The Center for Oral Health Research is a broadly based interdisciplinary research program involving scientists in the Schools of Dental Medicine, Veterinary Medicine and Medicine. The principal aim of the Center is to provide the resources and setting in which scientists in a variety of disciplines can investigate problems related to oral health. The areas under investigation range from basic research into the structure and biochemistry of oral tissues to clinical studies of the microorganisms involved in oral diseases. Specifically we are attempting to identify and characterize the microorganisms which may cause periodontal disease and to define the possible mechanisms of pathogenesis of the disease. These mechanisms include the production by oral organisms of toxins which may adversely affect polymorphonuclear leukocytes, the immune system and cells of the connective tissues. The cellular mechanisms involved in the synthesis of secretory immunoglobulin are also being investigated. In the complex ecology of the oral cavity, the aggregation of bacteria and their clearance, or alternatively their colonization on tooth surfaces probably plays a central role in the initiation of both dental caries and periodontal disease, and these processes are being studied. The proteins of the enamel matrix as well as the genes which code for these proteins are being characterized in an effort to understand the complex events in amelogenesis. The role of cells in the biochemical and biophysical mechanisms involved in the mineralization of hard tissues is undergoing intensive detailed study. Herpes Simplex virus infection currently is a major public health problem, causing widespread morbidity and because of its oncogenic potential possibly even mortality. Fundamental studies on the glycoproteins of Herpes are continuing and these studies give promise of yielding an effective, safe vaccine. Many of these studies involve collaboration between scientists in the Center with each other and with others within and without the University. In addition to its research function, the Center serves as a resource for the training of graduate students, dental students and undergraduates in the college.
