Dr. Zhen Shen

Endodontist

Dr. Zhen Shen is a board certified endodontist. He received his Doctor of Philosophy degree in Cell and Developmental Biology from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. He later graduated Magna Cum Laude and received his Doctor of Dental Medicine degree from Harvard School of Dental Medicine. After dental school, Dr. Shen completed his residency at the University of Texas Health Science Center School of Dentistry at Houston, where he received his certificate in Endodontics and Master of Science in Dentistry degree. He recently joined the Fort Bend Dental team as the root canal specialist.

In addition to serving the Fort Bend community, Dr. Shen teaches dental students Endodontics at the University of Texas Health Science Center School of Dentistry at Houston and also serves as the reviewer for multiple academic research journals. He is a member of the OKU National Dental Honor Society, American Association of Endodontists, American Dental Association, Texas Dental Association, and Greater Houston Dental Society. In his spare time, he enjoys spending quality time with his wife and two children, traveling with family, and playing chess with his kids.

Awards & Honors

• Diplomate, American Board of Endodontics, 2022
• Inductee, Omicron Kappa Upsilon (OKU) National Dental Honor Society, 2019
• Magna Cum Laude, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, 2019

Professional Affiliations

• American Board of Endodontics
• Omicron Kappa Upsilon (OKU) National Dental Honor Society
• American Association of Endodontists
• American Dental Association
• American Dental Education Association
• Texas Dental Association
• Greater Houston Dental Society
• Houston Endodontic Alumni and Friends Organization

Professional Highlights

• Academic appointments
• Journal editorial positions
• Dental community service
• Thesis committee service
• Teaching responsibilities
• Research grant support

Publications

• MicroRNAs Markedly Expressed in Apical Periodontitis Cooperatively Regulate Cytokines and Growth Factors Promoting an Anti-inflammatory Response

Peer Reviewed Original Articles in Journals:

1. Jaramillo DE, Jeong JW, Shen Z, Divito E. SEM and bacteriological evidence of laser-activated irrigation compared to ultrasonic-activated irrigation: a pilot study. Dent J. 13(5):195. 2025.
2. Fang J, Shen Z, van der Hoeven R, Jaramillo DE. Dissolution of bovine palatal tissue with degassed sodium hypochlorite. Dent J. 13(3):110. 2025.
3. Safder M, Chiorini J, Tanaka T, Nakamura H, Clark T, Kirkpatrick T, Shen Z. Autophagy modulates the expression of interferon regulatory factor 8 in apical periodontitis. Oral Health & Dent Sci. 8(5):1-7. 2024.
4. Shen Z, Letra A, Silva RM. MicroRNAs markedly expressed in apical periodontitis cooperatively regulate cytokines and growth factors promoting an anti-inflammatory response. J Endod. 49(3):286-293. 2023.
5. Shen Z, Tsao H, LaRue S, Liu R, Kirkpatrick T, de Souza LC, Letra A, Silva RM. Vascular endothelial growth factor and/or nerve growth factor treatment induces expression of dentinogenic, neuronal and healing markers in stem cells of the apical papilla. J Endod. 47(6):924-931. 2021.
6. Shen Z, Wichnieski C, Carneiro E, Garlet GP, Letra A, Silva RM. Expression profiling and functional characterization of microRNAs in apical periodontitis. J Endod. 47(2):263-271. 2021.
7. Giri S, Aggarwal V, Pontis J, Shen Z, Chakraborty A, Khan A, Mizzen C, Prasanth KV, Ait-Si-Ali S, Ha T, Prasanth SG. The preRC protein ORCA organizes heterochromatin by assembling histone H3 lysine 9 methyltransferases on chromatin. eLife. 4:e06496. 2015.
8. Tripathi V, Shen Z, Chakraborty A, Giri S, Freier SM, Wu X, Zhang Y, Gorospe M, Prasanth SG, Lal A, Prasanth KV. Long noncoding RNA MALAT1 controls cell cycle progression by regulating the expression of oncogenic transcription factor B-MYB. PLoS Genet. 9(3):e1003368. 2013.
9. Shen Z, Prasanth SG. Orc2 protects ORCA from ubiquitin-mediated degradation. Cell Cycle. 11(19):3578-3589. 2012.
10. Shen Z, Chakraborty A, Jain A, Giri S, Ha T, Prasanth KV, Prasanth SG. Dynamic association of ORCA with prereplicative complex components regulates DNA replication initiation. Mol Cell Biol. 32(15):3107-3120. 2012.
11. Wang Z, Marks DL, Carney PS, Millet LJ, Gillette MU, Mihi A, Braun PV, Shen Z, Prasanth SG, Popescu G. Spatial light interference tomography (SLIT). Opt Express. 19(21):19907-19918. 2011.
12. Sathyan KM, Shen Z, Tripathi V, Prasanth KV, Prasanth SG. A BEN-domain-containing protein associates with heterochromatin and represses transcription. J Cell Sci. 124(18):3149-3163. 2011.
13. Mir M, Wang Z, Shen Z, Bednarz M, Bashir R, Golding I, Prasanth SG, Popescu G. Optical measurement of cycle-dependent cell growth. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 108(32):13124-13129. 2011.
14. Dhar A, Ebbinghaus S, Shen Z, Mishra T, Gruebele M. The diffusion coefficient for PGK folding in eukaryotic cells. Biophys J. 99(9):L69-L71. 2010.
15. Zheng R, Shen Z, Tripathi V, Xuan Z, Freier SM, Bennett CF, Prasanth SG, Prasanth KV. Polypurine-repeat-containing RNAs: A novel class of long non-coding RNA in mammalian cells. J Cell Sci. 123(21):3734-3744. 2010.
16. Shen Z, Sathyan KM, Geng Y, Zheng R, Chakraborty A, Freeman B, Wang F, Prasanth KV, Prasanth SG. A WD-repeat protein stabilizes ORC binding to chromatin. Mol Cell. 40(1):99-111. 2010.
17. Tripathi V, Ellis JD, Shen Z, Song DY, Pan Q, Watt AT, Freier SM, Bennett CF, Sharma A, Bubulya PA, Blencowe BJ, Prasanth SG, Prasanth KV. The nuclear-retained noncoding RNA MALAT1 regulates alternative splicing by modulating SR splicing factor phosphorylation. Mol Cell. 39(6):925-938. 2010.
18. Prasanth SG, Shen Z, Prasanth KV, Stillman B. Human origin recognition complex is essential for HP1 binding to chromatin and heterochromatin organization. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 107(34):15093-15098. 2010.
19. Qi Y, Zhang BQ, Shen Z, Chen YH. Antigens containing TAVSPTTLR tandem repeats could be used in assaying antibodies to classical swine fever virus. Acta Virol. 53(4):241-246. 2009.
20. Qi Y, Zhang BQ, Shen Z, Chen YH. Candidate vaccine focused on a classical swine fever virus epitope induced antibodies with neutralizing activity. Viral Immunol. 22(3):205-213. 2009.
21. Qi Y, Liu LC, Zhang BQ, Shen Z, Wang J, Chen YH. Characterization of antibody responses against a neutralizing epitope on the glycoprotein E2 of classical swine fever virus. Arch Virol.153(8):1593-1598. 2008.

Invited Articles in Journals:

1. Shen Z, Silva RM. MicroRNAs: Emerging players in apical periodontitis. J Appl Oral Sci. 29:e20201058. 2021.
2. Li CC, Shen Z, Bavarian R, Yang F, Bhattacharya A. Oral cancer: Genetics and the role of precision medicine. Dent Clin North Am. 62(1):29-46. 2018.
3. Shen Z. The origin recognition complex in human diseases. Biosci Rep. 33(3):e00044. 2013.
4. Shen Z, Prasanth SG. Emerging players in the initiation of eukaryotic DNA replication. Cell Div. 7(1):22. 2012.
5. Chakraborty A, Shen Z, Prasanth SG. “ORCanization” on heterochromatin: Linking DNA replication initiation to chromatin organization. Epigenetics. 6(6):665-670. 2011.

Speaking Engagements

• Conference, symposia, or workshop organizer: 2023, American Association of Endodontists Annual Meeting, Chicago, Illinois, Session moderator
• Oral presentations: (* Primary presenter)
  • 2023 – “Future targeted precision treatment strategies for apical periodontitis: assessing expression of interferon regulatory factor 8 in monocytes after pharmacological modulation of autophagy” American Association of Endodontists Annual Meeting, Chicago, Illinois
    *Safder M, Shen Z, Chiorini J, de Souza LC, Clark TM, Silva RM, Letra A, Kirkpatrick T
  • 2023 – “A novel in vitro model for evaluating the tissue dissolution effect of lower concentrations of sodium hypochlorite using Gentlewave®” American Association of Endodontists Annual Meeting, Chicago, Illinois
    *Fang JY, Shen Z, van der Hoeven R, Jaramillo DE
  • 2021 – “Expression profiling and functional characterization of microRNAs in apical periodontitis” American Association of Endodontists Annual Meeting (Virtual)
    *Shen Z, de Souza LC, Letra A, Silva RM
• Poster presentations: (* Primary presenter)
  • 2025 – “Physico-chemical and biological properties of a prototype bioceramic sealer” American Association of Endodontists Annual Meeting, Boston, Massachusetts
    *Crowley D, Kirkpatrick TC, Shen Z, Colmenar D, de Souza LC, Loggins E
  • 2019 – “Student ability on occlusal caries detection using three caries classification systems” Academy of Operative Dentistry Annual Meeting, Chicago, Illinois
    *Shen Z, Pirooz YE, Chutinan S
  • 2011 – “A novel WD-Repeat protein stabilizes ORC binding to chromatin” Eukaryotic DNA Replication & Genome Maintenance, Cold Spring Harbor, New York
    *Shen Z, Sathyan KM, Geng Y, Zheng R, Freeman BC, Prasanth KV, Prasanth SG
  • 2010 – “A novel WD-Repeat protein stabilizes ORC binding to chromatin” American Society for Cell Biology Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
    *Shen Z, Sathyan KM, Geng Y, Zheng R, Freeman BC, Prasanth KV, Prasanth SG
  • 2010 – “Nuclear-retained non-coding RNA MALAT1 regulates alternative splicing by modulating the levels of SR splicing factors” American Society for Cell Biology Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
    *Tripathi V, Ellis JD, Shen Z, Song DY, Pan Q, Watt AT, Freier SM, Bennett CF, Sharma A, Bubulya PA, Blencowe BJ, Prasanth SG, Prasanth KVM
• Continuing Education courses presented:
  • 2024 – “Endodontics 101” Fort Bend Dental Academy, Missouri City, Texas
    Zhen Shen, Ph.D., D.M.D., M.S.D.
  • 2022 – “Revisiting 4 Concepts in Endodontics” Fort Bend Dental Academy, Missouri City, Texas
    Zhen Shen, Ph.D., D.M.D., M.S.D.