Elia Beniash, PhD

Dr. Elia Beniash is a Professor, Department of Oral Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine, with a joint appointment in Pitt’s Department of Bioengineering.  He is also a faculty member of the Center for Craniofacial Regeneration and the Clinical and Translational Science Institute. Prior to arriving at Pitt in 2007, Dr. Beniash was a staff member at the Forsyth Institute in Boston, Massachusetts, and an instructor at the Harvard University School of Dental Medicine. Dr. Beniash holds an MSc in Zoology and Biology from the St. Petersburg State University in Russia. His PhD in Structural Biology and Chemistry is from the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, Israel. Dr. Beniash is a member of the American Chemical Society, the American Association of Dental Research (AADR), the International Association of Dental Research (IADR), and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Dr. Beniash’s scientific interests include biomineralization, the structure/function relationships in supramolecular assemblies, bioinspired materials, and tissue engineering.  Some of his research interests include:

• Engineering Research Center for Revolutionizing Metallic Biomaterials
• Structural determinants of amelogenin function in regulating enamel formation
• Role of keratins in enamel formation and structure.
• Collaborative Research: Biomineralization Processes and Their Environmental Modulation in Marine Bivalves.

One of the focuses of his lab is biogenic mineralized materials, such as those found in shells, bones, and teeth.  His studies are concentrated on understanding basic strategies of mineralization in biological systems and applying these strategies to the design of new, nanostructured composite materials. In addition to being an Editorial Board Member of the Journal of Structural Biology, he is also a Reviewer for many scientific journals, including Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Nature Materials, Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, Journal of American Chemical Association, Acta Biomaterialia, and Journal of Dental Research.  Dr. Beniash is a member of the Scientific Advisory Board of the 12^th International Conference on the Chemistry and Biology of Mineralized Tissues (ICCBMT) and 9^th International Conference on Enamel. View a list of Dr. Beniash’s publications here.