Grant Award Summary

The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) awarded University of Massachusetts Lowell $100,676 under the Oral Diseases and Disorders Research program (CFDA 93.121) to develop a three-dimensional (3D) in vitro human periodontal sulcus tissue model for studying early biomarkers of oral dysbiosis. The award, obligated on September 30, 2026, with an ultimate completion date of April 14, 2027, funds research to create an advanced tissue culture system that mimics the anatomical complexity, polymicrobial conditions, and immune components of the natural gingival sulcus at different stages of periodontal health and disease (healthy, gingivitis, and periodontitis states).

The research deliverable addresses current limitations in existing clinical, animal, and in vitro models by engineering a sustained in vivo-like environment capable of recreating physiological properties such as oxygen gradients and metabolic conditions. The model will incorporate primary human neutrophils to investigate early dysbiosis clinical fingerprints and monitor cytokine profiles in comparison to patient gingival exudates, thereby advancing understanding of host-pathogen interactions and immune system balance in acute and chronic periodontal disease conditions.