Center for Oral Infectious Diseases

The Center for Oral Infectious Diseases is a modern, state-of-the-art basic research facility whose faculty members investigate both host- and bacterially-mediated contributions to oral diseases by genetic, biochemical, immunological, and microbiological means.

Areas Under Investigation

• Stem cell biology
• Molecular and physiological mechanisms regulating tertiary dentin formation from dental pulp cells
• Pulp regeneration technology using induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) and oral stem cells.

Microbiology

• Understanding the interaction of pathogenic biofilms and predatory bacteria using culture-based and animal model systems
• Characterizing the contribution of Streptococcus mutans and Candida albicans to caries development using culture-based and animal model systems
• Non-human primates models of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans-induced periodontitis
• Characterizing biofilm development and virulence factors of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans using culture-based and animal model systems
• Characterizing biofilm development and virulence factors of Porphyromonas gingivalis
• Multispecies interactions of the members of the oral microbiome

Microbiome

• Characterizing the impact of bacterial pathobionts on the oral microbiome of non-human primates
• Understanding the behavioral and environmental factors on microbial composition, oral/dental disease, and infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS
• Changes in the murine oral microbiome during maternal and fetal iron deficiency anemia

Immunology

• The use of bacterial toxins to treat cancers and autoimmune disorders
• The immunologic basis of B cell lymphoma development

The Center for Infectious Diseases is located in the RSDM Oral Biology lab suite in C830 and C636 in the Medical Science Building.