College of Dentistry
Kesavalu Lab
Led by Kesavalu Lakshymyya · Periodontology
What we study
The lab studies how microRNAs and periodontal pathogens cause diseases like periodontitis, Alzheimer’s, and atherosclerosis. They use clinical and basic research methods to explore these links.
What working here is like
- Clinical
- Wet lab
- Bacteria & microbes
- Mice
- No coding
- Projects
- 6
- Papers
- 5
Current projects
Role of microRNA in periodontal disease
Studies how microRNAs, small gene-regulating molecules, contribute to periodontal (gum) disease.
Association between Periodontal disease and Alzheimer’s disease
Studies whether periodontal (gum) disease is linked to Alzheimer's disease.
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Periodontal pathogens invasion, proliferation, and dissemination to systemic tissues/cells
Studying how periodontal bacteria spread to other body parts.
Periodontal pathogens (polybacterial) infection and atherosclerosis
Studies how infection with several gum-disease bacteria contributes to atherosclerosis, the buildup of plaque in arteries.
Association between Periodontal disease and rheumatoid arthritis
Studies whether periodontal (gum) disease is linked to rheumatoid arthritis, using clinical and basic research.
Periodontal Bacteria Dissemination Following Ecological Time‑Sequential Polybacterial Periodontal Infection in TLR4‑/- Mice
Using 20 ten‑week‑old TLR4‑/- mice, the lab infected half with a mix of oral bacteria for 19 weeks and then checked heart, lungs, and kidneys for bacterial DNA. They found Fusobacterium nucleatum in the heart, Porphyromonas gingivalis in the lungs, and Tannerella forsythia in the kidneys, showing oral bacteria can spread to internal organs.
From the Spring 2025 UF Undergraduate Research Symposium · abstract book, p. 414
Summaries are written by AI in plain language from public symposium abstracts and may be imperfect.
Recent papers, explained
- Increased cardiovascular disease risk in patients with periodontal disease: Insights from studies of periodontal treatment
2026 · American Heart Journal Plus Cardiology Research and Practice
Reviews how nonsurgical periodontal therapy reduces systemic inflammation and cardiovascular biomarkers.
- Artificial intelligence in periodontics and peri-implant medicine: from diagnosis to precision care
2026 · Frontiers in Dental Medicine
Reviews AI applications in periodontics and peri-implant medicine, focusing on diagnosis and precision care.
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- Polymicrobial periodontal infection selectively alters the fecal microbiome in mice: Implications for the oral-gut microbial axis
2026 · Archives of Oral Biology
- Exploring the complex interplay between oral Fusobacterium nucleatum infection, periodontitis, and robust microRNA induction, including multiple known oncogenic miRNAs
2025 · mSystems
Tests whether microRNAs in mice infected with F. nucleatum for 8 or 16 weeks could be biomarkers for periodontitis and CRC.
- Altered microRNA expression correlates with reduced TLR2/4-dependent periodontal inflammation and bone resorption induced by polymicrobial infection
2025 · Microbiology Spectrum
Finds altered microRNA expression reduces TLR2/4-dependent inflammation and bone resorption in periodontitis.
Plain-language summaries are AI-written and reviewed by us; check the paper for details.
How to reach out
Kesavalu Lakshymyya hasn't set up this page yet. You can also look them up in the UF directory (search “Kesavalu Lakshymyya”).