# Biofilm Spatial Structure in the Transition from Health to Periodontal Disease

> **NIH NIH R01** · STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AT ALBANY · 2022 · $477,738

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
Periodontal disease is mediated by the dynamic interplay between host inflammation and changes in
subgingival biofilm community composition. The keystone pathogen, Porphyromonas gingivalis is known to
subvert the immune response to promote inflammation and favorable conditions for pathobiont organisms,
while inhibiting immune system clearance of bacteria. Because of this, P. gingivalis has been proposed to
initiate periodontal disease. Here we propose a new paradigm for the initiation of periodontal disease,
mediated at the gingival margin by long filamentous cells that bring plaque organisms into close or direct
contact with the epithelium to initiate inflammation in the form of gingivitis. This reversible inflammatory state
then induces dysbiosis in the subgingival community. We will test our hypothesis by imaging intact biofilms on
extracted teeth involved in gingivitis and periodontitis, including the biofilm at the gingival margin with FISH
probes for up to 18 different taxa. We will further perform quantitative comparative structural analyses of
periodontitis associated human biofilms and canine models to specifically identify conserved structural features
of pathogenic subgingival biofilms. Lastly, we will map the spatial location of differentially expressed genes
within filamentous cells in plaque biofilms when these cells are in direct or close contact with specific partner
species. This work will comprise a holistic approach to identify structure-function relationships in healthy and
periodontal disease-associated biofilms that underly periodontal disease initiation and progression.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10334784
- **Project number:** 1R01DE031213-01
- **Recipient organization:** STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AT ALBANY
- **Principal Investigator:** Alex M Valm
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $477,738
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2022-08-01 → 2027-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10334784

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10334784, Biofilm Spatial Structure in the Transition from Health to Periodontal Disease (1R01DE031213-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10334784. Licensed CC0.

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