Nick Callahan, a first-year dental student at the University of Pittsburgh, began working in Dr. Vieira’s lab during the summer of 2006. Born in New York City and raised in Shavertown, Pennsylvania, he completed his degree at Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut, where he earned his Bachelor of Science degree in biochemistry. He was awarded a scholarship with the Dean's Summer Research Program in 2006 where he studied relationships between genetics and dental anomalies in the Vieira Lab. 

His work expanded on previous research that showed an association between tooth agenesis and the gene TFGA. Real time PCR analysis was used to look at the TGFA markers.  Nick will continue to work with the Vieira Lab during the summer of 2007.