• 1 Department of Mathematics [Bethlehem, USA]

We show that dual canonical basis elements of the quantum polynomial ring in $n^2$ variables can be expressed as specializations of dual canonical basis elements of $0$-weight spaces of other quantum polynomial rings. Our results rely upon the natural appearance in the quantum polynomial ring of Kazhdan-Lusztig polynomials, $R$-polynomials, and certain single and double parabolic generalizations of these.