Our Labs

My lab focuses on identifying and translating regenerative materials and technologies to reestablish dental, oral, and craniofacial (DOC) tissue health. We use both in vitro and in vivo pre-clinical animal models to gain further insight into the potential clinical safety and efficacy of the developed biomaterials and overall regenerative strategies.

Our laboratory focus on the understanding of the “histone code” in the context of tissue injury, chronic inflammatory diseases, and cancer biology.

The DCBIA integrates and disseminates imaging quantitative methodology in Dentistry, supporting patient-specific decision making and assessment of the disease progression via data processing, predictive modeling and machine learning.

Dr. Decker's laboratory focuses on the intercellular signaling mechanisms that regulate inflammation in bone. Specifically, we are keen to understand how periodontal disease trains innate immunity and subsequent effects on bone regeneration and skeletal cancer metastasis that reside in the bone marrow niche spaces.

The Decker Lab is focused on developing technologies that 1) detect and interpret the inter- and intra-cellular signaling networks within the tissue microenvironment, 2) alter an existing unfavorable microenvironment and 3) leverage alterations in the pathophysiological microenvironment for early detection and intervention. We have several active research aims towards these goals.

The D'Silva Lab's translational research focus is head and neck cancer, including biomarkers for early detection and treatment resistance, and molecular mechanisms of tumor progression and treatment resistance.

The Emrick lab studies the molecules, cells, and circuitry of the sensory nervous system innervating the mouth, head, and neck to understand how it all encodes oral and craniofacial information, contributes to normal tissue function, and ultimately drives reflexes and perceptions.

Dr. Fenno's research focuses on the role of the oral spirochete Treponema denticola in the development of periodontal diseases. The studies involve molecular characterization of spirochete surface-expressed and secreted proteins and their interactions with host tissue components.

The Fontana/González Lab and Clinical Research Unit's research interests relate primarily to caries management in children, including risk assessment (and interprofessional care models), dental sealants, and oral biofilms as it relates to caries development and/or prevention (and included in this area, therapies that may affect the biofilm, such as xylitol, silver diammine fluoride, etc).

Dr. Franceschi’s laboratory studies the signals regulating the formation and functioning of osteoblasts, cells that produce and mineralize the extracellular matrix of bone.

My primary interest is in how mammalian motor systems compensate for the potentially detrimental effects of tooth wear in diphyodontic species and the life-threatening potential that occurs during swallowing due to incomplete separation of the respiratory and digestive systems in the oropharynx.

The Gonzalez laboratory is interested in understanding dental caries and their clinical management. Particular interest in remineralization, fluorides, diagnosis and oral health products in general (e.g., dentifrices, rinses, toothbrushes, etc.).