Niki M. Moutsopoulos, DDS, PhD

Associate Scientific Director

TT/ACI Faculty Development
Oral Immunity & Infection Section

Our program is focused on oral mucosal immunity. Studies in our lab implement a bedside-to-bench approach and aim to understand the molecular and cellular basis of oral immunity in health, and in the common inflammatory disease of periodontitis. We aim to gain fundamental understanding of immunological responses that regulate oral mucosal immunity, and, which when dysregulated, contribute to the oral mucosal disease periodontitis. Over the years, we have leveraged the strengths of the NIH Intramural Program in rare genetic diseases to develop a unique bedside to bench program focused on oral immunity and susceptibility to periodontitis through the study of patients with single gene mutations. In our studies, we gain critical insights from patient phenotypes, which uncover specific host factors/pathways that mediate oral disease. Mechanisms of disease are then analyzed in combined studies in human tissues/cells and mouse models. We hypothesize that the identification of host factors that underlie disease susceptibility and the dissection of the immunological mechanisms that mediate oral diseases (with a focus on periodontitis) not only will advance our understanding of the pathogenesis of disease but it will also advance fundamental knowledge in mucosal immunology and ultimately aid in the identification of therapeutic targets for the prevention and treatment of disease.

Suggested Penn mentors: George Hajishengallis