The Global Center for Craniofacial, Oral & Dental Disorders is among twenty-five University-Wide Interdisciplinary Research Centers (UWIRCs) at UAB designated for UWIRC status and associated institutional funding in FY 25.

GC-CODED is an inter- and multi-disciplinary integrated center providing a focused forum for the development of novel therapies, training of students, residents, and faculty, and education of the community in areas related to conditions of the craniofacial/oral complex and dentition. Under the direction of Amjad Javed, Ph.D., the Center is housed within the School of Dentistry.

Encouraging interdisciplinary collaboration, the UAB UWIRC program was launched in 1997 to catalyze cross-cutting research and discovery, adding to the generation of new scientific knowledge and its applications to benefit society. Every five years, a competitive application process leads to the awarding of UWIRC status and associated institutional funding. Designation as a center signifies institutional endorsement of a programmatic research capacity and represents a significant investment of expertise, collaborative energy, and resources.

“It is an honor for the school to host GC-CODED, as the UWIRC program is one of UAB’s signature endeavors,” says Interim Dean Nico Geurs, D.D.S., M.S. “Congratulations to Dr. Javed and the research team on accomplishing its renewal amid an increasingly competitive process.”

“We are pleased to be able to continue fulfilling our core mission of supporting interdisciplinary investigators on campus which are involved in critical dental, oral and craniofacial research,” says Javed. “The Center works to ensure that vital resources are accessible to investigators at UAB.”

The UWIRC program is led by the UAB Office of Research, with guidance from the Council of Center Directors, an advisory body composed of center leadership to enhance collaboration between the centers and to contribute to the development of interdisciplinary research initiatives among the various units on campus. The Council of Center Directors serves as a resource to investigators and administrators across campus and helps the university achieve its research mission of scholarship, discovery, and innovation.