Oral Biology and immunopathology
Aim and background
In overall terms the research is based in the oral defence. The initial physical barrier of the oral cavity against intruding pathogens are via the oral mucosa and the composition and function of saliva. Secondarily follows the result of the immune system when the cellular barrier functions do not work.
Research focus and themes
Orally, the subject is the development of diagnostic and prognostic methods for detection and assessment of diseases in the oral cavity and manifestations of systemic diseases as well as development and testing of new treatments. Systemically, the subject is the effectual mechanisms of pharmacological substances and how the oral defence mechanisms affect the systemic health.
In particular, we study the immunological connections between diseases in the oral cavity and chronic inflammatory systemic diseases that lead to a chronic condition of ”low grade inflammation”.
Furthermore, focus is given to translational research with the transition from the basic biological to the clinic through intervention research in improved treatment procedures on both surgical and non-surgical areas. Interactions in the oral defence are complex. Therefore, multiple methods and approaches are used in the research, including histology and advanced molecular biological techniques and genome editing. The vision is to obtain a deeper understanding of the multifactorial biological mechanisms that are behind the development of oral diseases and to understand their comorbidity.