CURRICULUM VITAE
June 5th, 2015
Personal data:
Name: Dr. Athanasios I. Zavras
Degrees: D.M.D, D.D.S, M.S, Dr.Med.Sc
Year of Birth: 1966
Citizenship: USA
Marital Status: Married w/ two children
Research Funding
Funding Completed:
1993-98 NIDCR T32 Douglass CW (PI)
Oral Epidemiology Training grant
1995-98 NIDCR (prof. service contract) Zavras, AI (PI) $25,000/yr
ADH3 Polymorphisms & Oral
Cancer Epidemiology
1999-04 NIDCR (#K23DE420) Zavras, AI (PI) $620,000
Molecular Epidemiology of Cancer
2006-07 Fanconi Anemia Research Fund Zavras, AI (PI) $40,000
Technology Assessment for Oral
Cancer Detection
2005-08 NIDCR (DE015593-01A1) Zavras, AI (PI) $675,000
Genetic Epidemiology of Oral Cancer
2007-10 NIDCR (DE018143-01) Zavras, AI (PI) $250,000/yr
Bisphosphonate-Related Osteonecrosis
of the Jaw: Pharmacogenetics
2007-10 Kennedy School of Government Zavras, AI (PI) $30,000
Developing policies to integrate cancer
prevention in primary medical care in Kuwait
2005-12 Government of Cyprus Koutrakis, P (PI) $140,000
Cyprus International Research
Institute Cancer Program
2009-12 NIDCR (Grand Opportunity RC2) Zavras, AI (PI) $1,256,000
Oral cancer detection in a community
setting (P.I. status changed to Site PI when moved
from Harvard to Columbia)
2010-12 NIDCR (R56 ARRA) Zavras, AI (PI) $339,807
Pilot Genome Wide Association Study of Oral Cancer
2012 Columbia University Technology Ventures Zavras, AI (PI) $15,000
Genetics of drug-induced osteonecrosis of the jaw
2012-13 HRSA 4 T17MC06359 Edelstein, B (PI) $1.02million
Co-investigator (8% effort) in HRSA Training Grant to Columbia College of Dental
Medicine to train pediatric dentists in Public Health
2013-18 HRSA H65HA00014 Edelstein, B (PI) $1.9million
Co-investigator (5% effort) in HRSA CBDPP grant to Columbia College of Dental
Medicine to provide care to people with HIV in New York City
2011-16 HRSA D88HP20109 Edelstein, B (PI) $1.9million
Co-investigator (10% effort) in HRSA postdoctoral education grant to Columbia College
of Dental Medicine. Title: Building a sustainable network of pediatric dentists
committed to care of underserved children
2012-17 HRSA D86HP24475 Edelstein, B (PI) $2.5million
Co-investigator (5% effort) in HRSA postdoctoral education grant to Columbia College
of Dental Medicine. Title: Faculty Development in General, Pediatric, and Public Health
Dentistry and Dental Hygiene
Funding Active
2012- Merck Zavras, AI (PI) $86,000
An observational case control study to validate the association between
RBMS3 and risk of osteonecrosis of the jaw in cancer patients receiving
intravenous bisphosphonates or denosumab
Teaching experience and responsibilities:
Local / University Teaching (Undergraduate teaching):
1994-1996 Course: Growth and Development
Teaching role: Tutor for dental students at the New Pathway
Type of students and average number each year: 38 dental students
Amount of preparation and contact time involved: Tutored for 3 months per
year, 12 sessions.
Preparation time: approx. 1 h per session
1995-1997 Course: Immunology and Microbiology
Teaching role: Tutor for dental students at the New Pathway
Type of students and average number each year: 38 undergraduate dental
Students
Amount of preparation and contact time involved: Tutored for 2 months per
year, 8 sessions.
Preparation time: approx. 1 h per session
2005-2006 Course: Patient Doctor I
Teaching role: Tutor for dental students at the New Pathway
Type of students and average number each year: 9 undergraduate dental
students
Amount of preparation and contact time involved: Year-long course
Preparation time: approx. 1-2 h per session
2006-07 Course: CN700.0 – Physician in Community: A Service Learning Course
In Community Medicine and International Health
Teaching role: Tutor/mentor for medical students at the New Pathway
Type of students and average number each year: 9 undergraduate dental
students
Amount of preparation and contact time involved: Year-long course
Preparation time: approx. 1-2 h per session (for 1-2 sessions)
Post-graduate teaching (medical courses):
1996-1998 Course: Molecular Epidemiology course at Tufts Dental School
Teaching role: Course Director
Type of students: 15-20 residents and postdoctoral fellows
Amount of preparation and contact time involved: 16 hours of contact time
Approx. 40 hours of preparation in the first year and 16 hours subsequently
1998-1999 Course: Biostatistics course at Tufts Dental School
Teaching role: Course Director
Type of students: 15-20 residents & postdoctoral fellows
Amount of preparation and contact time involved: 16 hours subsequently
Approx. 40 hours of preparation in the first year and 16 hours subsequently
1999-2005 Course: Oral Epidemiology at HSDM & HSPH
Teaching role: Lecturer
Type of students: 6-10 residents & postdoctoral fellows
Amount of preparation and contact time involved: 2-3 sessions per year, 4-6
Hours of contact time
Approx. 6h of preparation
2007-2008 Course: Biostatistics at HSDM
2008-2009 Teaching role: Course Director
Type of students: approx. 20 residents & postdoctoral fellows
Amount of preparation and contact time involved: 1 session per week, 2-4
hours of contact time
Approx. 3h of preparation per session
2006-2009 Course: Oral Epidemiology at HSPH
2009-2010 Teaching role: Course Director
2010-2012 Type of students: 6-10 residents & postdoctoral fellows
Amount of preparation and contact time involved: year long course, 1 session
per week, 2-3 hours of contact time
Approx. 3h of preparation per session
2007-2008 Course: Dental Public Health Seminars at HSPH
Teaching role: Lecturer
Type of students: 10=20 predoctoral students, residents & postdoctoral
fellows
Amount of preparation and contact time involved: year long course, teach 2-3
hours of contact time
Approx. 3h of preparation per session
2008-2009 Course: Seminars in Oral Health Policy & Epidemiology Research
Teaching role: Director
Type of students: 10-20 predoctoral students, residents & postdoctoral
fellows
Amount of preparation and contact time involved: year long course; teach 4-
5 sessions; 2-3 hours of contact time
Approx. 3h of preparation per session
2008-2009 Course: Introduction to Epidemiology at CII/HSPH
2009-2010 Teaching role: Director
Type of students: Postdoctoral fellows
Amount of preparation and contact time involved: one semester, 30h course. Teach all sessions
2008-2009 Course: Introduction to Research
Teaching role: Lecturer
Type of students: Postdoctoral fellows
Amount of preparation and contact time involved: Three lectures, 9h
lectures: 1) literature search, ii) clinical research, iii) Epidemiology, concepts
and methods
2011-14 Course: Oral Epidemiology & Surveillance (Columbia University)
Teaching role: Course director & sole lecturer
Type of students: Postdoctoral fellows
Amount of preparation and contact time involved: semester-long course;
one 2-hour session per week; 2-3 hours of preparation and 2-3 hours of
contact time
2011-14 Course: Biostatistics & Research Methodology (Columbia University)
Teaching role: Course director & sole lecturer
Type of students: Postdoctoral fellows
Amount of preparation and contact time involved: summer-long course;
one 2-hour session per week; 2-3 hours of preparation and 1-2 hours of
contact time
2011-14 Course: Public Health Sciences for Dentists (Columbia University)
Teaching role: Course director & main lecturer
Type of students: Postdoctoral fellows
Amount of preparation and contact time involved: semester-long course;
one 2-hour session per week; 2-3 hours of preparation and 2-3 hours of
contact time
Invited academic presentations:
1992 Dilaceration: An alternative treatment protocol.
Tufts Bates-Andrews Research Day, Boston, MA
1993 Oral manifestations of cancer treatments in the pediatric population
Tufts Bates-Andrews Research Day, Boston, MA
1995 The public health importance of child abuse and neglect
Harvard School of Public Health Student Coordinating Committee
2002 Advances in molecular/genetic epidemiology
Oral Epidemiology Course, Harvard School of Public Health, Dec. 5th, Boston, MA
2003 Molecular Cancer Epidemiology
Invited Lecture at Harvard School of Public Health. OHPE Research Seminars,
November 12th, 2003, Boston, MA
2004 Pharmacogenetics
Invited Lecture at Harvard School of Public Health. OHPE Research Seminars,
November 16th, 2004, Boston, MA
2005 Rare drug adverse reactions and genetic susceptibility
Invited lecture at Harvard School of Public Health. Pharmacoepidemiology
Research Seminars, April 17th, 2005, Boston, MA
2006 Grand Rounds – Bisphosphonate-induced Osteonecrosis: Evidence from population
studies in the US. Harvard School of Dental Medicine
2006 Pharmacogenetics and drug development: Implications for public health
Lecture at Epi224 Seminar. Harvard School of Public Health
2007 Using administrative insurance databases for pharmacogenetic research
Forsyth-Harvard Research Symposium 2007
2007 Epidemiology & Diagnosis of Oral Cancer
Harvard School of Dental Medicine – 3rd Year Class
2007 Introduction to Clinical Research
Harvard School of Dental Medicine – Lecture on Outcomes of Treatment Summer
Course
2007 Promoting Smoking Cessation
Invited lecture at HSPH 2007 Conference “Making Smoking History in Europe &
America
2007 Pharmacogenetics for Oral Health Research
Invited lecture at the Department of Ambulatory Care and Prevention, Harvard
Medical School
2008 Unresolved Issues in the Epidemiology of Oral Cancer
Invited lecture at the Department of Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health
2009 The Epidemiology of Head and Neck Cancer
Invited lecture at the Department of Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health
2010 Ethics in Medicine.
A series of three small group discussions in Lynn Tepper’s course at Columbia Univ.
2010 The Epidemiology of Head and Neck Cancer
Invited lecture at the Department of Epidemiology, Cancer Epidemiology Course.
Harvard School of Public Health
2010 Ethics I for predoctoral dental students
Invited lecture at the Columbia College of Dental Medicine (Course Director Lynn
Tepper)
2010 Ethics II for predoctoral dental students
Invited lecture at the Columbia College of Dental Medicine (Course Director Lynn
Tepper)
2012 Epidemiology of head and neck cancer.
Invited lecture at the Harvard School of Public Health. Course in Cancer Epidemiology
(Course Director: Rula Tamimi). Spring, 2012
2012 Causal Inference in Observational Studies
Invited lecture at the College of Dental Medicine Research Course (Course Director
Carol Kunzel)
2012 Needles in a haystack: sorting through massive population-based data for ONJ
pathogenesis.
Translational and Clinical research in ONJ 2012. University of Southern California.
Los Angeles, CA. Friday April 20th, 2012
2013 Epidemiology of head and neck cancer.
Invited lecture at the Harvard School of Public Health. Course in Cancer Epidemiology
(Course Director: Rula Tamimi). Spring, 2013
Continuing medical education (CE) course:
2002-09 Course: American Board of Dental Public Health Preparation
Description of teaching role: One of the three instructors who taught the 3-
day course. Amount of preparation and contact timed involved: 18-24h in
the first year. Approx. 4-5hr subsequent years
2012 Course: Assessing and managing risks
Description of teaching role: Course director and lecturer for a weekly CE
summer course under the auspices of the Mailman School of Public Health
EPIC Summer Institute program. Amount of preparation and contact timed
involved: Approx. 70 hours of preparation and 20 hours of actual teaching.
Course was CERP-approved for 20 CE units.
2015 Course: Prefabricated zirconia crowns in pediatric dentistry.
Description of teaching role: Course director and lab instructor. Boston University
Goldman School of Dental Medicine. Two day hands on course.
Local – Advisory and supervisory responsibilities:
Research:
Predoc:
1996 Lori Pai DMD Candidate at Harvard
1997 Pierre Holmes DMD Candidate at Harvard
1999 Pedro Thomas DMD Candidate at Harvard
2005-07 Hubert Park College Student
2006-08 John Henry Wessel DMD Candidate at Harvard
2006-07 Sogole Moin DMD Candidate at Harvard
2006-07 Carrie Baldwin DMD Candidate at Harvard
2007-10 Michelle Chung DMD Candidate at Harvard
2010-11 Lisa Lian Columbia College Student
2010-11 Ramya Kanukollou DDS Candidate at Columbia
2010-13 Julia Koo DDS Candidate at Columbia
2010-11 Greg Rosenberg DDS Candidate at Columbia
2011-12 Lina Paek DDS Candidate at Columbia
2012 Sarah Stein DDS Candidate at Columbia
2012 Michelle Castro DDS Candidate at Columbia
2012 George Levine DDS Candidate at Columbia
2015 Richa Wahi DMD Candidate at Boston University
2015 Ifen Okoye DMD Candidate at Boston University
Masters:
1998 Dr. George Koutsoukos MSD Candidate at Tufts
1999 Dr. Christina Zervou MSD Candidate at Tufts
2007-08 Dr. Michelle Chou MSc Candidate at Harvard
2007-08 Dr. Sami Sherif MSc Candidate at Harvard
2008-09 Dr. Lena Merdad MMSc Candidate at Harvard
2008-09 Dr. Marcus Swan MMSc Candidate at Harvard
2008-10 Dr. Jyoti Dangi MMSc Candidate at Harvard
2010-11 Phillip Hwang MPH Candidate at Mailman Columbia Univ
2010-11 Mike Park MPH Candidate at Mailman Columbia Univ
2010-11 Dr. Prerna Aggarwal MPH Candidate at Mailman Columbia Univ
2011-13 Dr. Kleio Palaska MS Candidate at Tufts
2012-13 Rebecca Hsieh MPH Candidate at Mailman Columbia Univ
2012-14 Dr. Richa Wahi MPH Candidate at Mailman Columbia Univ
2012-13 Dr. Utray Brown MS Candidate at Mailman Columbia Univ
2012-13 Dr. Evan Hershkowitz MS Candidate at Mailman Columbia Univ
2012-14 Dr. Renuka Bijoor MS Candidate at Mailman Columbia Univ
2014-15 Dr. Marwa Abdeldayem MS Candidate at Boston University
Doctoral:
2001-04 Nooshin Rezael Doctoral Candidate in Molecular Bio - Athens U.
2000-02 Dr. Waranuch Pitiphat Doctoral Candidate in Epidemiology Harvard
2002-05 Dr. Nancy Maserejian Doctoral Candidate in Epidemiology Harvard
2006-08 Dr. Michelle Graham Doctoral Candidate in Oral Biology Harvard
2007-10 Dr. Priyaa Shanmugam Doctoral Candidate in Epidemiology Harvard
2010-11 Abigail Charles Doctoral Candidate in Statistics Columbia Univ
2011- Dr. Safaa Suliman Doctoral Candidate in Epidemiology Columbia Univ
2012- Dr. Charlene Goh Doctoral Candidate in Epidemiology Columbia Univ
Specialty:
2001-02 Dr. Albert Lam Orthodontics Resident at Tufts
2011-13 Dr. Iva Leroy Pediatric Dental Resident at Columbia
2011-12 Dr. Deepthi Shetty Dental Public Health Resident at Columbia
2012- 13 Dr. Paul Francis Ngande Dental Public Health Resident at Columbia
2012- 13 Dr. Hosam Alrqiq Dental Public Health Resident at Columbia
2012-14 Dr. Cecilia Kolstad Pediatric Dental Resident at Columbia
2014-15 Dr. Jenny Lorenzo Pediatric Dental Resident at Boston University
2014-15 Dr. Jeff Davis Pediatric Dental Resident at Boston University
2014-15 Dr. Ask Tirgari Pediatric Dental Resident at Boston University
2014-15 Dr. Sabrina Ramji Pediatric Dental Resident at Boston University
2014-15 Dr. Stephanie Altongy Pediatric Dental Resident at Boston University
2014-15 Dr. Anna Azar Pediatric Dental Resident at Boston University
2014-15 Dr. Arif Mandani Pediatric Dental Resident at Boston University
2014-15 Dr. Kas Rajapska Pediatric Dental Resident at Boston University
2014-15 Dr. Rachel Rosen Pediatric Dental Resident at Boston University
2014-15 Dr. Lily Kim Pediatric Dental Resident at Boston University
2014-15 Dr. Tiffany Wu Pediatric Dental Resident at Boston University
Local - Training Leadership:
2000-05 HSDM Dept. of Oral Health Policy & Epidemiology