Federal Grant Award Summary

The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) awarded Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University a Project Grant in the amount of $568,759 under the Oral Diseases and Disorders Research program (CFDA 93.121). The award, effective May 1, 2026, through April 30, 2031, funds research investigating pathogen synergy and immune subversion mechanisms in periodontal disease. The project delivers scientific research outputs examining the cooperative interactions between two gram-negative anaerobes—Fusobacterium nucleatum and Campylobacter rectus—that consistently co-expand in periodontal disease and other inflammatory conditions including inflammatory bowel disease and certain cancers.

The research deliverables include mechanistic investigations of microbial metabolic cross-feeding, development of targeted bacterial mutants, biofilm co-culture studies, and in vivo modeling to elucidate how these pathogens drive inflammation and sustain disease progression. The project will generate fundamental knowledge regarding neutrophil immune response subversion and bacterial persistence strategies, with the ultimate goal of identifying intervention strategies to disrupt pathogenic microbial-immune interactions. These research outputs advance NIDCR's mission to translate dental and oral health discoveries into improved prevention and treatment strategies while addressing the broader health implications of periodontal disease, which extends beyond the oral cavity to cardiovascular, metabolic, and gastrointestinal health.