Elia Beniash, PhD, received the 2024 IADR Distinguished Scientist Award in Basic Research in Biological Mineralization during the Opening Ceremonies of the 102nd General Session of the IADR on March 13-16, 2024, in New Orleans, La. Beniash is a professor and chair of the Pitt Dental Medicine Department of Oral and Craniofacial Sciences
Dr. Beniash holds an MSc in zoology and biology from the St. Petersburg State University in Russia, and a PhD in structural biology and chemistry from the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, Israel. His scientific interests include biomineralization, with a focus on dental mineralized tissues, the structural/functional relationships in supramolecular assemblies, bioinspired materials, and tissue engineering.
Dr. Beniash has authored more than 100 peer-reviewed papers and book chapters. He has published in top scientific journals, such as Science, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, and Nature Communications among others. Dr. Beniash was recognized with the Acta Biomaterialia Most Cited Author Award (2005-2008) for his paper entitled: "Self-Assembled Peptide Amphiphile Matrices for Cell Entrapment “, and with the Journal of Structural Biology Top-Cited Article Award (2009-2011) for the article “Transient Amorphous Calcium Phosphate in Forming Enamel”. His work, which has resulted in 11 patents as well as invited lectures in national and international conferences, has contributed to the understanding of changes occurring in mineral and organic phases during initial stages of enamel biomineralization processes.
“I am deeply honored to have been awarded the IADR Distinguished Scientist in Biological Mineralization Award. This recognition from my esteemed colleagues—my fellow scientists—acknowledges my dedication and contributions to the field of biomineralization and mineralized tissue research. It is particularly meaningful to me, as this year, two of these prestigious awards were granted to members of our faculty. These awards elevate the profile of our institution both nationally and internationally, underscoring Pitt Dental Medicine’s position as a global leader in oral, dental, and craniofacial research.”
—Elia Beniash, PhD
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.