2OO9 – 2O1O - Faculty of Dentistry - University of Otago

Molecular Microbiology
Programme Leader: Professor Richard Cannon
Oral microbes cause disease in a large proportion of
the population. The research carried out under this
programme aims to study the microorganisms responsible
for a range of oral diseases, to understand how the
diseases are caused, and to devise strategies to prevent
them. The researchers use biochemical, molecular
biological and microbiological techniques within a Physical
Containment level 2 (PC2) laboratory to investigate and
ameliorate oral and other microbial diseases.
In 2009-2010, the Molecular Microbiology programme
was awarded over $2 million in research funding from
the following sources: the National Institutes of Health
(USA), the Marsden Fund of the Royal Society of New
Zealand, the Health Research Council of New Zealand,
the Foundation for Research Science and Technology, the
New Zealand Dental Association Research Foundation,
the Otago Medical Research Foundation and the
University of Otago Research Committee.
MOLECULAR MICROBIOLOGY STAFF:
Professor Richard Cannon Dr Kyoko Niimi
Mr Kenneth Chong Dr Masakazu Niimi
Dr Nick Heng Dr Geoff Tompkins
Dr Ann Holmes Mrs Jenine Upritchard
Dr Mikhail Keniya Dr Matthew Woods
Dr Erwin Lamping Ms Dee Yang
Professor Robert Love Mr Gene Zhu
Dr Brian Monk
MOLECULAR MICROBIOLOGY
POSTGRADUATE STUDENTS:
Marina Mohd Bakri Karen Matejka
Frank Fischer Albert Nguyen
Sujan Gowda Bikiran Pardesi
Leanne Hou Rohan Rodricks
Franziska Huschmann Ely Rodrigues
Darnell Kennedy Madhu Shankar
Karl Lyons Langley Tasmania
14 FACULTY OF DENTISTRY RESEARCH REPORT 2009-2010
VISITING SCIENTISTS AND STUDENTS
Associate Professor Hiroji Chibana, Chiba University,
Chiba, Japan
Dr Antonio Fereira-Pereira, Universidade Federal do Rio
de Janeiro, Brazil
Mr Morgan Han, Auckland University
Mr Ken-Ichi Iwabuchi, Tokyo Institute of Technology,
Tokyo, Japan
Associate Professor Susumu Kajiwara, Tokyo Institute of
Technology, Tokyo, Japan
Professor Pete Magee, University of Minnesota, St Paul, USA
Dr Nikhat Manzoor, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India
Ms Juli Place, University of South Florida, Tampa, USA
Professor Larry Sklar, University of New Mexico,
Albuquerque, USA
Professor Robert Stroud, UCSF, San Francisco, USA
RESEARCH PROJECTS
There are several projects within the molecular
microbiology programme.
• One project is investigating how periodontal bacteria
acquire the haem they require for growth, as preventing
this access may help prevent periodontal disease.
Expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae of the Candida
albicans plasma membrane efflux pump Cdr1p
responsible for fluconazole resistance: (a) Cdr1p-
GFP; (b) Cdr1p-mRFP. Expression of control
cytoplasmic protein Ura3p: (c) Ura3p-GFP; (d)
Ura3p-mRFP.