LEGEROS--Racquel
Z., PhD. Racquel Z. LeGeros, PhD. It is with
profound sadness that the students, faculty, and
staff of the
New York University College of Dentistry record
the passing of one of its most distinguished,
respected, and beloved faculty members, Dr. Racquel
Z. LeGeros, professor and associate chair of the
Department of Biomaterials and Biomimetics and the
Linkow Professor of Implant Dentistry. Dr. LeGeros
served the NYU College of Dentistry with great
distinction for more than 50 years. She was a
pioneer in the field of calcium phosphate research
in teeth and bones, calcification's impact on oral
and systemic function, and calcium phosphate
biomaterials for bone and soft tissue repair,
replacement, and regeneration. Throughout her tenure
at NYU, Dr. LeGeros was continuously funded by
federal and industry sources; her most recent grant
was to study a novel treatment developed by her to
treat osteoporosis. In 1995, she received a major
grant from the NIH to establish the NYU Research
Center in Minority Oral Health. In recent years, in
addition to her focus on the prevention and reversal
of bone loss due to osteoporosis, she was
investigating innovative compounds to treat tooth
sensitivity that would also reverse tooth decay. Dr.
LeGeros made over 100 trips abroad to present her
research to colleagues at overseas universities and
congresses, in the process helping to found a
scientific community dedicated to calcium phosphate
research and its dental and medical applications.
Beyond all of her professional accomplishments, Dr.
LeGeros was a beloved teacher, colleague, mentor,
and friend, whose generosity, warmth, and kindness
touched all who were privileged to know her. To her
husband and our colleague, Dr. John LeGeros, and
their entire family, we extend profound sympathy on
her loss.
Charles N. Bertolami,
DDS, DMedSc Herman Robert Fox Dean New York
University College of Dentistry
Published in The New York Times on January 27, 2013