Oral biofilm study_Ansbro
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Mechanisms of Bacterial Community Dynamics in Oral Biofilms
IRAS ID
240510
Contact name
Katherine Ansbro
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 8 months, 5 days
Research summary
Caries and periodontal (gum) diseases are common diseases in the mouth, affecting over 700 million people in the world. In severe cases of periodontitis, it can lead to jaw and tooth loss but also contributing to conditions such as heart disease. Gum disease is thought to happen when a shift in bacterial species occurs in the mouth, from so-called “friendly” bacteria to ones linked with the disease. However, little is known about the mechanisms behind how these communities form or which nutritional sources are important for the bacteria.
In this study, we will collect saliva and plaque samples from patients diagnosed with chronic periodontitis and take the samples back to the laboratory and use them to grow lab-based plaque biofilm communities. Using these bacterial cultures, we will be testing how bacteria obtain food in the mouth, and see how the proportions of different harmful and beneficial bacteria in samples vary when the environment changes, such as when we add in more “friendly” bacteria or novel inhibitors of their metabolism that might be able to used to prevent periodontal disease in the future. In particular, we will focus on the role of specific molecules called glycans, that are present in saliva and on our own cell surfaces and how we can interfere with the way oral bacteria harvest these glycans to help their growth.
This study is therefore looking to understand how bacteria in plaque interact with each other, our teeth and the natural (saliva) and dietary substrates in the mouth to cause gum disease, and ultimately test for potential new treatments.
REC name
West Midlands - Coventry & Warwickshire Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
18/WM/0068
Date of REC Opinion
3 Apr 2018
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion