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The doctoral program in oral biology brings together faculty from three health sciences colleges (dentistry, medicine, and veterinary medicine) and the Comprehensive Cancer Center, creating an interdisciplinary research environment. This program emphasizes hands-on laboratory training, guiding students through hypothesis formulation, research design, data collection and analysis, and scientific communication. Participants gain expertise in both foundational and contemporary scientific concepts relevant to dental and craniofacial studies, while learning to investigate important scientific questions using cutting-edge methodologies.
Faculty members explore oral and mucosal microbial ecosystems using diverse techniques, from conventional culturing to advanced genomic sequencing. Their investigations examine how microbial communities influence disease progression (including dental caries and periodontitis) and fundamental bodily functions like immune responses. These researchers actively collaborate with other scientists and medical professionals through various institutions, including the Center for Microbial Interface Biology, Department of Microbial Infection and Immunity, and Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research at Ohio State's Wexner Medical Center, as well as the Center for Microbial Pathogenesis at Nationwide Children's Hospital.