Targeting fluoride exporters to restore healthy mouth bacteria in young children
Official title: A multiscale approach to develop and apply fluoride efflux inhibitors to reverse oral dysbiosis and eliminate early childhood caries
Funded at University of Michigan at Ann Arbor · NIH-11332969 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Aims to help prevent early childhood caries by blocking fluoride-exporting proteins in harmful oral microbes to help shift dental biofilms toward health in children ages 0-11.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Michigan at Ann Arbor NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Ann Arbor, United States) |
| Project start | September 12, 2024 |
| Project end | June 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,039,308 |
| NIH project number | 5RM1DE034220-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11332969 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are children aged 0-11 at risk for or suffering from early childhood caries, or their caregivers seeking future preventive options.
✕Less likely to help
Children without caries or those unlikely to be affected by fluoride exporter inhibition may not see direct benefit.
What this research studies
This project focuses on young children and uses a multidisciplinary approach to understand how fluoride handling by oral microbes affects tooth decay. Researchers will study the biology of key organisms like Streptococcus mutans and Candida albicans, and develop models to predict how fluoride inhibitors could promote healthier dental biofilms. The team will integrate structural biology, cariology, and computational modeling to design compounds that selectively weaken pathogenic microbes in the mouth. If successful, these inhibitors could complement fluoride to reduce decay in at-risk children.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new ways to prevent tooth decay in young children by supporting healthier mouth bacteria.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies have shown that targeting microbial components can shift biofilms toward healthier states, but this approach is novel for fluoride exporters in ECC.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Stockbridge, Randy B. — University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
- Study coordinator: Stockbridge, Randy B.
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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.