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The gingivae are a barrier tissue situated within a unique ecological niche that is constantly exposed to food and airborne antigens, diverse microbiota and masticatory forces.
The microbiota and local immune response are variable over time even in the same person – and there is a range of parameters of each that are compatible with local and systemic health.
Breaches of the thresholds for health can have a range of deleterious consequences. Signaling within the gingiva allows for the initiation of effective immune responses towards shifting microbiota, and facilitates repair following trauma - whilst being tolerant of commensal micro-organisms and harmless antigens.
Compared with other barrier sites such as the gut, the mechanisms maintaining barrier homeostasis in the mouth are relatively poorly understood.
Understanding how the host maintains host-microbe equilibrium and prevents imbalances and negative consequence will provide novel insights into how oral health is maintained, and how effective maintenance of oral health may also prevent negative systemic consequences.
This project will use a range of in vitro model systems to simulate and investigate both host and microbial features of the mucosal barrier in the mouth. A wide range of techniques will be used to evaluate multiple parameters of the host-microbiome modelling systems.
This fully funded project is an Industrial PhD CASE partnership with GlaxoSmithKline Oral Healthcare.
The successful candidate will have opportunities for high quality generic skills training and training in numerous laboratory techniques, in a well-supported environment with state of the art facilities. There is the opportunity for placement in other academic or industry settings.
Applicants should have a good honours or masters degree in a relevant subject, and/or a dental qualification.
Applications are particularly welcome from candidates with some experience of lab-based research, ideally with experience in methods relevant to immunology and microbiology research.