Federal Grant Award Summary

Northwestern University's Sponsored Research Division received a $633,074 Project Grant from the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) under the Oral Diseases and Disorders Research program (CFDA 93.121), effective July 1, 2026 through March 31, 2031. The grant funds multiscale modeling research to advance understanding of enamel dissolution dynamics in caries (tooth decay) formation. The research addresses a significant public health gap by investigating how compositional gradients and residual stresses within enamel crystallites impact the demineralization process that characterizes caries lesion development. This fundamental research seeks to elucidate the relationship between enamel's hierarchical microstructure—specifically the core-shell structure of individual crystallites and the amorphous intergranular film composition—and the mechanisms underlying enamel erosion during carious attack.

This research initiative supports NIDCR's mission to translate fundamental knowledge about dental and oral health into prevention, early detection, and treatment strategies. By characterizing the distribution of ions and stress distribution within enamel at scales commensurate with its microstructure, the research aims to identify new approaches for caries prevention and minimally invasive restoration. The project addresses a critical bottleneck in dental health innovation, as caries remains the most prevalent chronic disease globally, with over 3 billion untreated cases and annual U.S. dental expenditures exceeding $180 billion.