# Bioinformatics analysis of host-microbiome interaction in oral cavity

> **NIH NIH K18** · VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY · 2021 · $143,609

## Abstract

This is a K18 application for a Short-term Mentored Career Enhancement Award in Dental, Oral and Craniofacial
Research for Mid-Career and Senior Investigators that focuses on bioinformatics analysis of oral microbiome
implicated in periodontitis. The training component is an extension of a research proposal funded by a different
mechanism.
Research: Periodontal diseases are inflammatory conditions of the tissues supporting teeth resulting from the
inflammatory response of the host. However, in order to trigger the inflammatory conditions bacteria must be
present. Not all bacteria trigger inflammatory response from the host and indeed, some bacteria are beneficial
as they provide protective barrier against periodontal diseases. It is the pathogenic ones, such as the red
complex bacteria, that when present in higher numbers, result in inflammatory response from the host. These
bacteria include Porphyromonas gingivalis, Tannerella forsythia, Treponema denticola, and Fusobacterium
nucleatum. Thus, we hypothesize that in order to reduce the incidence of periodontal diseases, targeted
therapies aimed at reducing the growth of the pathogenic bacteria while sparing commensal microflora are
needed. Mechanical antimicrobial therapies as well as adjunct antibiotics currently used to treat this chronic
disease are broad spectrum, thus targeting both pathogenic and beneficial bacteria. Here we propose to use
amixicile, a novel systemic therapeutic, that selectively target anaerobic bacteria such as the ones listed above.
The antimicrobial will be used to specifically deplete the oral subgingival microbiome of anaerobic bacteria and
then examine the effect of the microbiomes on host’s response to both treated and control (un-treated)
microbiomes. Using such treatment we will test the ability of amixicile to alter the composition of the microbiome
from a dysbiotic pro-inflammatory one to a health-associated microbiome.
Training Plan and Environment. In this K18 training grant the PI will get training in understanding and using
methods for highthroughput sequencing data analysis derived from sequencing the microbiomes at both genome
and transcriptome levels as well as determination of the transcriptome of the host response. That data will then
be integrated to get an insight into the host response depending on the composition of the microbiome. The
training will be done under the mentorship of two experts in bioinformatics. Variety of activities is proposed
including: laboratory experience, coursework, bioinformatics analysis and presentation at scientific meetings.
Thus the proposal will pave a pathway to ensure that the PI will get thorough training in understanding of the
bioinformatics approaches applied to study host-pathogen interaction in a very comprehensive manner.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10284591
- **Project number:** 1K18DE031096-01
- **Recipient organization:** VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Janina P Lewis
- **Activity code:** K18 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $143,609
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2021-09-01 → 2023-02-28

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10284591

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10284591, Bioinformatics analysis of host-microbiome interaction in oral cavity (1K18DE031096-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-21 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10284591. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*