Alexandria, VA, USA – The International Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research (IADR) has announced Stefan Habelitz as the 2025 recipient of the IADR Distinguished Scientist Award in Basic Research in Biological Mineralization. Habelitz, from the University of California, San Francisco, USA, was recognized during the Opening Ceremonies of the 103rd General Session of the IADR, which was held in conjunction with the IADR/Pan European Regional Congress on June 25-28, 2025 in Barcelona, Spain.
Habelitz obtained his M.S. in Material Science and Engineering at the University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany, where his work focused on modifying ceramics by chemical and mechanical methodology. He then obtained his Ph.D from the University of Jena, Germany, in Chemistry. He later joined as a postdoctoral fellow at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) where his research focused on mineralized tissues, namely bone and enamel. Specifically, he examined the mechanical properties of these tissues at the nanoscale using nanoindentation.
Habelitz currently works on protein-guided biomineralization in dental enamel. Thus, utilizing the principles of enamel biomineralization, he translates his findings to generate enamel-like material for functional remineralization of caries lesions. He was the Vice President and subsequently the President of the IADR Mineralized Tissue Group and has published extensively on biological mineralization topics. He is an author of a total of 87 peer-reviewed publications and has two patent disclosures to UCSF based on his research findings.
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 www.iadr.org.
