Sompop Bencharit

Sompop Bencharit

Sompop Bencharit, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacology
The University of North Carolina, USA

Biography

Dr. Bencharit received his DDS in 1994 and Clinical Diploma in Prosthodontics in 1996 from Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand. Dr. Bencharit came to UNC in 1996 for his residency training and graduate education. He earned his Certificate and Master Degree in Prosthodontics in 1999, a PhD in Oral Biology in 2003, and a Certificate in Clinical Research in 2008 from UNC. In November 2009, Dr. Bencharit became a Diplomat of the American Board of Prosthodontics and a Fellow of the American College of Prosthodontists. He is one of very few clinician-scientists who are both board-certified dental clinicians and PhD scientists.

Research Interest

Structural biology and its applications to human diseases in particular the role of signaling proteins involved in vessel and bone development.
In addition, he is also interested in the clinical applications of salivary and tissue proteomics using advanced mass spectrometry. His main laboratory goals include (1) structural and functional studies of cerebral cavernous malformation (CCM), a genetic disorder resulting in vascular defects in the brain causing hemorrhagic stroke; (2) salivary proteomic analysis and biomarker discovery, and (3) bone regeneration and implant dentistry. His current research works are being funded by National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI), North Carolina Translational and Clinical Sciences Institute (NCTraCS), American College of Prosthodontists (ACP), GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), and Zimmer Dental.