Faculty Pages - UF College of Dentistry

Özlem Yilmaz

Periodontology & Oral Biology
Assistant Professor

Phone: (352) 392 2619
Email: oyilmaz@dental.ufl.edu
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

Dr. Yilmaz Lab Information



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 Publications:
Yilmaz, O., Yao, L., Maeda, K., Rose, T.M., Lewis E.L., Duman, M., Lamont, R.J., and Ojcius, D.M (2007) ATP Scavenging by the Intracellular Pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis Inhibits P2X7-mediated Host-Cell Apoptosis. Cell Micro (In Press) Kuboniwa, M.,Hasegawa Y., Mao, S., Shizukuishi, S., Amano, A., Lamont R.J.,and Yilmaz, O. (2007) P. gingivalis accelerates gingival epithelial cell progression through the cell cycle. Microbes Infect (In Press) 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 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:
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
Copyright 2005, UF College of Dentistry - Site Feedback