Dr. Michel Koo Honored with Birnberg Research Medal Award

Dr. Dennis A. Mitchell, Interim Dean, Columbia College of Dental Medicine; Dr. Michel Koo; and Dr. Chang H. Lee, Director of Research, Columbia College of Dental Medicine.

Philadelphia – Penn Dental Medicine’s Dr. Michel Koo has been recognized for his research contributions as the 2025 recipient of Columbia University College of Dental Medicine’s   Birnberg Research Medal Award. One of the longest-running research awards, it was established in the early 1950’s to recognize and encourage research excellence. Since 1954, 65 leaders in dental medicine, including numerous past IADR presidents and NIDCR directors, have received this honor, selected for their important interdisciplinary contributions to the profession through research and education.

Dr. Koo, Professor in the Department of Orthodontics and Divisions of Community Oral Health & Pediatrics and in the Department of Bioengineering, is the co-founder and co-director of the Center for Innovation & Precision Dentistry (CiPD), a joint center with Penn Engineering that bridges clinicians/scientists and engineers to advance oral-craniofacial health through research, training, and entrepreneurship. He also co-directs an NIDCR T90R90 training program at the interface of dental medicine, engineering, and computational sciences to study disease mechanisms, develop affordable therapies and precision diagnostics for susceptible populations.

The Koo laboratory focuses on understanding how biofilms are formed and cause oral diseases as well as developing new therapeutic strategies by fostering cross-disciplinary collaborations. He has employed engineering and computational approaches to investigate microbial interactions in biofilms and has applied nanotechnology to develop antibiofilm nanoparticles against dental caries. Using small-scale robotics, his group developed the first microrobots capable of automated biofilm removal.

He is an elected fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and the recipient of the International Association for Dental Research (IADR) Distinguished Scientist and Innovation in Oral Care Awards.

Dr. Koo giving the lecture with his mentor, Dr. Bowen’s, photo in the background.

“It’s an incredible honor and privilege to receive the same award that my mentor, William H. Bowen, received 35 years ago; he was the single most influential person in my career,” says Dr. Koo.

Presentation of the award is part of Columbia dental school’s annual Birnberg Research Program, where recipients also present the Birnberg lecture. This year’s program and award presentation took place April 2.