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Dental Student Research Fellowship Program

The Dental Student Research Fellowship Program gives UCSF dental students early, mentored experience in research during their first two years. 

Working alongside leading scientists in basic, translational, and clinical fields, fellows learn the methods and language of scientific discovery—preparing many for future careers in academia and research. 

With a long, distinguished history, the program remains one of UCSF School of Dentistry’s most enriching educational experiences and a launchpad for the next generation of research leaders.

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Program Details

Advance your research journey

The Dental Student Research Fellowship Program is an internal opportunity for current UCSF dental students to pursue mentored research that complements their studies and interests. 
 

  • Eligibility: Open to accepted UCSF DDS students, including IDP.
  • Tracks: Pre-D1 applications open in February; D2 and IDP information sessions occur each winter.
  • Preparation: A February webinar and John C. Greene Society workshop help students develop strong proposals and understand program expectations.
  • Admissions: Staggered application cycles align with each track, and deadlines are announced annually.
Student Research in Action

Advancing oral health through student research

Each year, fellows pursue innovative projects that address pressing challenges in oral health, biomedical science, dental practice, and population health. Below are a few examples of recent research conducted by UCSF dental students.

Sung-me Lee, Class of 2029

“Mapping the Landscape: Geographic Analysis of Intimate Partner Violence Resources in California to Support Dental Professionals”

Mentor: Sepideh Banava, DDS, MBA, MPH

Erica Julian, Class of 2029

“Innovative Pathways to Addressing the Dental Assistant Shortage in California”

Mentor: Elizabeth Mertz, PhD

Danial Pirooz, Class of 2029

“SP140 Regulates Macrophage Transcriptomics and Oral Mucosal Homeostasis”

Mentor: Fatemeh Momen-Heravi, DDS, PhD, MPH

Alyssa Kong, Class of 2028

“An Exploration of Genes that Promote Wound Healing in the Oral Mucosa”

Mentors: Sarah Knox, PhD, and Ophir Klein, PhD, MD

This Year's Scholars

Current Dental Student Research Fellows

View the complete roster of D1 and D2 fellows contributing to innovative research across oral health and biomedical science.

  • 2026 D2 Research Fellows

    Back row, left to right: Manveer Parmar (Mentor: Snehlata Oberoi, DDS, MDS, BDS), Tashya Vakil (Mentor: Benjamin Chaffee, DDS, PhD, MPH), Chhy Chhy Yeak (Mentor: Akshay Govind, DMD, MD, MPH), Fiona Chen (Mentor: Wenhan Chang, PhD), Grace Kwon (Mentor: Stefan Habelitz, PhD), Emily Cameron (Mentors: Ram Vaderhobli, DDS, MS; Jean Star, DDS, MPH), Ariamna Herrera Miret (Mentor: Jeffrey Bush, PhD) 

    Front row, left to right: Jessica Mikhail (Mentors: Jennifer Grandis, MD; Jovanka Gencel-Augusto, PhD, MS), Leena Osman (Mentor: Mary Jue Xu, MD), Erica Julian (Mentor: Jean Star, DDS, MPH), Jung-me Lee (Mentors: Elizabeth Eve, DDS; Snehlata Oberoi, DDS, MDS, BDS), Sung-me (Nichole) Lee (Mentor: Mike Sabeti, DDS), Kristine Goy (Mentor: Fatemeh Momen-Heravi, DDS, PhD, MPH). 

    Also pictured: Program Chair Lisa Berens (far right) and Program Administrator Julia Trutko (far left).

  • 2026 D1 Research Fellows

    Back row, left to right: Benjamin An (Mentor: Thad Connelly, DDS, MD, PhD, FACS), Stone Meng (Mentor: Nisarg Patel, MD, DMD), Jacob Liu (Mentor: Yan Zhang, MD, PhD), Anthony Chen (Mentor: Sunita Ho, PhD, MS), Kristian Maniti (Mentors: Beth Mertz, PhD; Kristin Hoeft, PhD, MPH).

    Front row, left to right: Stella Hong (Mentor: Yukiko Nakano, DDS, PhD), Tracy Lu (Mentor: Stefan Habelitz, PhD), Simren Kochhar (Mentor: Fatemeh Momen-Heravi, DDS, PhD, MPH), Nancy Mahmoud (Mentor: Jean Star, DDS, MPH). 

    Also pictured: Program Chair Lisa Berens (far left) and Program Administrator Julia Trutko (far right).