of Science from Philipps-University of Marburg, alongside a DMD in Dentistry. His work spans 119+ peer-reviewed articles, focusing on enamel biomineralization, chromatin dynamics, and regenerative therapies. Key contributions include elucidating epigenetic mechanisms in periodontal differentiation and developing biomimetic scaffolds for tissue regeneration. His lab investigates SFRP1’s role in periodontal ligament homeostasis and explores YAP/TAZ signaling in mineralized tissue maintenance.

Research interests include:

• Epigenetic regulation of odontogenic lineages
• Wnt pathway modulation in periodontal health/disease
• Biomaterials for craniofacial repair
• Evolutionary tooth morphology