The UFCD Office of Research is committed to providing assistance to faculty, staff, and students in the College of Dentistry. The office staff works in conjunction with UF’s Academic Health Center and UF’s community to facilitate research opportunities and sponsored funding. The office is a resource for:
- Research support programs
- Pre-award and proposal preparation
- Award administration with financial management
- Compliance
Our Leadership and Staff
Leadership
Valeria Gordan, DDS, MS, MS-CI
Distinguished Professor and Director for Dental Practice-Based Research
Associate Dean for Research
As associate dean for research, Dr. Gordan facilitates research endeavors benefiting faculty and students. Dr. Gordan also provides leadership in both the scientific and administrative communities.
Ronda Breton
Associate Director for Research Administration
Ronda manages the Office of Research and provides guidance to faculty and staff throughout the college to support the research enterprise, ensuring adherence to agency, UF, state and federal guidelines. She maintains the college’s research statistics, compiles research measures for promotion and tenure packets, provides guidance in completing effort reports and compiles annual reports for the university and college.
Phone: (352) 273-8832
Christi Mason
Research Administrator Manager
Christi manages the pre-award and proposal affairs for the Office of Research. She is responsible for all pre- and post-award activities including the submission of proposals for all institution and individual training grants and career development awards, including but not limited to all T, F and K awards. Christi is also responsible for providing assistance with highly complex submissions such as P and U awards.
Phone: 352-294-8118
Research Administrators
Our research administrators provide monthly project summary reports to principal investigators and departmental administrators, and regularly meet with them to review expenditures and financially plan across all grant accounts, including overhead. They serve as liaisons between PIs and sub-award institutions to coordinate consortium agreement setups, assist with sponsored account audits, and ensure compliance with sponsor, UF, state, and federal guidelines.
Their responsibilities also include entering CAS exemptions, no-cost extensions, re-budgeting modifications, and new or revised F&A distributions into UFirst for their assigned departments. Additionally, they support departments with payroll distributions and assist with the closing of projects.
Lori Wooten
Research Administrator II
Lori supports the pre-award, proposals and post-award enterprise of the college. She is responsible for all pre- and post-award activities including the submission of proposals for the Department of Oral Biology.
Phone: 352-273-9276
Ryan Roberts
Research Administrator II
Ryan supports the pre-award, proposals and post-award enterprise of the college. He is responsible for all pre- and post-award activities including the submission of proposals for the Department of Community Dentistry & Behavioral Science.
Phone: 352-273-7254.
Chassidi Rogers
Research Administrator I
Chassidi supports the pre-award, proposals, and post-award enterprise of the college. Is responsible for all pre- and post-award activities, including submitting proposals for Oral & Maxillofacial Diagnostic Sciences, Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, Restorative Dental Sciences and the School of Advanced Dental Sciences.
Phone: 352-294-5442
Maria A. Lalama
Research Administrator II
Maria supports all aspects of the college’s various training grants, including both pre- and post-award activities such as submitting renewals, managing trainee appointments, and tracking trainee-related funds. She currently manages the following programs: Dr. Lemos’ T90/R90 Comprehensive Oral Biology Training Grant, Dr. Fillingim’s T32 IMPART Training Grant, and Dr. Cruz-Almeida’s T90/R90 UF PAIN TEAM Training Grant.
Phone: 352-294-5443
Student Program Coordinator
Denise Webb
Administrative Specialist II & Student Research Programs
Denise manages the student research programs. She provides administrative assistance to the associate dean for research and coordinates college-wide events, such as Spring Synergy, our annual research day.
Phone: 352-294-5444
Dental Clinical Research Unit (DCRU)
Renita J. Jenkins
Clinical Research Manager
Renita provides support for research protocols, clinical study proposals, IRB applications, study implementation and compliance. Renita has worked within the DCRU since 2014, providing expertise and assisting with numerous clinical research studies.
Phone: 352-273-6933