Alexandria, VA, USA – The International Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research (IADR) has announced Toan Van Phan as the 2025 recipient of the IADR John A. Gray Fellowship. Phan, from Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand, 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.
Phan is a Ph.D. candidate in the Oral and Craniofacial Sciences program at the Faculty of Dentistry, Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, Thailand. He is currently conducting research at the Center of Excellence and Innovation for Oral Health & Healthy Longevity. His work focuses on developing a hybrid hydrogel derived from decellularized extracellular matrix of oral mucosa, applied in oral mucosa-on-a-chip and salivary gland–oral mucosa multi-organ-on-a-chip systems. These innovative platforms are designed for disease modeling and drug screening applications, particularly targeting radiation-induced oral mucositis.
Phan earned his D.D.S. from the University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam before pursuing advanced research training in oral biology. He has presented his research at several international conferences, including SLAS2025 and IADR Southeast Asian Division meetings, and received numerous awards such as the SLAS Student Best Poster Award and First Runner-up in the Unilever Hatton Award (Senior Category). His work integrates bioengineering and drug screening to advance translational research and improve oral healthcare outcomes.
The IADR John Gray Fellowship allows a dental or postgraduate student to obtain training and experience in dental or related research. This Fellowship is in tribute to John A. Gray, a former executive director of IADR, and is funded out of donations from members and sponsors. The fellowship is awarded every two years in the amount of $10,000 and rotates between the divisions of IADR.
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.
