Lyon College School of Dental Medicine has appointed Dr. Stefanie Leacock as its first Director of Research, a new role designed to advance scholarly inquiry and foster innovation across the school.
Dr. Leacock, an assistant professor at the dental school, will continue her teaching duties while leading research initiatives, mentoring faculty and students, supporting grant development, and ensuring compliance with accreditation standards.
“Research is at the heart of innovation in oral health,” said founding Dean Dr. Burke Soffe. “Dr. Leacock’s leadership will help our students not only gain exceptional clinical training but also develop critical thinking skills and contribute new knowledge to the field.”
Dr. Leacock expressed excitement for the role. “This position allows me to collaborate with faculty and students to create projects that foster curiosity, build confidence, and advance oral health research,” she said. “My goal is to ensure every student understands the value and process of research so they can provide high-quality patient care informed by new discoveries.”
Before joining Lyon, Dr. Leacock taught at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock for nearly seven years and at the University of Texas at Austin. She completed a postdoctoral fellowship at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, studying cancer biology using zebrafish models. She holds a Ph.D. in genetics from Yale University and a B.S. in biological sciences from Florida State University.
Dr. Leacock has received numerous awards for teaching and research, including the UT Austin School of Biological Sciences Outstanding Teaching Award and the UA Little Rock JumpStart for Teaching Award.
The Lyon College School of Dental Medicine, the first dental school in Arkansas, welcomed its inaugural class of 80 students in summer 2025. The appointment of a research director underscores the school’s commitment to blending clinical excellence with scholarship and innovation.
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