Alexandria, VA, USA – The International Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research (IADR) has announced Brian Foster as the 2026 recipient of the IADR Distinguished Scientist Award in Basic Research in Biological Mineralization. Foster, from The Ohio State University, was recognized during the Opening Ceremonies of the 104th General Session of the IADR, which was held in conjunction with the 55th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research (AADOCR) and the 50th Annual Meeting of the Canadian Association for Dental Research on March 25-28, 2026 in San Diego, CA, USA.
Foster is Associate Professor and Chair, Division of Biosciences, College of Dentistry, The Ohio State University, Columbus, USA. He earned his Ph.D. in 2011 in Oral Biology from the Department of Oral Biology, School of Dentistry, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington. From 2011 to 2015, Foster completed his postdoctoral training at the National Institute of Health (NIH)/National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Disease (NIAMS). He was appointed Department Chair in 2025 in the Division of Biosciences, College of Dentistry, The Ohio State University.
Foster has received numerous awards and honors including the OSU Stazen Senior Award for research excellence as an Associate or Full Professor; honorary membership in the Omicron Kappa Upsilon (OKU) national dental honor society; became an AADOCR Fellow in 2024; and in 2020 was one of the inaugural winners of the IADR Centennial Emerging Leaders Award. He was also an AADOCR Hatton Winner (2013) and an IADR Young Investigator Awardee (2013). Foster has given more than 50 invited presentations, authored more than 120 papers, and more than 250 abstracts. He is a highly regarded and respected researcher in understanding cementum and biomineralization of dental tissues and bone.
The IADR Distinguished Scientist Award in Basic Research in Biological Mineralization is supported by Unilever Oral Care and is one of the 17 IADR Distinguished Scientist Awards and it is one of the highest honors bestowed by IADR. The award consists of a monetary award and a plaque, and is designed to stimulate, encourage, and recognize basic research in the field of biological mineralization.
About IADR
The International Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research (IADR) is a nonprofit organization with a mission to drive dental, oral, and craniofacial research for health and well-being worldwide. IADR represents the individual scientists, clinician-scientists, dental professionals, and students based in academic, government, non-profit, and private-sector institutions who share our mission. Learn more at www.iadr.org.
