Dr. Hugh Kim

Congratulations to Dr. Hugh Kim for receiving a NCOHR New Frontier Seed Grant!

Dr. Kim brought together a team of researchers from UBC, the University of Toronto, and the Canadian Blood Services to collaborate on the project “Deciphering the molecular links between periodontitis and ischemic cardiovascular disease” and obtained a $40,000 grant. Co-investigators include CBR Principal Investigator and Canadian Blood Services scientist Dr. Ed Pryzdial, Postdoctoral Fellow Dr. Manoj Paul from the Kim Lab, and also Drs. Sid Vora, Zul Kanji, and Denise Laronde from the UBC Faculty of Dentistry.

The project aims to determine how platelets transduce the biochemical signals from periodontal pathogens, and whether the inhibition of specific platelet signaling pathways can mitigate the pro-thrombotic effects of periodontal infection. The project will also measure, using human patient-based blood samples, precisely how periodontal infection affects systemic platelet activity.

Organized by the Network for Canadian Oral Health Research (NCOHR), the NCOHR New Frontier Seed Grant aims to support the development of collaborations in research with emphasis placed on novel, innovative and interdisciplinary approaches for investigating the area of oral health.

This story was originally published by the UBC Faculty of Dentistry, and was reposted with minor edits.