College of Dentistry | University of Florida

Dr. Özlem Yilmaz

Dr. Özlem Yilmaz

Periodontology & Oral Biology
Assistant Professor

Phone: 352-273-8003
E-mail: oyilmaz@dental.ufl.edu
Website: Lab information
Room D10-23
P.O Box 100434
Gainesville , Florida 32610-0434

  • Assistant Professor, University of Florida, 2006-Present
  • Post Doctoral Fellow, University of Washington, School of Public Health & Community Medicine, 2002-2006
  • Visiting Scholar, Institut Pasteur, 2003
  • Ph.D, University of Washington, Oral Biology, 2002
  • D.D.S, Istanbul University

Main Interests

Porphyromonas gingivalis, a Gram (-) organism and an eminent constituent of oral flora, is widely accepted as one of the underlying factors in the development of severe adult periodontitis. A complex interplay between the microorganism and host appear to be critical for the progression of the disease. P. gingivalis and host cells represent a highly structured and regulated dynamic interaction, the outcomes of which depend upon the properties of the organism and host. Our laboratory focuses on the interface between P. gingivalis and gingival epithelium, and facilitation of the bacterial colonization by studying the molecular mechanisms of gingival epithelial cell attachment-invasion, survival, and dissemination strategies employed by P. gingivalis.

The specific areas of research we are currently examining are:

  • Initial attachment mechanisms of P. gingivalis to epithelial cells with respect to complementary receptors on host cell surfaces and signal transduction events following attachment
  • Long-term outcomes of P. gingivalis infection on gingival epithelial cell status by examining host cell death-survival markers and phenotypic responses throughout the infection
  • Modulation mechanisms of gingival epithelial cell survival responses mediated by P. gingivalis through both intrinsic and extrinsic apoptotic pathways
  • Understanding of the means for P. gingivalis' ability to multiply and spread within the epithelium temporally and its relation to gingival epithelial cell survival
  • Motility: Modulation of actin cytoskeleton and associated cell structural-signaling molecules during the inter-cellular spreading of P. gingivalis in gingival epithelium
  • Examining of the regulation of innate immune response via danger signal receptors during P. gingivalis infection

Selected Peer-Reviewed Publications

  • Yilmaz O., Sater A. ,Yao L., Koutouzis T., Pettengill M., and Ojcius D.M. (2009) ATP-Dependent Activation of An Inflammasome In Gingival Epithelial Cells Infected By Porphyromonas gingivalis Cell Micro (In Press)
  • Inaba H, Kubinowa M, Bainbridge B, Yilmaz O., Katz J, Shiverick K T, Amano A, Lamont R.J. (2009) Porphyromonas gingivalis invades human trophoblasts and inhibits proliferation by inducing G1 arrest and apoptosis Cell Micro 11 (10) 1517-1532.
  • Yilmaz, O., Yao, L., Maeda, K., Rose, T.M., Lewis E.L., Duman, M., Lamont, R.J., and Ojcius, D.M (2008) ATP Scavenging by the Intracellular Pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis Inhibits P2X7-mediated Host-Cell Apoptosis. Cell Micro 10 (4) 863-875
  • Kuboniwa, M.,Hasegawa Y., Mao, S., Shizukuishi, S., Amano, A., Lamont R.J., and Yilmaz, O. (2008) P. gingivalis accelerates gingival epithelial cell progression through the cell cycle. Microbes Infect 10 (2) 122-128
  • Mao, S., Park, Y., Hasegawa, Y., Tribble, G.D., James, C.E., Handfield, M., Stavropoulos, F., Yilmaz, O., and Lamont, R.J. (2007) Intrinsic apoptotic pathways of gingival epithelial cells modulated by Porphyromonas gingivalis. Cell Micro 9 (8) 1997-2007
  • Yilmaz, O., Verbeke, P., Lamont, R.J., Ojcius,D.M. (2006) Intercellular spreading of Porphyromonas gingivalis infection in primary gingival epithelial cells. Infect Immun 74 703-710
  • Yilmaz, O., Jungas, T., Verbeke, P., Ojcius, D.M. (2004) Activation of the phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase/Akt pathway contributes to survival of primary epithelial cells infected with the periodontal pathogen, Porphyromonas gingivalis. Infect Immun 72 3743-3751
  • Zhang, Y., Wang, T., Chen, W., Yilmaz, O., Park, Y., Jung, I.Y., Hackett, M., Lamont, R.J. (2005) Differential Protein Expression by Porphyromonas gingivalis in Response to Secreted Epithelial Cell Components. Proteomics 1 198-211
  • Park, Y., Yilmaz, O., Jung, I.Y., Lamont, R.J. (2004) Identification of P. gingivalis Genes Specifically Expressed in Human Gingival Epithelial Cells using Differential Display RT-PCR. Infect Immun 72 3752-3758
  • Yilmaz, O., Young, P.A., Lamont, R.J., Kenny, G.E. (2003). Gingival epithelial signaling and cytoskeletal responses to P. gingivalis invasion. Microbiology 149 2417-26
  • Yilmaz, O., Watanabe, K., and Lamont R.J. (2002) Involvement of integrins in fimbriae mediated binding and invasion by P.gingivalis. Cell Microbiol 4 305-314
  • Watanabe, K., Yilmaz, O., Nakhjiri, S.F., Belton, C.M., and Lamont, R.J. (2001) Association of mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways with gingival epithelial cell responses to Porphyromonas gingivalis Infection. Infect Immun 69 6731-6737.
  • Nakhjiri, S.F., Park, Y., Yilmaz, O., Chung, W.O., Watanabe, K., El-Sabaeny, A., Park, K., and Lamont, R.J. (2001) Inhibition of epithelial cell apoptosis by Porphyromonas gingivalis. FEMS Microbiol Lett 200 145-149.

Review papers and Books

  • Yilmaz, O. (2009) Chapter “Gingival cell response to Porphyromonas gingivalis” in “Genomic Inquiries into Oral Bacterial Communities” Edited by Paul E Kolenbrander, American Society of Microbiology Press (In Press)
  • Avila M., Ojcius DM., and Yilmaz, O. (2009) “Oral microbiota: Living with a Permanent Guest” DNA and Cell Biology, 28 (8) 405-411
  • Yilmaz, O. (2008) "The chronicles of Porphyromonas gingivalis: the microbium, the human epithelium, and their interplay", Microbiology, 154 (Pt 10): 2897–2903.
  • Lamont, R.J., and Yilmaz, O. (2002) In or Out: the invasiveness of oral bacteria. Perio 2000. 30 61-69
  • Yilmaz, O., Lamont, R.J. (2004) Chapter "Invasion by P.gingivalis", in Bacterial Invasion of Host Cells (ed. R.J. Lamont) Cambridge University Press

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