Student Award

    Ford Foundation Fellowship (The National Research Council of the National Academies)
    • Sarah Cisewski, PhD student, has been accorded honorable mention status in the 2015 Ford Foundation Fellowship Programs competition administered by the National Research Council of the National Academies.
    NIH T32 Institutional Predoctoral Fellowship
    • Jonathan Kuo, PhD student, "TMJ Biomechanics", Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award Institutional Training for Dental and Craniofacial Research, NIH/NIDCR T32DE017551, MUSC Dental Research Training Grant, (7/01/2009-6/30/2010 ).
    • Gregory Wright, PhD student, "TMJ Biomechanics", Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award Institutional Training for Dental and Craniofacial Research, NIH/NIDCR T32DE017551, MUSC Dental Research Training Grant, (7/01/2010-6/30/2013).
    • Sarah Cisweski, PhD student, Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award Institutional Training for Dental and Craniofacial Research, NIH/NIDCR T32DE017551, MUSC Dental Research Training Grant, (7/01/2012-6/30/2013).
    • Lindsay Stark, PhD student, Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award Institutional Training for Dental and Craniofacial Research, NIH/NIDCR T32DE017551, MUSC Dental Research Training Grant, (01/01/2017-05/31/18).
    • Dustin Mueller, DMD/PhD student, "Bioglass in Dental Tissue Engineering". Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award Institutional Training for Dental and Craniofacial Research, NIH/NIDCR T32DE017551, MUSC Dental Research Training Grant, (07/01/2019-).
    • Marshall Wilson, PhD student, Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award Institutional Training for Dental and Craniofacial Research, NIH/NIDCR T32DE017551, MUSC Dental Research Training Grant, (03/01/2024)
    NIH TL1 Predoctoral Clinical & Translational Research Fellwoship
    • Daniel Bonthius, MD/PhD student, “Analysis of the rib construct for treatment of early onset spinal deformity with hyperkyphosis,“ NIH National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) through Grant Numbers TL1 TR001451 and UL1 TR001450. SCTR TL1 Training Program at MUSC, (09/01/2019-08/31/2020).
    NIH T32 Institutional Postdoctoral Fellowship
    • Julie Yun, postdoctoral fellow, “Mechano-electrical Response of Single TMJ Disc Cell to Osmotic Loading,” postdoctoral fellowship award, NIH/NIDCR T32DE017551, MUSC Dental Research Training Grant (1/01/2008-6/30/2009).
    • Renee Cottle, postdoctoral fellow, “Mechanism of ECM assembly in cartilage and heart valve,” postdoctoral fellowship award, NIH/NHLBI T32HL007260, MUSC Cardiovascular Research Training Grant (10/01/2015-8/14/2016).
    • Matthew Coombs, postdoctoral fellow, “Ligament biomechanics in TMJ,” postdoctoral fellowship award, NIH/NIDCR T32DE017551, MUSC Dental Research Training Grant (01/01/2016-10/31/2018).
    • R. Richard Hepfer, postdoctoral fellow, "Biomechanics and biotransport in soft tissues". postdoctoral fellowship award, NIH/NIDCR T32DE017551, MUSC Dental Research Training Grant (05/01/2019-).
    • Cherice Hill, postdoctoral fellow, "Tissue structure and mechanical function relationships of the human temporomandibular lateral capsule-ligament". postdoctoral fellowship award, NIH/NIDCR T32DE017551, MUSC Dental Research Training Grant (06/01/2020-12/31/2023).
    NIH F30 Individual Predoctoral Fellowship
    • Dustin Mueller, DMD/PhD student, "Optimizing Ice-free Cryopreservation for Efficient Banking of Fresh TMJ Disc Allografts," Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award for Individual Predoctoral Fellows, NIH F30DE033914, (09/01/2024-05/31/2027).
    NIH F31 Individual Predoctoral Fellowship
    • Jonathan Kuo, PhD student, “Bioengineering Approach to Understanding TMJ Pathology”, Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award for Individual Predoctoral Fellows, NIH F31DE020230, (7/01/2010-6/30/2012).
    • Gregory Wright, PhD student, “Biomechanical Characterization and Modeling of Human TMJ Disc”, Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award for Individual Predoctoral Fellows, NIH F31DE023482, (7/01/2013-6/30/2015).
    • Daniel Bonthius, MD/PhD student, "Analysis of the Rib Construct for Treatment of Early-onset Spinal Deformity with Hyperkyphosis". Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award for Individual Predoctoral Fellows, NIH F31AR076917, (7/09/2020-6/30/2022).
    NIH F32 Individual Postdoctoral Fellowship
    • Matthew Coombs, postdoctoral Fellow, “Structure-function relationships between human temporomandibular lateral capsule-ligament complex tensile stiffness, collagen ultrastructure and ECM composition: Investigation of sexual dimorphisms“, Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award for Individual Postdoctoral Fellows, NIH F32DE027864, (11/01/2018-06/30/2019).
    NIH K99/R00 Pathway to Independent Award
    • Wendy S. Vanden Berg-Foels, postdoctoral fellow, “Mandibular cartilage regeneration in situ by endogenous stem cell recruitment,” NIH/NIDCR K99DE023123, award to MUSC (9/01/2012-8/31/2015).
    • Matthew Coombs, postdoctoral fellow, “Determination of sex-specific differences in temporomandibular lateral capsule-ligament complex structure-function relationships,“ NIH/NIDCR K99DE028358 (07/01/2019-06/30/2024).
    • Cherice Hill, postdoctoral fellow, "Tissue structure and mechanical function relationships of the human temporomandibular lateral capsule-ligament: Investigation of sexual and racial dimorphisms." NIH MOSAIC Scholar, NIH/NIDCR K99DE031345 (08/04/2022-07/31/2027)
    Musculoskeletal Transplant Foundation
    • Shangping Wang, PhD, MTF Biologics Junior Investigator Grant Award ($100k) (01/2021-12/2021).
    NSF Graduate Research Fellowship
    • Sarah Cisweski, PhD student, “Integrating Biomechanical Modeling and Cell Biology to Quantify Human Intervertebral Disc Physiology and Pathophysiology,” NSF Graduate Research Fellowship, (7/01/13-6/30/16).
    North American Spine Society (NASS) Young Investigator Award
    • Daniel Bonthius, MD/PhD student, "Rib Fixation for Prevention of Proximal Junctional Kyphosis (PJK) in Adult Spinal Deformity Surgery," North American Spine Society (NASS) 2024 Translational Young Investigator Research Grant Award (08/16/2024-07/31/2025).
    American Association of Dental Research (AADR) Training Grant (funded by NIDCR)
    • Cherice Hill, PhD, AADR MIND the Future Training Award, NIH UE5DE029439, (08/31/2020-09/30/2021).
    American Heart Association (AHA) Predoctoral Fellowship
    • Wenjun He, PhD, Student, “Monte Carlo Modeling of Radiation Dose in Pediatric Interventional Cardiology,” AHA predoctoral fellowship, (7/01/2011-6/30/2013).
    Clemson Student Award
    • Sarah Cisweski, PhD student, Clemson Bioengineering Graduate Student Leadership Award, 2012.
    • Jonathan Kuo, PhD Student, Clemson Bioengineering Graduate Student Research Award, 2012.
    • Wenjun He, PhD student, Clemson Bioengineering Graduate Student Research Award, 2014.
    MUSC Student Award and Research Grant
    • Jonathan Kuo, PhD student, “Effect of Sex on Bone Phenotype of Caveolin-1 Deficient Mice,” MUSC Center for Health Disparities Research pilot project, Principal Investigator, ($5,000), (12/01/2007-9/30/2008).
    • Wenjun He, PhD student, MUSC Presidential Scholars, 2011-2012.
    • Dr. Hill won the First Place in postdoc category at the MUSC Annual Research Day (11/06/2021).
    • Shuchun Sun, PhD student, won the First Place in PhD student category, MUSC JBECDM Scholar Day (02/18/2022)
    • Dr. Peng Chen won the First Place in postdoc category, MUSC JBECDM Scholar Day (02/18/2022)
    • Shuchun Sun, PhD student, First Place Oral Presentation for Interprofessional Collaboration Research Award, MUSC Annual Research Day (11/08/2022)
    • Dr. Cherice Hill, First Place in postdoc poster presentation, MUSC Annual Research Day (11/08/2022)
    • Dr. Michael Brocklet, Third Place in Resident category, MUSC JBECDM Scholar Day (02/17/2023)
    • Dustin Mueller, DMD-PhD student, First Place Poster Presentation for Interprofessional Collaboration Research Award, MUSC Annual Research Day (11/03/2023)
    • Dustin Mueller, DMD-PhD student, won the First Place in PhD student category, MUSC JBECDM Scholar Day (02/16/2024)
    Meeting and Conference Award
    • Jonathan Kuo, PhD student, Honorary Mention, Master Student Paper Competition at the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Annual Summer Bioengineering Conference, Marco Island, FL, 2008.
    • Christopher Bowers, Dental student, American Association of Dental Research (AADR) NIH/NIDCR Bloc Travel Grant Award, 2008.
    • Jonathan Kuo, PhD student, chosen to attend the sixth Annual NIH National Graduate Student Research Conference, Bethesda, MD, October 17-18, 2011.
    • Jonathan Petersen, Dental student, American Association of Dental Research (AADR) NIH/NIDCR Bloc Travel Grant Award, 2011.
    • Changcheng Shi, PhD student, Finalist for the Bernard G. Sarnat Award in Craniofacial Biology at the 2011 General Session & Exhibition of the IADR/AADR in San Diego, California, 2011.
    • Jonathan Kuo, PhD student, Keynote Speaker Session Chair, American Association for Dental Research Conference, March 2012
    • Gregory Wright, PhD student, Craniofacial Biology Session Chair, American Association for Dental Research Conference, March 2013.
    • Glenn Hepfer, PhD student, Best paper presentation in cornea crosslinking at the 2014 annual meting of the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS).
    • Glenn Hepfer, PhD student, NIH/NEI travel grant to attend the 2014 Annual Meeting for the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO).
    • Yongren Wu, Postdoctoral Fellow, Finalist for the New Investigator Recognition Award at the Orthopaedic Research Society (ORS) 2016 Annual Meeting.
    • Sarah Cisewski, PhD student, Finalist for an ORS Spine Section Member Poster Award at the Orthopaedic Research Society (ORS) 2017 Annual Meeting.
    • Matthew Coombs, Postdoctoral Fellow, Finalist for the AADR Hatton Competition at the IADR/AADR 2017 Annual Meeting.
    • Matthew Coombs, Postdoctoral Fellow, Outstanding Scientific Abstract Award, American Association of Tissue Banks 2017 Annual Meeting.
    • Matthew Coombs, Postdoctoral Fellow, Finalist for the Orthodontic & Craniofacila Clinical and Translational Research Award at the IADR/AADR 2019 Annual Meeting.
    • Daniel Bonthius, ORS Spine Podium Award at the Orthopaedic Research Society 2020 Annual Meeting.
    • Dr. Hill received the Student/Trainee Registration Award to attend the Orthopaedic Research Society 2021 Annual Meeting.
    • Daniel Bonthius, MD-PhD student, won the 2nd Place for 2022 ORS Business Innovation Competition at Orthopaedic Research Society (ORS) 2022 Annual Meeting (02/08/2022)
    • Dustin Mueller, DMD-PhD student, Finalist for the AADOCR Hatton Competition at the AADOCR/CADR 2023 Annual Meeting (03/15/2024)
    • Dustin Mueller, DMD-PhD student, received a travel grant to attend the 2024 Society for Cryobiology annual meeting (04/24/2024)
    High School Trainee Award
    • Deidra Ward, High School Senior, Second Place (high school senior) and Yale Science and Engineering award at the Lowcountry Science and Engineering Fair, 2015.
    • Emily Ingalls, High School Senior, First Place (high school senior) and MUSC award at the Lowcountry Science and Engineering Fair, 2016.
    • Hanna Frankel, High School Senior, Third Place (high school senior) at the Lowcountry Science and Engineering Fair, 2017.
    • Angela Mei, High School Senior, 2nd Place, Junior Science and Humanities Symposium (JSHS) South Carolina Region, 2022
    • Angela Mei, High School Senior, 1st Place Overall Winner and Winner of Regeneron Biomedical Science Award, Lowcountry Science and Engineering Fair, 2022
    • Angela Mei, High School Senior, Finalist, National Junior Science and Humanities Symposium (JSHS), 2022
    • Angela Mei, High School Senior, Finalist, Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF), 2022
    • Angela Mei, High School Senior, was named a top 300 Scholar in the 82nd Regeneron Science Talent Search (STS) - the nation's oldest and most prestigious Science and mathematics competition for high school seniors (01/10/2023)