The University of Buffalo’s School of Dental Medicine is one of the only U.S. dental schools to receive a National Institutes of Health research grant. The grant money will be allocated to the school’s new Microbiome Center Gnotobiotic Animal Research Facility.
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Microbiome Research Facility Planned for University of Buffalo

By Fay Harvey

BUFFALO, N.Y.— The School of Dental Medicine at the University of Buffalo (UB) has received a $7.3 million grant from the Office of Research Infrastructure Programs of the National Institute of Health for development of the new 4,000-square-foot Microbiome Center Gnotobiotic Animal Research Facility, supporting research that may provide insights into diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease, colon cancer, osteoporosis and heart disease. 

The prestigious research grant will support oral microbiome research to gain insights into systemic diseases, bacterial pathogenesis and more. The new research center is poised to make a significant impact on the community as the only oral microbiome research facility of its kind in the region, with the nearest similar center located over 300 miles away in Cleveland. 

“Receiving an NIH grant of this magnitude speaks to UB’s reputation as one of the top research universities in the country and also to the dental school’s commitment to cutting-edge research,” said Marcelo Araujo, dean of the School of Dental Medicine, in a statement. “It will enable us to work closely with other disciplines across the university, as well as our community partners and other universities.” 

Animal subjects within the research facility, like mice, will be raised in a controlled, gnotobiotic environment where microbial exposure is managed for more reliable research into bacterial issues and health. UB is planning the facility in consultation with architectural and engineering firms with extensive experience in biomedical laboratory design and green design principles, according to a statement by the University. 

The campus’ original Microbiome Center, originally built in 2012, has been home to various clinical trials and has celebrated numerous in-lab findings regarding periodontal infections. The new facility will build upon past efforts and allow students and researchers to continue collaborating with on- and off-campus medicinal research teams to help place UB in the top 25 of public research universities in the nation, according to Keith Kirkwood, senior associate dean for research and UB professor. 

Construction on the project is expected to begin in 2025.