Dr. Sharon M. Wahl, Ph.D., Chief
Mission
Infectious and parasitic diseases are the leading cause of death worldwide. Understanding infectious pathogens, their unique attributes and their virulence factors provides insight into mechanisms of disarming them. Beyond investigating the pathogens, efforts focus on dissecting the host response to infectious agents in normal and pathologic conditions. The great majority of infectious diseases worldwide afflict or are acquired through the mucosal surfaces of the oral cavity, gastrointestinal, respiratory or genital surfaces. In addition to infectious diseases, cancer, autoimmune diseases, and neurological diseases all target mucosal tissues. Consequently, the mucosal immune system, the largest in the body, is critical to our very survival. The Oral Infection and Immunity Branch plans, fosters and carries out research related to the causes, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of infectious and inflammatory diseases. Efforts to understand the functional and molecular organization of infectious organisms, and research into the cellular, biochemical and molecular components of inflammatory and immune responses provide the basis for dissecting the interactions between pathogens and the host system. These multifaceted approaches provide opportunities for microbiologists, virologists, immunologists, cell biologists, molecular biologists and clinicians to work together to understand physiologic mechanisms of host defense, how these pathways may become dysregulated to become pathogenic, and how to intervene for the benefit of the host.