Understanding tooth growth and loss using leopard geckos
Official title: The adult leopard gecko, an emerging, unconventional experimental model for dental research
Funded at University of British Columbia · NIH-10953437 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study looks at how adult leopard geckos grow and lose their teeth, which might help us understand dental health in people, especially when it comes to how teeth come in and fall out.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of British Columbia NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Vancouver, Canada) |
| Project start | September 16, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $295,600 |
| NIH project number | 1R21DE034155-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-10953437 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for benefiting from this research include adults experiencing dental issues related to tooth eruption or premature tooth loss.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with dental conditions unrelated to tooth eruption or resorption may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how adult leopard geckos generate and lose teeth, providing insights that could be relevant to human dental health. By studying the unique tooth eruption and resorption processes in geckos, researchers aim to uncover the biological mechanisms that drive these phenomena. The study employs innovative techniques from developmental biology and dental research to explore how teeth move into the mouth and how they are shed. This work could lead to a better understanding of dental issues in humans, particularly those related to tooth eruption and premature loss.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved treatments for dental conditions related to tooth eruption and loss in humans.
How similar studies have gone: While the use of leopard geckos as a model for dental research is novel, similar studies in other animal models have shown promise in understanding tooth development and loss.
Where this research is happening
-
University of British Columbia
Vancouver, Canada Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Richman, Joy M. — University of British Columbia
- Study coordinator: Richman, Joy M.
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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.