Dan Peters, research technician in the Kaspar Lab, presented a poster presentation during the poster session titled “Streptococcus mutans” at IADR 2024 held in New Orleans, LA.

Dan’s presentation was titled:

Tools and Techniques for Studying Multi-species Biofilms of Oral Streptococci 

Congrats Dan!

Justin Kaspar presented at an NIDCR75 Symposium at IADR 2024 held in New Orleans, LA

The Symposium was titled: Dental Caries – Understanding Microbial Ecology and Caries Management 

Speakers presented topics from a basic-science perspective on the etiology, prevention, and management of dental caries.

Justin’s presentation was titled:

Defining Metabolic Interrelationships Between Health- and Disease-Associated Oral Streptococci 

Thank you to NIDCR for the opportunity and supporting the event, Dr. Michel Koo for leading the symposium, the other speakers including Dr. Jacqueline Abranches, Dr. Jin Xiao, and Dr. Margherita Fontana, as well as the packed room of audience members during the symposium.

Emily Williams, a senior undergraduate and incoming OSU College of Dentistry Class of 2028 student, placed 3rd in the ‘Health Under the Microscope’ category at the 2024 Undergraduate Research Denman Forum.

Emily’s presentation was titled:

Identification of Genes Critical to Fitness of a Cariogenic Bacteria in Mixed-species Settings

Congrats Emily!

10 members of the Kaspar Lab presented poster presentations on their ongoing research at the 2024 College of Dentistry Research Day held on March 1st.

Isabella Williams won 1st Place Undergraduate Student Presentation at the Awards Ceremony

Congrats to all the presenters for their hard work over the past year!

List of presentations:

Impact of ex vivo Saliva Conditions on Streptococci oralis Fitness

Allen Choi

Efficacy of Oral Healthcare Antimicrobials on Streptococcus mutans Clinical Isolates

Nicole Fleming

Utilizing Microscopy to Analyze and Interpret Oral Streptococci Interspecies Interactions

Sarah Klingerman

Changes in Streptococcus mutans Biofilm Formation During Growth in Human Saliva

Huizhen Lim

Development of Oral Bacteria Isolate Library from Human Saliva

Lindsey Pia

Streptococcus sanguinis Carbohydrate Utilization Pathways Impacts Competition with Streptococcus mutans

Iris Shin

Variation in Interspecies Interactions Amongst Clinical Isolates of Streptococcus mutans

Kacee Soehnlen

Antagonism of Cariogenic Bacteria is Driven by Hydrogen Peroxide

Jacob Tuckerman

Monitoring Competitive Interactions between Oral Streptococci in Altered Environments

Emily Williams

Quantification of Antagonistic Hydrogen Peroxide Production Across Streptococci Species

Isabella Williams

Our latest manuscript, Human saliva modifies growth, biofilm architecture, and competitive behaviors of oral streptococci, was published on February 6th, 2024 in the American Society for Microbiology’s journal mSphere. This publication details how inclusion of human saliva into growth media used for cultivating oral bacteria in the lab increases their growth rate and also impacts their interspecies competition against each other. The project was led by co-first authors Allen Choi, Kevin Dong and Emily Williams.