College of Dentistry | University of Florida

Lakshmyya Kesavalu

Lakshmyya Kesavalu

Periodontics

Associate Professor

Phone: 352-273-6500
E-mail: kesavalu@dental.ufl.edu
Room D11-24
PO Box 100434
Gainesville, FL 32610-0434

  • B.V.Sc., Veterinary Medicine and Surgery, Madras University, 1971
  • S.C.C., Advnced Statistics, Institute of Agricultural Research Statistics, New Delhi, 1975
  • M.Sc., Medical Microbiology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, 1979

Previous Positions

  • Associate Research Professor, Department of Oral Health Science, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 2003-2006
  • Assistant Research Professor, Department of Oral Health Science, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 2000-2003
  • Assistant Research Professor, Department of Periodontics, College of Dentistry, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, TX 1999-2000

Main Interests

Major interests are to examine the role of major periodontal pathogens specifically Porphyromonas gingivalis, Tannerella forsythia, and Treponema denticola in the initiation of infection, inflammation, immunity, gene expression, alveolar bone resorption, and progression of periodontal disease. Currently, studying the association between periodontal disease and cardiovascular disease in patients scheduled for cardiovascular surgery (Clinical study) and investigating the role of these pathogens as polymicrobial infection in induction of both periodontal disease and atherosclerosis.

Selected Publications

  • Kesavalu, L., B. Vasudevan, B. Raghu, E. Browning, D. Dawson , M. J. Novak, M. C. Correll, M. Steffen, A. Bhattacharya, G. Fernandes, and J. L. Ebersole. 2006. Omega-3 Fatty Acid Effect on Alveolar Bone Loss in Rats. J. Dent. Res. 85:648-652. PMID: 16798867.
  • Kesavalu, L., S. Sathishkumar, B. Vasudevan, C. Mathews, D. Dawson, M. J. Steffen, and J. L. Ebersole. 2007. Rat model of polymicrobial infection, immunity, and alveolar bone resorption in Periodontal disease. Infect. Immun. 75: 1704-1712. PMID: 17210663.
  • Kesavalu, L., B. Vasudevan, M. M. Rahman, J. Su, B. Raghu, D. Dawson, G. Fernandes, J. L. Ebersole. 2007. Omega-3 Fatty Acid regulates inflammatory cytokine/mediator mRNA expression in Porphyromonas gingivalis-induced experimental periodontal disease. Oral. Microbiol. Immunol. 22:232-239. PMID: 17600534.
  • Sathishkumar, S., A. Meka, D. Dawson, N. House, W. Schaden, M. J. Novak, J. L. Ebersole, and L. Kesavalu. 2008. Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy Induces Alveolar Bone Regeneration in Experimental Periodontitis. J. Dent. Res. 87:687-691. PMID: 18573992.
  • Meka A., V. Bakthavatchalu, S. Sathishkumar, C. M. Lopez, R. K. Verma, Shannon M. Wallet, I. Bhattacharyya, B. F. Boyce, M. Handfield, R. Lamont, H. V. Baker, J. L. Ebersole, and L. Kesavalu. 2010. Porphyromonas gingivalis infection-induced tissue and bone transcriptional profiles. Mol. Oral. Microbiol. 25:61-74. PMID: 20331794.
  • Verma, R. K., I. Bhattacharyya, A. Sevilla, I. Lieberman, S. Pola, M. Nair, M. Wallet, I. Aukhil, and L. Kesavalu. 2010. Virulence of periodontal pathogens and lack of humoral immune protection in rat model of periodontal Disease. Oral. Dis. Epub May 30. PMID: 20534016.
  • Bakthavatchalu, V., A. Meka, S. Sathishkumar, C. M. Lopez, R. K. Verma, S. Wallet, I. Bhattacharyya, B. F. Boyce, J. Mans, R. Lamont, H. V. Baker, J. L. Ebersole, and L. Kesavalu. 2010. Molecular characterization of Treponema denticola infection-induced bone and soft tissue transcriptional profiles. Mol. Oral. Microbiol. 4:260-274.
  • Verma, R. K., S. Rajapakse, SA Meka, C. Hamrick, S. Pola, I. Bhattacharyya, M. Nair, S. Wallet, I. Aukhil, and L. Kesavalu. 2010. Porphyromonas gingivalis and Treponema denticola mixed microbial infection in a rat model of periodontal disease. Interdiscip. Perspect. Infect. Dis. May 31. PMID: 20592756.
  • Aris J. P., M. C. Elios, E. Bimstein, S. M. Wallet, S. Cha, K. N. Lakshmyya, and J. Katz. 2010. Gingival RAGE expression in calorie restricted versus ad libitum fed rats. J. Periodontol. June 23. PMID: 20572766.

Current Research

  • Association between periodontal disease and cardiovascular disease – Clinical study.
  • Periodontal pathogens and induction of periodontal disease and atherosclerosis in ApoE-/- mouse model.
  • Caries pathogen Streptococcus mutans role in atherosclerosis in ApoE-/- mouse model.
  • Polymicrobial periodontal disease and localization of periodontal pathogens in periodontium.

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