# Dental-Biomedical Engineering Scholars Training (D-BEST) Program

> **NIH NIH T90** · COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES · 2024 · $329,548

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Columbia University is uniquely positioned to provide advanced dual training of the next generation of dental
scientists in dentistry and biomedical engineering, to prepare them to lead the transformation of the daily practice
of dentistry towards personalized and precision treatments. Through strategic investment over the last 10 years,
Columbia University has become the place for biomedical engineering research training of dentists. The College
of Dental Medicine (CDM) has created a new 15,000 sq ft Center for Precision Dentistry that transforms the
traditional dental practice into a digitalized hub that tracks clinical activities in real time. Each of the 48
operatories is able to track patients, providers and dental instruments usage and location. In addition, Columbia
CDM is one of the first schools in the country to fully integrate dental and medical electronic records through
EPIC, which provides an integrated patient’s health record. Moreover, the Department of Biomedical
Engineering (DBME), established in 2000, has quickly risen to become one of the top 10 ranked graduate
programs in Biomedical Engineering, and leads the nation in funding per faculty, with renowned strength in
foundational areas (bioimaging, biomaterials, biomechanics) as well as in frontier research areas (cell and tissue
engineering, neuroengineering, synthetic biology and deep learning). We propose here a new Dental-
Biomedical Engineering Scholars Training (D-BEST) Program that brings together leading biomedical
engineering researchers and dental clinicians and scholars at Columbia University. This unique dual-degree
DDS/PhD training program will integrate dental and biomedical engineering research training of dental
scientists in four key thematic areas: 1) Stem Cells and Regenerative Engineering, 2) Craniofacial Imaging and
Biomechanics, 3) Big Data and Deep Learning for Dental Diagnostics, and 4) Detection and Modeling of Oral
Diseases. The two tracks of D-BEST are (i) Pre-Doc – an 8-year dual degree program in dentistry (DDS) and
in Biomedical Engineering (PhD), and (ii) Post-Doc – post-doctoral research training in biomedical engineering
to US or foreign trained dentists. Over the 5 years, we plan to have 24 pre-doctoral slots and 7 post-doctoral
slots with each trainee staying on the grant for 3 years. In addition to the highly successful Summer Health
Professions Education Program (SHPEP), we are partnering with the School of Dental Medicine at Ponce Health
Sciences University in Puerto Rico to enhance the diversity of the trainee pool and ensure participation of
trainees from traditionally under-represented groups in the D-BEST program. This new T90/R90 training program
will provide a unique opportunity to promote, enhance, and deepen multidisciplinary dental research. Our long-
term goal, above and beyond this 5-year grant, is to continue with a productive and sustainable program for this
integrated training of dental scientists, with experti...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10880369
- **Project number:** 5T90DE032123-02
- **Recipient organization:** COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES
- **Principal Investigator:** HELEN H LU
- **Activity code:** T90 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $329,548
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2023-07-01 → 2028-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10880369

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10880369, Dental-Biomedical Engineering Scholars Training (D-BEST) Program (5T90DE032123-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10880369. Licensed CC0.

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