Oral Microbiome & Polymicrobial Diseases Program
Overview
The Oral Microbiome and Polymicrobial Disease Program supports basic and translational research on the role of bacteria, fungi and viruses in health and disease in the oral cavity. Topics include examining the role of the oral microbiome in health and disease; microbial virulence and pathogenesis, including oral opportunistic pathogens; and prevention, diagnosis and treatment of microbial infections. NIDCR encourages research on understanding the complexities of the oral microbiome and the importance in oral and overall health. Relevant research topics include, but are not limited to:
- Understanding how biofilm and microbial ecology principles drive the formation, structure, homeostasis, modulation, and eradication of the oral microbiome
- Oral cavity changes that drive the emergence of pathogenic states and the return to health
- Mechanisms affecting genetic heterogeneity and antibiotic resistance
- Stress responses and microbial interactions—from between similar organisms to interkingdom interactions—that modify organism virulence
- Host factors and underlying immune, molecular, and cellular mechanisms for the elimination of microbial pathogens or maintenance of a healthy oral microbiome
- Early detection and novel strategies for treatment and prevention of oral disease including periodontitis, caries, candidiasis, HIV, and other viral infections
- Genomic, proteomic, transcriptomic, and metabolomic studies for understanding of structure, function, and system dynamics
Related Resources
Staff Contact
Program Officer
Oral Microbiology Program