Periodontology

Phone: 352-273-8360 Room: D10-6 P.O. Box 100434

Dr. I. Aukhil

• Tissue regeneration biology
• Bone cell differentiation
• Extra cellular matrix biology

Dr. L. Kesavalu

• Association between periodontal disease and cardiovascular disease (Clinical study)
• Association between periodontal pathogens and atherosclerosis  (Basic study)
• Association between periodontal pathogens and Rheumatoid arthritis  (Basic study)
• Association between periodontal pathogens and Alzheimer’s disease  (Basic study)
• Association between periodontal pathogens and Rheumatoid arthritis  (Basic study)
• The Caries bacterium Streptococcus mutansand atherosclerosis (Basic study)
• Role of microRNA in periodontal disease
• The link between periodontal pathogens, microRNA, and Sjogren’s syndrome
• Pathogenesis of Osteonecrosis of Jaw (ONJ).

Dr. L. Shaddox

• Microbiological, immunological and treatment changes in Aggressive periodontitis in children
• The relationship of Diabetes and Periodontal Disease in adults
• Biofilm development and antibiotic resistance

Dr. S. Wallet

The broad research focus of our research is on the innate immune responses in diabetic patient populations. Importantly we focus on two classifications of diabetes, Type 1 and Type 2, with the understanding that these are similar diseases with different mechanisms leading to manifestation. Our interests involve how diabetic host immune responses differ from that of a normoglycemic host. Specifically, our current projects involve:

1. Investigation of diabetogenic gingival epithelial cell aberrant immunological functions in term of ‘hyper-responsiveness, receptor expression and signaling processes, and antigen presentation capacities.
2. Investigation of diabetogenic osteoclast functions in terms of excessive activation and bone resorption
3. The contribution of advanced glycated end products to aberrant immunological functions of gingival epithelial cells, macrophages, dendritic cells and osteoclasts
4. Investigation of regulatory mechanisms of cyto/chemokine expression which directly and indirectly contribute to tissue destruction and periodontal disease progression, using miRNA analysis

Additional ongoing studies of our laboratory are interested in how these potentially aberrant innate immune responses may affect other disease processes which have been classified as secondary complications of diabetes, such as periodontitis, cardiovascular disease, and arthritis.

Dr. O. Yilmaz

P. gingivalis and host cells represent a highly structured and regulated dynamic interaction, the outcomes of which depend upon the properties of the organism and host. Our laboratory focuses on the interface between P. gingivalis and gingival epithelium, and facilitation of the bacterial colonization by studying the molecular mechanisms of gingival epithelial cell attachment-invasion, survival, and dissemination strategies employed by P. gingivalis.

The specific areas of research we are currently examining are:

1. Initial attachment mechanisms of P. gingivalis to epithelial cells with respect to complementary receptors on host cell surfaces and signal transduction events following attachment
2. Long-term outcomes of P. gingivalis infection on gingival epithelial cell status by examining host cell death-survival markers and phenotypic responses throughout the infection
3. Modulation mechanisms of gingival epithelial cell survival responses mediated by P. gingivalis through both intrinsic and extrinsic apoptotic pathways
4. Understanding of the means for P. gingivalis’ ability to multiply and spread within the epithelium temporally and its relation to gingival epithelial cell survival
5. Motility: Modulation of actin cytoskeleton and associated cell structural-signaling molecules during the inter-cellular spreading of P. gingivalis in gingival epithelium