Alexandria, VA, USA – The International Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research (IADR) has announced Chenshuang Li as the 2026 recipient of the IADR Distinguished Scientist Young Investigator Award. Li, from the University of Pennsylvania, 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.
Li is currently working as Associate Professor at the University of Pennsylvania. She completed her Ph.D. at Peking University in 2016 and finished her orthodontic specialty training at the University of California, Los Angeles School of Dentistry in 2019. She also earned a D.M.D. from Penn Dental Medicine in 2022.
Her research interests lie in the functional investigation of molecules involved in craniofacial tissue development and regeneration, and she has been actively involved both in basic and clinical research. In addition to presenting her scientific work to all the main scientific societies in the field, Li has published 85 peer-reviewed manuscripts. Her academic and scientific development as a young investigator in oral biology has been recognized by multiple awards, including the 2024 AADOCR Anne D. Haffajee Fellowship.
Supported by P&G Professional Oral Health, Crest + Oral-B, the IADR Young Investigator Award aims to stimulate basic research in all dental research disciplines. It is one of the 17 IADR Distinguished Scientist Awards and one of the highest honors bestowed by the IADR. The winner is asked to serve a two-year term on the IADR Board of Directors commencing at the conclusion of the General Session where the award was received.
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.
