Journal of Bacteriology Publishes Dr. Salomon Amar

The abstract, "Metabolic Network Model of a Human Oral Pathogen," by Boston University Goldman School of Dental Medicine Professor and Associate Dean for Research Dr. Salomon Amar and Boston University Assistant Professor of Bioinformatics Dr. Daniel Segrè, as well as Boston University Bioinformatics postgraduate students Varun Mazumdar and Evan S. Snitkin, was published in the January 2009 Issue 1 of the Journal of Bacteriology. The January 2009 Issue 1 was a special inaugural issue featuring a section on computation biology. Artwork associated with the abstract was featured on the cover of the issue.

The research included in the abstract pursues the construction and analysis of the genome-scale metabolic network of Porphyromonas gingivalis, a gram-negative anaerobe that is endemic in the human population and largely responsible for adult periodontitis.

"Understanding and targeting the pathogenic mechanisms responsible for two rampant oral infectious diseases affecting virtually all humans: carious and periodontal disease is still an open problem, aggravated by evolving antibiotic resistance of periodontal pathogens and by the local inflammatory response that can affect systemic conditions such as atherosclerosis, obesity, or diabetes," said Dr. Amar. "This is the first report of the construction and validation of system-level metabolic properties of P. gingivalis, a pathogen that affects the human mouth, and is implicated in cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. The current model, which is amenable to further experimental testing and refinements, could help understand the oral microbiome dynamics towards novel biomedical applications and treatments."

"Congratulations to Dr. Amar for having his research recognized by the Journal of Bacteriology," said Dean Hutter. "This is an accomplishment that he and his research partners should be very proud of."

All future computational predictions and data generated through this research will be available online at http://ohmics.bu.edu/.