Martha Somerman

{{Infobox scientist

| name = Martha Somerman

| image = Martha-J-Somerman.jpg

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| alt = Martha J. Somerman

| caption = Dr. Martha J. Somerman, Director of NIDCR, NIH and Chief Lab of LOCTB, NIAMS

| birth_name = Martha Somerman

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1947|03|13|df=y}}

| birth_place = Brooklyn, N.Y., U.S.A.

| workplaces = {{plainlist |

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| alma_mater = {{plainlist |

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| citizenship = United States

| awards = {{plainlist |

International Association for Dental Research (IADR) Distinguished Scientist Award 2018

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Martha J. Somerman (b. March 13, 1947 in Brooklyn, New York{{cite web |last= |first= |date= October 18, 2021|title=Dr. Martha Somerman First Woman to Earn Gold Medal Award for Excellence in Dental Research from the ADA |url=https://blog.benco.com/2021/10/18/dr-martha-somerman-first-woman-to-earn-gold-medal-award-for-excellence-in-dental-research-from-the-ada/ |archive-url= |archive-date= |website= |publisher=}}) is an internationally known researcher and educator in medicine, focusing on defining the key regulators controlling development, maintenance, and regeneration of dental, oral, and craniofacial tissues.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nidcr.nih.gov/about-us/office-of-the-director/martha-somerman|title=Martha J. Somerman, DDS, PhD, Director of NIDCR |work= National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research|language=en|access-date=2019-11-06}} She was Chief of the Laboratory of Oral Connective Tissue Biology (LOCTB) at the National Institutes of Health's National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) and Director of the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), a part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) located in Bethesda, Maryland.{{Cite web|url=https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Martha_Somerman|title=Martah Somerman ResearchGate|last=Somerman|first=Martha|date=|website=ResearchGate|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=}}Collins, Francis S. (November 14, 2019). "[https://www.nih.gov/about-nih/who-we-are/nih-director/statements/statement-retirement-dr-martha-somerman Statement on the retirement of Dr. Martha Somerman]". National Institutes of Heath. She was the first woman to lead NIDCR. {{cite web |last= |first= |date= October 18, 2021|title=Dr. Martha Somerman First Woman to Earn Gold Medal Award for Excellence in Dental Research from the ADA |url=https://blog.benco.com/2021/10/18/dr-martha-somerman-first-woman-to-earn-gold-medal-award-for-excellence-in-dental-research-from-the-ada/ |archive-url= |archive-date= |website= |publisher=}} Dr. Somerman retired as the director of NIDCR on December 31, 2019, serving nine years.{{Cite web |date=2019-11-13 |title=Statement on the retirement of Dr. Martha Somerman |url=https://www.nih.gov/about-nih/who-we-are/nih-director/statements/statement-retirement-dr-martha-somerman |access-date=2024-09-29 |website=National Institutes of Health (NIH) |language=EN}}

Early life and education

Martha J. Somerman was born on March 13, 1947, in Brooklyn, New York. Martha Somerman earned a Bachelor of Arts from New York University, a Master of Science from Hunter College, a Doctor of Dental Surgery from New York University, a Certificate in Periodontology in 1978, and a PhD in Pharmacology from the University of Rochester in 1980.{{Cite web|url=https://iadr2019.zerista.com/profile/member/980834|title=2019 IADR/AADR/CADR General Session & Exhibition - Profile - Martha Somerman|website=iadr2019.zerista.com|access-date=2019-11-06}}

Research and career

Somerman's career at the University of Michigan started in 1991. She was Associate Professor and Chair for the Department of Periodontics/Prevention/Geriatrics (PPG) at the Michigan Dental School and Associate Professor for the Department of Pharmacology at the Michigan Medical School until 1995. Afterwards she became Professor and Chair of the PPG Department and Professor for the Department of Pharmacology until 2000.{{cite web|url=http://irp.nih.gov/pi/martha-somerman|title=Martha J. Somerman, D.D.S, Ph.D.|publisher=NIH Intramural Research Program|accessdate=March 13, 2015}} She was then Associate Dean of the School of Dentistry at the University of Washington, a position she held for two years and became Dean in 2002 holding that position until 2011.{{cite web|url=http://www.washington.edu/news/2007/02/22/a-conversation-with-martha-somerman-dean-of-the-school-of-dentistry/|title=A conversation with Martha Somerman, Dean of the School of Dentistry|publisher=University of Washington|accessdate=March 13, 2015}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.iadr.org/AADR/About-Us/Leadership/AADR-Presidents/30|title=Martha J. Somerman|website=www.iadr.org|access-date=2019-11-06}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/dentistry/word-of-mouth/october-2016/two-eastman-alumni-win-major-awards.aspx|title=Two Eastman Alumni Win Major Awards|website=www.urmc.rochester.edu|language=en|access-date=2019-11-06}} In 2011, she became the first woman to be appointed Director of the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR),{{Cite web|url=https://www.washington.edu/news/2011/05/04/dentistry-dean-martha-somerman-leaving-to-direct-nih-dental-branch/|title=Dentistry Dean Martha Somerman leaving to direct NIH dental branch|website=UW News|language=en|access-date=2019-11-06}} succeeding acting director Isabel Garcia.{{Cite journal |last=Garvin |first=Jennifer |date=June 2011 |title=Dr. Martha Somerman Named New NIDCR Director |journal=The Journal of the American Dental Association |language=en |volume=142 |issue=6 |pages=606 |doi=10.14219/jada.archive.2011.0235|doi-access=free }} Under this position, Somerman established the Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Tissue Regenerative Consortium (DOCTR-C) to advance research on innate biological mechanisms and pathways that facilitate regeneration and repair of damaged or diseased tissues. From 2011 until 2021, she was also the Principal Investigator for the Laboratory of Oral Connective Tissue Biology at the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS). During her time at the NIAMS, she focused on identifying candidate genes and factors to promote periodontal regeneration.

The Somerman played a key role in identifying and characterizing cementoblasts, the cells responsible for forming cementum, a vital mineralized tissue covering tooth roots.{{Cite journal |last1=D’Errico |first1=J.A |last2=Ouyang |first2=H |last3=Berry |first3=J.E |last4=MacNeil |first4=R.L |last5=Strayhorn |first5=C |last6=Imperiale |first6=M.J |last7=Harris |first7=N.L |last8=Goldberg |first8=H |last9=Somerman |first9=M.J |date=1999 |title=Immortalized cementoblasts and periodontal ligament cells in culture |url=https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S8756328299000964 |journal=Bone |language=en |volume=25 |issue=1 |pages=39–47 |doi=10.1016/S8756-3282(99)00096-4|pmid=10423020 }} Cementoblasts are essential for tooth attachment and regeneration, contributing to periodontal health by facilitating the anchoring of teeth to the surrounding bone.{{Cite journal |last1=Saygin |first1=Nazan E. |last2=Giannobile |first2=William V. |last3=Somerman |first3=Martha J. |date=2000 |title=Molecular and cell biology of cementum |url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1034/j.1600-0757.2000.2240105.x |journal=Periodontology 2000 |language=en |volume=24 |issue=1 |pages=73–98 |doi=10.1034/j.1600-0757.2000.2240105.x |pmid=11276875 |issn=0906-6713}}

Somerman has more than 190 peer-review publications with over 8,000 citations and she has contributed to 20 books or book chapters.

Awards and honors

She has received numerous honors and awards throughout her academic career.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qlxRAQAAMAAJ&q=IADR+Straumann+Award+somerman&pg=PA248|title=Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations for 2013: Hearings Before a Subcommittee of the Committee on Appropriations, House of Representatives, One Hundred Twelfth Congress, Second Session|last=Agencies|first=United States Congress House Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related|date=2012|publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office|language=en}}

Dr. Somerman was the President of the American Association for Dental Research from 2001 to 2002.{{cite web |title=AADOCR Presidents |url=https://www.aadocr.org/about/leadership/aadocr-presidents |website=American Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research}}
In 2010 she got the IADR/PRG Award in Regenerative Periodontal Medicine.{{Cite web|url=https://www.iadr.org/IADR/Awards/Scientific-Group-Awards/PERIO/Regenerative|title=IADR/PRG Award in Regenerative Periodontal Medicine|website=www.iadr.org|access-date=2019-11-06}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.perio.org/consumer/AAP-periodontist-awards|title=American Academy of Periodontology Recognizes Member Achievements {{!}} Perio.org|website=www.perio.org|access-date=2019-11-06}}
In 2011, Harvard University awarded Martha Somerman the AADR's Paul Goldhaber Award, which is presented annually to "an individual who is held in the highest international esteem in his or her field relating to oral and systemic health", acknowledging her work in the field of the regeneration of hard and soft tissues.{{cite web|last1=Harvard School of Dental Medicine|title=Recognition Ceremony 2011|url=http://hsdm.harvard.edu/news/recognition_ceremony_2011|accessdate=March 13, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402134646/http://hsdm.harvard.edu/news/recognition_ceremony_2011|archive-date=April 2, 2015|url-status=dead}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.washington.edu/news/2011/05/18/dr-martha-somerman-named-to-receive-harvard-dental-schools-highest-honor/|title=Dr. Martha Somerman named to receive Harvard dental schools highest honor|website=UW News|language=en|access-date=2019-11-06}}
In 2018, she got awarded from the International Association for Dental Research's (IADR) [https://www.iadr.org/IADR/Awards/Grants-Awards/Distinguished-Scientist Distinguished Scientist Award] for Basic Research in Biological Mineralization.{{Cite web|url=http://www.iadr.org/IADR/About-Us/News/ArtMID/132983/ArticleID/506/Martha-J-Somerman-Received-the-2018-IADR-Ditinguished-Scientist-Award-in-Basic-Research-in-Biological-Mineralization|title=Martha J. Somerman Received the 2018 IADR Distinguished Scientist Award in Basic Research in Biological Mineralization|website=International Association for Dental Research|language=en-US|access-date=2019-11-06}}
Most recently, in 2021, she became the first woman to receive the American Dental Association's Gold Medal Award for Excellence in Dental Research.{{Cite web |title=Former NIDCR director wins ADA Gold Medal Award for Excellence in Dental Research |url=https://adanews.ada.org/ada-news/2021/october/former-nidcr-director-wins-ada-gold-medal-award-for-excellence-in-dental-research/ |access-date=2024-05-29 |website=adanews.ada.org |language=en}}