CDM Student Tiffany Ji Receives NIDCR Summer Dental Student Award for Research at NIH

This summer, Tiffany Ji, a second-year student at Columbia University College of Dental Medicine (CDM), received the NIDCR Summer Dental Student Award to conduct full-time research at the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) at the NIH in Bethesda, Maryland. Ji extended the eight-week program to 10 weeks, working in Dr. Janice Lee’s Craniofacial Anomalies and Regeneration Section on research focused on Loeys-Dietz syndrome with her team including Drs. Olivier Duverger and Bikash Lamichhane.

The opportunity was years in the making. As an undergraduate at Barnard College, Ji studied physics and worked in Columbia University’s Bone Bioengineering Lab, where she developed an interest in bone research and its connections to dentistry. She knew she wanted to continue research in dental school and had been particularly interested in working at the NIH in Lee’s lab.

“I've applied at least three times already in college to this program, and this is actually the last opportunity for me to do it,” Ji said.

At the NIH, Ji studied Loeys-Dietz syndrome, a genetic connective tissue disorder that can affect multiple parts of the body, including the cardiovascular system, skeleton, skull, and face. The condition is caused by genetic changes that disrupt TGF-beta signaling, a pathway involved in normal growth and development. Its craniofacial manifestations can include cleft palate and craniosynostosis.

Ji’s research focuses on craniosynostosis, the premature fusion of the sutures between the bones of the skull. These sutures normally remain open as the brain and skull develop. When they fuse too early, they can restrict normal growth, alter the shape of the skull, and increase intracranial pressure, potentially contributing to neurocognitive delays.

“The goal of our study was to examine the mechanism of how this premature fusion occurs,” Ji said.

Using a mouse model that reproduces many of the disease’s cardiovascular, dental, and craniofacial characteristics, Ji and the research team investigated questions that are difficult to study in patients alone. The model allows them to examine both changes in the tissue and the biological processes that may be driving them.

Ji’s research also included preliminary investigations into the mid-palatal suture, which connects the two plates of the palate. Because patients with Loeys-Dietz syndrome can have high-vaulted or narrow palates, the team is examining palatal defects observed in the mouse model to better understand how the condition affects craniofacial development.

“Once we really understand and characterize it well, we can start thinking about therapies,” Ji said.

That long-term possibility is particularly meaningful because craniosynostosis can require invasive surgery to allow the skull to continue growing. Ji said the longer-term goal is to better understand the condition in ways that could eventually help prevent the need for surgery.

The NIH experience has also given Ji a close look at how basic and clinical research can inform one another. Lee’s lab operates with a bench-to-bedside approach, bringing together researchers and clinicians at weekly lab meetings. Through the NIDCR Summer Dental Student Award, Ji also had the opportunity to observe clinical Loeys-Dietz research, including meeting a patient participating in the lab’s clinical studies.

“A reason why I was really drawn to the lab that I'm working in this summer is because we have a strong clinical component,” Ji said.

Ji’s day-to-day work has also introduced her to the collaborative nature of research. Through close mentorship in the lab, she has learned new research techniques while gaining experience troubleshooting experiments. She described the NIH as an encouraging environment where researchers have been intentional about teaching and helping her make the most of the experience.

Ji sees that experience as an extension of the research environment she encountered at CDM.

“CDM as a whole has a big research culture and really encourages students to get involved even outside of the College,” Ji said. “It's one of the reasons I wanted to come here because I knew there would be a lot of opportunities and mentors that were excited to work with students.”

Thise summer research experience also gave Ji the opportunity to share her work. She presented her findings at both the NIH-wide Summer Poster Day and the NIDCR Summer Poster Day, adding scientific communication to the research skills she developed during her time in Bethesda.

The experience has strengthened Ji’s interest in continuing research at CDM and introduced her to possibilities she had not previously considered, including the NIDCRH Dental Clinical Research Fellowship Program that successfully trains the next generation of dentist-scientists..

After 10 weeks spent conducting research and observing its clinical applications, Ji returned to CDM with new skills and a clearer sense of how research might remain part of her path.

“I've learned a lot this summer, and I'm excited and hoping that it'll help prepare me for whatever my next step is,” Ji said.