Type I interferon and gum disease
Official title: Assessing the role of Type I Interferon (IFN-I) in Periodontal Disease
Funded at University of Iowa · NIH-11247132 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are seeing if a natural immune protein called Type I interferon helps protect adults with periodontitis from bone and tissue loss around the teeth.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Iowa NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Iowa City, United States) |
| Project start | January 1, 2023 |
| Project end | December 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $388,750 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DE032307-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11247132 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults (age 21 and older) with periodontitis, especially those with distinct progression patterns or measurable biomarkers in gingival fluid, would be the best fit.
✕Less likely to help
People without active periodontitis or whose gum disease is driven by unrelated causes may not benefit from these findings.
What this research studies
From your perspective, the team will use long-term patient data and gum-fluid protein tests to group people with periodontitis into clearer stages. You may be asked to give a small gum fluid sample and have dental exams so researchers can measure interferon-β and other proteins. In the lab, they will study how changing Type I interferon signaling affects bone loss in mouse models and compare those results to the human marker patterns. The goal is to connect what is seen in patient samples with the animal experiments to learn if boosting this immune pathway could protect your gums and bone.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could point to new treatments that boost a protective immune signal to reduce gum tissue and bone loss in periodontitis.
How similar studies have gone: Animal studies suggest Type I interferon can protect against bone loss, but linking those results to human biomarkers and patients is a new approach.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Iowa
Iowa City, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Zhang, Shaoping — University of Iowa
- Study coordinator: Zhang, Shaoping
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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.