Saliva test to quickly measure active periodontal disease
Official title: DEVELOPMENT OF A SALIVARY ASSAY FOR MEASURING PERIODONTAL DISEASE ACTIVITY
Funded at Cellectgen, INC. · NIH-11309805 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A quick, inexpensive saliva test to detect active tissue destruction from periodontal disease in adults, helping patients and clinicians catch trouble early.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 2 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Cellectgen, INC. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pasadena, United States) |
| Project start | September 2, 2026 |
| Project end | August 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $935,551 |
| NIH project number | 2R44DE032549-02A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11309805 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults 21 years and older with or at risk for periodontal disease who visit dental or medical settings.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals without periodontal disease or those not using saliva-based testing may not benefit from this assay.
What this research studies
This project aims to create a point-of-care saliva assay that shows two forms of MMP-8 as a marker of active periodontal disease, with results in under 15 minutes. The test is designed to be low-cost and easy to use in clinical or community settings, guiding timely treatment decisions. By focusing on the biological endpoint of tissue destruction, it seeks to identify people at risk or with ongoing disease progression, even before severe symptoms appear.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could get rapid, on-site information about their periodontal health and start appropriate care sooner.
How similar studies have gone: Previous efforts have explored saliva biomarkers for periodontal health, but this project aims for a rapid, point-of-care readout focused on tissue destruction markers.
Where this research is happening
-
Cellectgen, INC.
Pasadena, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Gellibolian, Robert — Cellectgen, INC.
- Study coordinator: Gellibolian, Robert
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Precision nanomedicine to calm inflammation and protect bone in gum disease
A new, targeted nanomedicine approach aims to reduce gum inflammation and prevent bone loss in adults with periodontal disease.
-
Biofilm structure and its role in the start of gum disease
A researchers team will study how tiny communities of bacteria at the gumline interact with the mouth’s tissues to spark inflammation that leads from healthy gums to periodontal disease.
-
Xylitol to Prevent Periodontal Disease and Preterm Birth in Pregnancy and Early Childhood
A safe, inexpensive chewable gum approach using xylitol is tested to help pregnant people reduce gum disease and lower the chance of preterm birth and related child health problems.
-
Periodontal Health in Newborns: Reducing Small Vulnerable Newborn Deaths in Nepal
A large study in Nepal will test whether a simple oral care package started in early pregnancy can lower the risk of tiny, high-risk newborns dying in their first month.
-
Gingival keratinocyte ferroptosis in periodontal disease pathogenesis
A study exploring how iron-related cell death in gum cells may drive gum disease and bone loss in periodontitis, and what this could mean for future treatments.
-
Periodontal health and dementia risk in a large health system
A large health system will study whether gum disease and its treatment relate to Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias over time.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.