Faculty Profile

Address
630 West 168th Street, PH 7-E-110

New York, NY 10032

Phone.212-342-3008
Fax. 212-305-9313

pp192@columbia.edu

Affiliations
Division of Periodontics, Section of Oral and Diagnostic Sciences

Research Summary

Our group’s research focuses on three main areas: (i) The identification of risk factors for the development of periodontitis. In epidemiological and clinical studies, we investigate microbial, immunological and genetic determinants of susceptibility for periodontitis. (ii) The role of periodontal infections as independent risk factors for systemic disease. In particular, we explore the role of periodontitis in the development of atherosclerosis, cardiovascular and cerebrosvascular disease, as well as the role of maternal periodontitis in the pathogenesis of pregnancy complications. (iii) The development of a novel classification of periodontitis based on gene expression signatures in affected periodontal tissues.

Selected Publications

1. Wolf, D.L., Neiderud, A.M., Hinckley, K., Dahlén, G., van de Winkel, J.G.J., Papapanou, P.N. (2006) Fc gamma receptor polymorphisms and periodontal status. A prospective follow-up study. Journal of Clinical Periodontology, 33: 691-698.

2. Michalowicz, B.S., Hodges, J.S., DiAngelis, A., Lupo, V.R., Novak, M.J., Ferguson, J.E., Buchanan, W., Bofill, J., Papapanou, P.N., Mitchell. D.A., Matseoane, S., Tschida, P.A. (2006) Treatment of periodontal disease and the risk of preterm birth. New England Journal of Medicine, 355: 1885-1894.

3. Dye, B.A., Choudhary, K., Shea, S., Papapanou, P.N. (2005) Serum antibodies to periodontal pathogens and markers of systemic inflammation. Journal of Clinical Periodontology, 32:1189-1199.

4. Picolos, D.K., Lerche-Sehm, J., Abron, A., Fine, J.B., Papapanou, P.N. (2005) Infection patterns in chronic and aggressive periodontitis. Journal of Clinical Periodontology, 32: 1055-1061.

5. Desvarieux, M., Demmer, R.T., Rundek, T., Boden-Albala,B., Jacobs, D.R., Sacco, R.L., Papapanou, P.N. (2005) Periodontal microbiota and carotid intima-media thickness: The Oral Infections and Vascular Disease Epidemiology Study (INVEST). Circulation, 111: 576-582.

6. Papapanou, P.N., Abron, A., Verbitsky, M., Picolos, D., Yang, J., Qin, J., Fine, J.B., Pavlidis, P. (2004) Gene expression signatures in chronic and aggressive periodontitis: A pilot study. European Journal of Oral Sciences 112: 216-223.

Current Projects

1. Effects of Periodontal Therapy on Preterm Birth

A multi-center randomized clinical trial, examining the effects of non-surgical periodontal therapy on the incidence of preterm birth.

2. Oral infections, carotid atherosclerosis and stroke

A prospective follow-up study examining the role of oral infections in the development of carotid atherosclerosis and stroke.

3. Gene expression signatures in chronic and aggressive periodontitis

A study of gene expression in gingival tissues in different forms of periodontitis, studied by microarray technology.

4. Periodontal therapy and peripheral blood mononuclear cell activation

A prospective intervention study that examines the systemic anti-inflammatory effects of periodontal therapy with special focus on the gene expression of peripheral blood mononuclear cells.

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