diff --git a/src/app/components/components/data-table/data-table.component.html b/src/app/components/components/data-table/data-table.component.html
index e75d5f3192..7403151e9e 100644
--- a/src/app/components/components/data-table/data-table.component.html
+++ b/src/app/components/components/data-table/data-table.component.html
@@ -97,6 +97,7 @@ <h4 class="md-subhead">with custom headings, columns, and inline editing</h4>
 <md-card>
   <md-card-content>
     <h3 class="md-title">Basic Data Table</h3>
+    <h4 class="md-subhead">with nested data, formatting, and templates</h4>
     <md-divider></md-divider>
     <md-tab-group md-stretch-tabs>
       <md-tab>
@@ -137,8 +138,8 @@ <h3 class="md-title">Basic Data Table</h3>
             })
             export class Demo {
               columns: ITdDataTableColumn[] = [
-                { name: 'name',  label: 'Dessert (100g serving)' },
-                { name: 'type', label: 'Type' },
+                { name: 'food.name',  label: 'Dessert (100g serving)' },
+                { name: 'food.type', label: 'Type' },
                 { name: 'calories', label: 'Calories', numeric: true, format: NUMBER_FORMAT },
                 { name: 'fat', label: 'Fat (g)', numeric: true, format: DECIMAL_FORMAT },
                 { name: 'carbs', label: 'Carbs (g)', numeric: true, format: NUMBER_FORMAT },
@@ -151,8 +152,10 @@ <h3 class="md-title">Basic Data Table</h3>
               basicData: any[] = [
                   {
                     'id': 1,
-                    'name': 'Frozen yogurt',
-                    'type': 'Ice cream',
+                    'food': {
+                      'name': 'Frozen yogurt',
+                      'type': 'Ice cream',
+                    },
                     'calories': 159.0,
                     'fat': 6.0,
                     'carbs': 24.0,
@@ -163,8 +166,10 @@ <h3 class="md-title">Basic Data Table</h3>
                     'comments': 'I love froyo!',
                   }, {
                     'id': 2,
-                    'name': 'Ice cream sandwich',
-                    'type': 'Ice cream',
+                    'food': {
+                      'name': 'Ice cream sandwich',
+                      'type': 'Ice cream',
+                    },
                     'calories': 237.0,
                     'fat': 9.0,
                     'carbs': 37.0,
@@ -174,8 +179,10 @@ <h3 class="md-title">Basic Data Table</h3>
                     'iron': 1.0,
                   }, {
                     'id': 3,
-                    'name': 'Eclair',
-                    'type': 'Pastry',
+                    'food': {
+                      'name': 'Eclair',
+                      'type': 'Pastry',
+                    },
                     'calories':  262.0,
                     'fat': 16.0,
                     'carbs': 24.0,
diff --git a/src/app/components/components/data-table/data-table.component.ts b/src/app/components/components/data-table/data-table.component.ts
index 5703296626..02189a6356 100644
--- a/src/app/components/components/data-table/data-table.component.ts
+++ b/src/app/components/components/data-table/data-table.component.ts
@@ -60,6 +60,10 @@ export class DataTableDemoComponent implements OnInit {
                   Emits an [ITdDataTableSelectAllEvent] implemented object.`,
     name: 'selectAll',
     type: `function()`,
+  }, {
+    description: `Refreshes data table and updates [data] and [columns]`,
+    name: 'refresh',
+    type: `function()`,
   }];
 
   cellAttrs: Object[] = [{
@@ -122,7 +126,7 @@ export class DataTableDemoComponent implements OnInit {
   ];
 
   data: any[] = [
-      {
+    {
         'id': 1,
         'name': 'Frozen yogurt',
         'type': 'Ice cream',
diff --git a/src/platform/core/data-table/README.md b/src/platform/core/data-table/README.md
index d65cf94241..50860e500c 100644
--- a/src/platform/core/data-table/README.md
+++ b/src/platform/core/data-table/README.md
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ Properties:
 | `sortChange` | `function` | Event emitted when the column headers are clicked. [sortable] needs to be enabled. Emits an [ITdDataTableSortEvent] implemented object.
 | `rowSelect` | `function` | Event emitted when a row is selected/deselected. [selectable] needs to be enabled. Emits an [ITdDataTableSelectEvent] implemented object.
 | `selectAll` | `function` | Event emitted when all rows are selected/deselected by the all checkbox. [selectable] needs to be enabled. Emits an [ITdDataTableSelectAllEvent] implemented object.
+| `refresh` | `function` |  Refreshes data table and rerenders [data] and [columns]
 
 ## Setup
 
diff --git a/src/platform/core/data-table/data-table.component.html b/src/platform/core/data-table/data-table.component.html
index 1915674e4a..6f356db751 100644
--- a/src/platform/core/data-table/data-table.component.html
+++ b/src/platform/core/data-table/data-table.component.html
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@
         [numeric]="column.numeric"
         [active]="_sortable && column === _sortBy"
         [sortable]="_sortable"
+        (mouseleave)="column.tooltip && tooltipRefresh()"
+        (mouseenter)="column.tooltip && tooltipRefresh()"
         [sortOrder]="_sortOrder"
         (sortChange)="handleSort(column)">
         <span [md-tooltip]="column.tooltip">{{column.label}}</span>
@@ -31,11 +33,11 @@
       <td td-data-table-cell
           [numeric]="column.numeric"
           *ngFor="let column of columns">
-        <span class="md-body-1" *ngIf="!getTemplateRef(column.name)">{{column.format ? column.format(row[column.name]) : row[column.name]}}</span>
+        <span class="md-body-1" *ngIf="!getTemplateRef(column.name)">{{column.format ? column.format(getCellValue(column, row)) : getCellValue(column, row)}}</span>
         <template
           *ngIf="getTemplateRef(column.name)"
           [ngTemplateOutlet]="getTemplateRef(column.name)"
-          [ngOutletContext]="{ value: row[column.name], row: row, column: column.name }">
+          [ngOutletContext]="{ value: getCellValue(column, row), row: row, column: column.name }">
         </template>
       </td>
     </tr>
diff --git a/src/platform/core/data-table/data-table.component.ts b/src/platform/core/data-table/data-table.component.ts
index b3d9aedcaf..dec4673a25 100644
--- a/src/platform/core/data-table/data-table.component.ts
+++ b/src/platform/core/data-table/data-table.component.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { Component, Input, Output, EventEmitter, forwardRef,
+import { Component, Input, Output, EventEmitter, forwardRef, ChangeDetectionStrategy, ChangeDetectorRef,
          ContentChildren, TemplateRef, AfterContentInit, QueryList } from '@angular/core';
 import { NG_VALUE_ACCESSOR, ControlValueAccessor } from '@angular/forms';
 
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ export interface ITdDataTableColumn {
   tooltip?: string;
   numeric?: boolean;
   format?: (value: any) => any;
+  nested?: boolean;
 };
 
 export interface ITdDataTableSelectEvent {
@@ -43,6 +44,7 @@ export interface ITdDataTableSelectAllEvent {
   selector: 'td-data-table',
   styleUrls: [ 'data-table.component.scss' ],
   templateUrl: 'data-table.component.html',
+  changeDetection: ChangeDetectionStrategy.OnPush,
 })
 export class TdDataTableComponent implements ControlValueAccessor, AfterContentInit {
 
@@ -214,6 +216,8 @@ export class TdDataTableComponent implements ControlValueAccessor, AfterContentI
   @Output('selectAll') onSelectAll: EventEmitter<ITdDataTableSelectAllEvent> =
                                     new EventEmitter<ITdDataTableSelectAllEvent>();
 
+  constructor(private _changeDetectorRef: ChangeDetectorRef) {}
+
   /**
    * Loads templates and sets them in a map for faster access.
    */
@@ -224,7 +228,14 @@ export class TdDataTableComponent implements ControlValueAccessor, AfterContentI
         this._templates.toArray()[i].templateRef
       );
     }
-   }
+  }
+
+  getCellValue(column: ITdDataTableColumn, value: any): string {
+    if (column.nested === undefined || column.nested) {
+      return this._getNestedValue(column.name, value);
+    }
+    return value[column.name];
+  }
 
   /**
    * Getter method for template references
@@ -244,7 +255,16 @@ export class TdDataTableComponent implements ControlValueAccessor, AfterContentI
    * Refreshes data table and rerenders [data] and [columns]
    */
   refresh(): void {
-    this.clearModel();
+    this._changeDetectorRef.markForCheck();
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Workaround for https://github.com/angular/material2/issues/1825
+   */
+  tooltipRefresh(): void {
+    setTimeout(() => {
+      this.refresh();
+    }, 100);
   }
 
   /**
@@ -346,4 +366,16 @@ export class TdDataTableComponent implements ControlValueAccessor, AfterContentI
   onChange = (_: any) => noop;
   onTouched = () => noop;
 
+  private _getNestedValue(name: string, value: any): string {
+    if (!(value instanceof Object) || !name) {
+      return value;
+    }
+    if (name.indexOf('.') > -1) {
+      let splitName: string[] = name.split(/\.(.+)/, 2);
+      return this._getNestedValue(splitName[1], value[splitName[0]]);
+    } else {
+      return value[name];
+    }
+  }
+
 }
diff --git a/src/platform/core/data-table/data-table.module.ts b/src/platform/core/data-table/data-table.module.ts
index f36c65df6a..9b5fa8a16e 100644
--- a/src/platform/core/data-table/data-table.module.ts
+++ b/src/platform/core/data-table/data-table.module.ts
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ const TD_DATA_TABLE: Type<any>[] = [
 ];
 
 export { TdDataTableComponent, TdDataTableSortingOrder,
-         ITdDataTableColumn } from './data-table.component';
+         ITdDataTableColumn, ITdDataTableSelectEvent } from './data-table.component';
 export { TdDataTableService } from './services/data-table.service';
 export { TdDataTableColumnComponent,
          ITdDataTableSortChangeEvent } from './data-table-column/data-table-column.component';