Microbiology

Dental caries and periodontal disease are the commonest bacterial disease of man. Microbiology is therefore central to all oral and dental research. Dental Institute microbiology staff perform basic research into fundamental aspects and mechanisms related to the oral microbiota as well as engaging in a wide range of collaborations with clinical colleagues.

Current project areas include:

• Characterisation of the oral microbiome - the Human Oral Microbiome Database
• Culture-independent molecular methods for characterisation of the oral microbiome
• Oral bacterial metagenomics and genomics
• Sub-species diversity - multi-locus sequence typing
• Bacterial-bacterial communication and growth factors in dental plaque
• Cellular Microbiology - bacterial toxins and host targets
• In-vitro and in-vivo evaluation of novel active agents and formulations, up to Phase III
• Multi-species biofilm models of dental plaque formation and endodontic infections
• Biomarkers for dental caries