Dr. Russell Taichman is the Major Ash Collegiate Professor in the Department of Periodontics and Oral Medicine at the University of Michigan School of Dentistry, where he also serves as the Associate Dean for Research. In July 2019 he will assume the role of Dean at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Dentistry. Dr. Taichman earned his DMD from the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine, a DMSc and a certificate in periodontology from the Harvard School of Dental Medicine, and he engaged in postdoctoral studies at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. Dr. Taichman has authored over 120 peer-reviewed publications in the fields of bone biology, hematology, and academic leadership. He developed and directed for nearly ten years the Scholars Program in Dental Leadership (SPDL)—the nation’s first program focused on the leadership development of dental and dental hygiene students. Research in the Taichman laboratory focuses on identifying the molecular mechanisms that regulate how the bone marrow functions in both health and disease states. His team is also interested in the study of stem cells and tissue regeneration, and their current studies are focused on how the marrow regulates the activities of cancer stem cells.