# T-COHR: Training in Craniofacial and Oral Health Research

> **NIH NIH T32** · MEDICAL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA · 2022 · $630,282

## Abstract

This is a competing renewal application for our T32, Training in Craniofacial and Oral Health Research (T-COHR), an integrated research training program based in the College of Dental Medicine at the Medical
University of South Carolina (MUSC). The overarching objective of T-COHR is to foster the development of
clinician scientists and scientists focused on oral, dental, and craniofacial research. To accomplish this goal, T-COHR offers mentored, interdisciplinary research training opportunities in oral health, craniofacial biology and
bioengineering. T-COHR provides strong curriculum and thematic research experiences in an integrative
framework that emphasizes mentoring, scientific advancement, academic career development, workforce
diversity, team science, grantsmanship, and productivity. For this renewal period, we are requesting (i) continued
support for the Dental Scientist Training Program (DSTP) which is a consolidated DMD/PhD degree pathway (2
slots); (ii) continued support for predoctoral research training leading to the PhD degree in biomedical sciences
or bioengineering with applications to oral/craniofacial health (4 slots); and (iii) continued support for postdoctoral
research training for dentist scientists and/or non-clinician PhD scientists in basic, translational or bioengineering
sciences important to dental, oral or craniofacial health (4 slots). The planned duration of trainee appointment is
up to 3 years. T-COHR is an integral part of the Center for Oral Health Research (COHR), a University Center
of Research Excellence in the College of Dental Medicine that engages faculty and trainees in other disciplines
and departments in the Colleges of Medicine, Graduate Studies, Pharmacy and Dental Medicine at MUSC, the
Department of Bioengineering at Clemson University, and the NCI-designated Hollings Cancer Center at MUSC.
With 32 program faculty members, mentoring and training activities are thematically grouped into 4 strategic
areas of research focus: (i) molecular and cellular biology of oral infectious diseases, (ii) oral pharyngeal cancer
biology and cancer immunology, (iii) bioengineering/biomechanics of the oral and craniofacial complex, and (iv)
craniofacial growth and development. T-COHR benefits from excellent administrative support and institutional
commitments that have provided continued support to the COHR. An integrated multi-year evaluation plan will
be used to measure the extent to which T-COHR goals and objectives are met. T-COHR trainees are critical
thinkers skilled at rigorous experimental design and data analysis, are equipped to be scientists in society
working productively in interdisciplinary and diverse teams, and are able to communicate to a breadth of
audiences. Our aim is to develop the next generation of independent dental, oral, and craniofacial researchers
who can better understand disease and thus develop novel therapies.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10439884
- **Project number:** 5T32DE017551-17
- **Recipient organization:** MEDICAL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA
- **Principal Investigator:** Hai Yao
- **Activity code:** T32 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $630,282
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2006-07-01 → 2026-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10439884

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10439884, T-COHR: Training in Craniofacial and Oral Health Research (5T32DE017551-17). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10439884. Licensed CC0.

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