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The Oral and Craniofacial Sciences Graduate Group offers a PhD option in Biomaterials and Bioengineering. The purpose of this track is to train outstanding future scientists in an interdisciplinary program that focuses on the interface between biomaterials and natural tissues. Our main focus is on bioengineering of biomaterials used for tissue repair and regeneration of calcified tissues with a strong emphasis on the craniofacial and oral calcified tissues, their diseases and strategies for regeneration and repair. We are especially interested in dentin, enamel, cementum, and alveolar bone. We seek two main groups of students, those with a strong biochemical or biological background and those with a strong physical science background (physical chemistry, materials science) who are interested in an interdisciplinary curriculum that will permit them to generate new knowledge that spans the biomaterial/tissue interface. This requires an individually structured program that insures fundamental knowledge of both the physical and biological characteristics of these structures. Current funded faculty research emphasizes properties of dentin, cementum, enamel, in humans and transgenic mice, the dentin-enamel junction, biomechanics, implants and bioactive glasses, caries risk assessment, laser interactions with hard tissues, laser, optical and x-ray imaging, and early detection and diagnosis of dental caries.

Student Backgrounds

Generally we expect students will be drawn to our interdisciplinary program with three kinds of undergraduate or professional backgrounds: Materials Science, physical science, or other engineering (MS); Biochemistry or Cell and Molecular Biology (B); MD or DDS (DDS). Therefore there are three branches to the core curriculum. To insure that our students are prepared to pursue research programs at the interface between biological tissues and bioengineered materials, a core curriculum has been established for the Biomaterials and Bioengineering PhD program. Students with demonstrated strengths in one area or another may be excused from certain of the following courses. Individually tailored programs can be designed with approval of the Biomaterials and Bioengineering faculty.

Typical Curriculum

Prerequisites: Upper level undergraduate genetics

Current Research

Current Faculty and Research Interests

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