F. nucleatum in periodontal disease and preterm birth

简介（申请人提供）：韩一平博士，微生物学博士。韩博士的研究是围绕了解具核梭菌的毒力机制展开的。自从加入凯斯西储大学以来，她的研究兴趣已经从基础科学扩展到更多的临床导向研究。韩博士和她的同事最近建立了一个怀孕的老鼠模型，并显示出具核梭菌和早产之间的因果关系。韩博士正在使用具核梭菌作为模式生物来研究口腔健康与早产之间的关系。她的研究得到了NIDCR的支持，获得了R03奖（DE 14447），以调查早产妇女羊水中核状梭菌感染的来源，并获得了R01奖（DE 14924），以进一步表征该生物的FadA粘附素。获得K02奖助金后，韩博士可在不久的将来放弃进一步申请资助，并避免预期的教学及行政责任增加。这将使韩博士能够将80%以上的精力投入到她的研究项目和她在牙科和生殖生物学方面的再教育计划中。长期的职业目标是成为一个全面的口腔微生物学家胜任基础科学和转化研究。该应用的具体目的是：(i)表征来自具核梭菌的FadA粘附素在组织细胞附着和侵袭中的作用；（ii）鉴定FadA的宿主受体，并表征其在裸裸f -hosl细胞相互作用中的作用；（三）确定羊水感染具核梭菌的妇女是否在阴道、血液或口腔中携带同种梭菌。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Dr Yiping Han is a PhD microbiologist. Dr Han's research evolves around understanding the virulence mechanism of F. nucleatum. Since joining the faculty at Case Western Reserve University, her research interest has expanded from basic science to include more clinically oriented studies. Dr Han and her colleagues recently developed a pregnant murine model and showed a causal relationship between F. nucleatum and preterm birth. Dr Han is using F. nucleatum as a model organism to investigate the correlation between oral health and preterm birth. She has research support from NIDCR, with an R03 award (DE 14447) to investigate the source of F. nucleatum infection in amniotic fluids in women in preterm labor, and an R01 award (DE 14924) to further characterize the FadA adhesin from this organism. Support from a K02 award will allow Dr Han to forego further grant applications for the near future and to avoid projected increase in teaching and administrative responsibilities. This will permit Dr Han to devote over 80% of her effort on her research program and her plans for re-education in dentistry and reproductive biology. Long term career goals are to become a well-rounded oral microbiologist competent in both basic science and translational research. The specific aims of this application are: (i) to characterize the FadA adhesin from F. nucleatum for its role in tissue cell attachment and invasion; (ii) to identify the host receptor for FadA and to characterize its role in F. nudeatum-hosl cell interactions; and (iii) to determine if women with amniotic fluid infections of F. nucleatum harbor the same species in the vaginal track, blood, or the oral cavity.