Building Research Capacity to Study Periodontitis and Associated Systemic Comorbidities in the Caribbean

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PROJECT SUMMARY The Faculty of Medical Sciences at the University of the West Indies Mona Campus aims to expand its inter- disciplinary research capacity by developing a training program to study the determinants of periodontitis and associated non-communicable chronic diseases in Jamaica. This program was created in response to the need for research in periodontitis, a highly prevalent non-communicable chronic condition with implications for oral and systemic health, for which there is lack of knowledge with respect to its epidemiology and pathophysiology in the Caribbean region. This program will be focused on expanding the clinical, epidemiology and basic science research capacity at the Department of Basic Medical Sciences and the Mona School of Dentistry in collaboration with The Caribbean Institute for Health Research (CAIHR). The development of this research capacity requires the training of clinical and basic scientists to be mentored by faculty from the University of the West Indies in collaboration with The University at Buffalo and Rush University in the US. Trainees will be degree candidates at the University of the West Indies enrolled in Masters or PhD programs and dental clinicians conducting post- doctoral fellowship training, who will be part of inter-disciplinary teams that will investigate the social, behavioral, microbiome and host response determinants of periodontitis in Jamaican subject cohorts. The specific aims of this application are to 1) Create a core of young investigators (4 pre-doctoral basic scientists or epidemiologists and 4 post-doctoral dentist-scientists) to conduct inter-disciplinary research in periodontal disease and associated comorbidities in Jamaica. 2) Provide a multidisciplinary team-based mentoring approach to conduct innovative research that integrates epidemiology, microbiome science, immunology, translational medicine and data science. 3) Build the foundation to establish large human subject cohorts at the University of the West Indies to study periodontal disease and associated comorbidities, thereby supporting future independent research activities of young faculty who will train the next generation of graduate students and fellows. These objectives will be accomplished through inter-disciplinary teams of mentors and trainees focused on evaluating the pathophysiology of periodontitis in a cohort of children/adolescents and in an adult cohort affected by cardiometabolic systemic disease. Customized curricula based on each trainee’s individualized development plan will be implemented. Trainees will have a short-term (6 months) training experience in US laboratories directed by faculty mentors with extensive experience in epidemiology, periodontology, microbiome, bioinformatics, immunology and cardiometabolic disease, while completing their research degree or postdoctoral programs at the University of the West Indies. This program is expected to provide a rigorous interdisciplinary scientific training experience and create a pool of candidates with potential to join the Faculty at the University of the West Indies. This program will also address a need for oral health research and interventions in Jamaica.