75th Anniversary Trainee Symposium: Celebrating NIDCR Trainees: Past, Present, and Future

Hyun (Michel) Koo

Hyun (Michel) Koo is a dentist-scientist trained in food engineering, microbiology, and cell biology, and a professor in the School of Dental Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. He is also an inventor with several patents, including use of robotics for wireless biofilm removal and antibiofilm nanotherapies for severe caries in high-risk populations. His research focusses on how biofilms form and cause oral diseases and seeking new therapeutic and diagnostic approaches by integrating material sciences, nanotechnology, and robotics. Dr. Koo is the co-founder of the Center for Innovation & Precision Dentistry, a multidisciplinary institute with the School of Engineering that bridges clinicians, scientists, and engineers to advance oral and craniofacial health through research, training, and entrepreneurship. He is the co-director of an NIDCR T90R90 training program at the interface of dental medicine and engineering to study disease mechanisms, develop affordable therapies and precision diagnostics for susceptible populations.