Alexandria, VA, USA – The International Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research (IADR) has announced Xuesong He as the 2026 recipient of the IADR Distinguished Scientist Award for Research in Oral Biology. He, from ADA Forsyth, 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 and the 50th Annual Meeting of the Canadian Association for Dental Research on March 25-28, 2026 in San Diego, CA, USA.
He is currently Professor at ADA Forsyth. After completing his Doctor of Dental Science degree and prosthodontic education at Peking University, he continued his academic career within microbiology, completing his Ph.D. at Indiana University. Thereafter, he moved to the University of California, Los Angeles, for postdoctoral studies in oral biology, ending up an associate professor before moving to ADA Forsyth as a professor in 2022.
He’s contributions within the field of oral biology have increasing our understanding of microbial ecology in the human mouth. Among his achievements is the cultivation and characterization of ultra-small Candidatus Saccharibacteria, which transformed this “microbial dark matter” from cultivation to sequence biology. His research has also had a considerable impact on moving from single species toward complex interspecies interactions and their community-level function. In a recent review article published in Nature Reviews Microbiology, his team summarized the connections of oral microbial communities to the pathology of oral diseases and systemic diseases. His research interest also includes viruses, particularly phages that infect bacteria within the oral microbiome.
He has received multiple NIH grants and is a key contributor to human microbiome science. He has had more than 100 peer-review research articles and reviews since 2003, several of which were published in high-impact journals. He is a popular speaker in research symposiums and seminars, and presenting his research findings in scientific conferences, including the IADR General Sessions.
Sponsored by Church & Dwight Co., Inc. the Research in Oral Biology Award is one of the 17 IADR Distinguished Scientist Awards and one of the highest honors bestowed by IADR. The award recognizes outstanding research in the field of oral biology.
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.
