Episode 9 Dr. Thomas E. Van Dyke “SPMs in Periodontal Disease: Neutrophils, Resolution Biology & Oral-Systemic Links"

Episode 9 Dr. Thomas E. Van Dyke, a world-renowned periodontist, researcher, and leader in inflammation resolution biology.Dr. Van Dyke earned his DDS from Case Western Reserve University in 1973, followed by an MS in Oral Sciences, Certificate in Periodontology, and PhD in Oral Biology from SUNY Buffalo in the early 1980s. He built his early career at Boston University,Rising to Professor and Director of Periodontology Research and Clinical Research programs, before joining the Forsyth Institute in 2010—where he now serves as Senior Vice President for Clinical and Translational Research and holds a professorship at Harvard School of Dental Medicine.Throughout his career, Dr. Van Dyke has focused on the pathogenesis of periodontal disease, with groundbreaking work on neutrophil biology, host responses, and the critical role of failed inflammation resolution in chronic tissue and bone destruction.His long-standing collaboration with Dr. Charles Serhan helped pioneer the application of specialized pro-resolving mediators—or SPMs—such as lipoxins and resolvins to oral health. This research is transforming how we think about treating periodontitis—not just by blocking inflammation, but by actively promoting its natural resolution and tissue regeneration.Dr van Dyke has also mentored many leading scientists in the field, including Drs. Gabrielle Fredman, Alpdogan Kantarci, and Hatice Hasturk, who continue to advance SPM research and its clinical applications.