Bruno Loos receives top IADR award for research in periodontal disease

Bruno Loos, programme director of the EFP-accredited postgraduate master’s programme in periodontology at the Academic Center for Dentistry Amsterdam (ACTA) in the Netherlands, has been awarded one of the top prizes in dental science.

The International Association for Dental Research (IADR) awarded Prof Loos its 2021 Distinguished Scientist Award in Research in Periodontal Disease.

The Research in Periodontal Disease Award is designed to recognise, encourage, and stimulate outstanding research achievements in research and its translation through clinical research in periodontal disease.

It is one of 17 IADR Distinguished Scientist Awards and is one of the highest honours bestowed by the association. The award consists of a plaque and a modest monetary award.

Announcing the award, the IADR highlighted that, after undergraduate studies in dentistry in Amsterdam, Bruno Loos studied an MSc in periodontology at Loma Linda University in California (USA) where, among other topics, he investigated the efficacy of non-surgical approaches to manage periodontitis.

He then continued his research on the molecular epidemiology of Porphyromonas gingivalis transmission from patient to patient and completed his PhD. in oral biology at the State University of New York at Buffalo, USA. He returned to The Netherlands to work on the immunobiology of periodontal and peri-implant diseases and oral health. His clinical research focusses on the relationships between oral health and systemic health, as well as clinical studies in the treatment of peri-implant diseases.

Bruno Loos has presented various papers on these subjects at IADR meetings and other international scientific meetings including the EFP’s EuroPerio congresses. He is a regular participant in the EFP’s Perio Workshop, including the most recent one (2019) which drew up the EFP S3-level Clinical Practice Guideline on the treatment of periodontitis stage I-III, where he was lead author of a state-of-the-science review on the endpoints of active periodontal therapy.

At EuroPerio10, due to take place in Copenhagen in June 2022, he will speak on the current understanding of susceptibility to periodontitis and pleitropy with other chronic diseases and chair a session on personalised medicine in the dental and periodontal office.

Prof Loos has had significant impacts on research in periodontal diseases across the spectrum of genetics and immunity and published more than 185 peer reviewed publications. He has received a total of 29 awards and recognitions.

“I am very honoured and proud to have received the IADR Distinguished Scientist Award in Research in Periodontal Disease,” said Bruno Loos. “I am very thankful, and my award reflects the great work I have been able to do over the years with many perio residents, PhD students, and other great collaborators and ACTA colleagues. This prize is also for them.”

Bruno Loos follows in the footsteps of Anton Sculean (EFP president 2018-19, who received the IADR Research in Periodontal Disease Award in 2020, Iain Chapple (EFP secretary general 2016-19) who was honoured with the award in 2018, and current EFP president Lior Shapira who received the award in 2009.