Research Summary

Yvonne Kapila is a clinician scientist with over 20 years of experience studying the basic mechanisms and translational and clinical aspects of periodontal disease pathogenesis and head and neck cancer carcinogenesis using in vitro and in vivo models and human clinical studies. Her early research focused on understanding the basic extracellular matrix (ECM) processes and host-microbial mechanisms that govern head and neck cancer tumorigenesis and periodontal disease pathogenesis. Kapila made important discoveries focused on the cell and molecular biology mechanisms that regulate anoikis; programmed cell death or apoptosis triggered by loss of extracellular matrix contacts. Kapila's recent research has extended to omics approaches and biomarker discovery for head and neck cancer using metabolomic and microbiome approaches. Her related work in sirtuin biology and oral cancer were seminal in showing that sirtuin 3, a metabolic enzyme, regulates and promotes oral cancer tumorigenesis. Recently funded projects in her lab have focused on host-microbial interactions and the novel role of bacteriocins in biomedical applications, including as modulators of tumorigenesis and disease-associated biofilms and the oral microbiome.

Research Funding

  • July 1, 2015 - May 31, 2021 - Oral Treponema Surface Proteins: Host Cell Interactions , Co-Principal Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: R01DE025225
  • September 25, 2013 - June 30, 2016 - Biomarkers of Aggressive Oral Cancer , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: R56DE023333
  • December 1, 2001 - April 30, 2012 - Fibronectin Regulation of Anoikis , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: R56DE014429
  • April 1, 2000 - September 30, 2011 - Apoptosis Regulated by Fibronectin Signaling Pathways , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: R01DE013725

Education

Stanford University, BA, 1986, Human Biology
University of California, San Francisco, DDS, BS, 1990, Dentistry
University of California, San Francisco, Certificate, 1994, Periodontology
University of California, San Francisco, PhD, 1997, Oral Biology
University of California, San Francisco, Postdoc, 1997-1998, Cell Biology

Honors & Awards

  • 2000
    UCSF Faculty Development Award
  • 2000
    American Dental Association Health Foundation New Dentist Scientist Award
  • 2000
    UCSF Dean’s Creativity Fund Award
  • 2002
    UCSF Hellman Family Award for Early Career Faculty
  • 2002
    Oral-B/Robert W. Hutson Faculty Prize in Periodontology
  • 2013
    International College of Dentists, Inducted as Fellow
  • 2014
    IADR/GSK Innovation in Oral Care Award
  • 2015
    UM MICHR Distinguished Clinical and Translational Research Mentor Award
  • 2016
    UCSF Chancellor’s Mid-Career Faculty Award
  • 2017
    AAP Sunstar Innovation Research Award
  • 2017
    ELAM Fellow

Selected Publications

  1. Kuraji R, Shiba T, Dong TS, Numabe Y, Kapila YL. Periodontal treatment and microbiome-targeted therapy in management of periodontitis-related nonalcoholic fatty liver disease with oral and gut dysbiosis. World J Gastroenterol. 2023 Feb 14; 29(6):967-996.  View on PubMed
  2. Ganther S, Fenno CJ, Kapila YL. Stimulation of Human Periodontal Ligament Fibroblasts Using Purified Dentilisin Extracted from Treponema denticola. Bio Protoc. 2022 Dec 20; 12(24).  View on PubMed
  3. Kimble R, McLellan G, Lennon LT, Papacosta AO, Weyant RJ, Kapila Y, Mathers JC, Wannamathee SG, Whincup PH, Ramsay SE. Association between oral health markers and decline in muscle strength and physical performance in later life: longitudinal analyses of two prospective cohorts from the UK and the USA. Lancet Healthy Longev. 2022 11; 3(11):e777-e788.  View on PubMed
  4. Araujo LDC, Furlaneto FAC, da Silva LAB, Kapila YL. Use of the Probiotic Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis HN019 in Oral Diseases. Int J Mol Sci. 2022 Aug 19; 23(16).  View on PubMed
  5. Radaic A, Brody H, Contreras F, Hajfathalian M, Lucido L, Kamarajan P, Kapila YL. Nisin and Nisin Probiotic Disrupt Oral Pathogenic Biofilms and Restore Their Microbiome Composition towards Healthy Control Levels in a Peri-Implantitis Setting. Microorganisms. 2022 Jul 01; 10(7).  View on PubMed
  6. Gao L, Kuraji R, Zhang MJ, Martinez A, Radaic A, Kamarajan P, Le C, Zhan L, Ye C, Rangé H, Sailani MR, Kapila YL. Nisin probiotic prevents inflammatory bone loss while promoting reparative proliferation and a healthy microbiome. NPJ Biofilms Microbiomes. 2022 06 07; 8(1):45.  View on PubMed
  7. Clark D, Radaic A, Kapila Y. Cellular Mechanisms of Inflammaging and Periodontal Disease. Front Dent Med. 2022; 3.  View on PubMed
  8. Kashani H, Vora MV, Kuraji R, Fathi-Kelly H, Nguyen T, Tamraz B, Tran C, Kapila YL. Incision-free, coronally advanced flap with subepithelial connective tissue graft placed by the molar or canine access (MOCA) technique: 13 case series. Clin Adv Periodontics. 2023 03; 13(1):11-20.  View on PubMed
  9. Radaic A, Malone E, Kamarajan P, Kapila YL. Solid Lipid Nanoparticles Loaded with Nisin (SLN-Nisin) are More Effective Than Free Nisin as Antimicrobial, Antibiofilm, and Anticancer Agents. J Biomed Nanotechnol. 2022 Apr 01; 18(4):1227-1235.  View on PubMed
  10. Sedghi LM, Bacino M, Kapila YL. Periodontal Disease: The Good, The Bad, and The Unknown. Front Cell Infect Microbiol. 2021; 11:766944.  View on PubMed
  11. Wang B, Ustriyana P, Tam CS, Lin JD, Srirangapatanam S, Kapila Y, Ryder MI, Webb S, Seo Y, Ho SP. Functional Adaptation of LPS-affected Dentoalveolar Fibrous Joints in Rats. J Periodontal Res. 2022 Jan; 57(1):131-141.  View on PubMed
  12. Kao RT, Lin GH, Kapila Y, Sadowsky S, Curtis DA. A commentary on strategic extraction. J Periodontol. 2022 Jan; 93(1):11-19.  View on PubMed
  13. Ye C, You M, Huang P, Xia Z, Radaic A, Tang J, Wu W, Wu Y, Kapila Y. Clinical study showing a lower abundance of Neisseria in the oral microbiome aligns with low birth weight pregnancy outcomes. Clin Oral Investig. 2022 Mar; 26(3):2465-2478.  View on PubMed
  14. Pirih FQ, Monajemzadeh S, Singh N, Sinacola RS, Shin JM, Chen T, Fenno JC, Kamarajan P, Rickard AH, Travan S, Paster BJ, Kapila Y. Association between metabolic syndrome and periodontitis: The role of lipids, inflammatory cytokines, altered host response, and the microbiome. Periodontol 2000. 2021 10; 87(1):50-75.  View on PubMed
  15. Alsaleh A, Kapila A, Shahriar I, Kapila YL. Dental informed consent challenges and considerations for cognitively impaired patients. Periodontol 2000. 2021 10; 87(1):43-49.  View on PubMed
  16. Rangé H, Colon P, Godart N, Kapila Y, Bouchard P. Eating disorders through the periodontal lens. Periodontol 2000. 2021 10; 87(1):17-31.  View on PubMed
  17. Kapila YL. Oral health's inextricable connection to systemic health: Special populations bring to bear multimodal relationships and factors connecting periodontal disease to systemic diseases and conditions. Periodontol 2000. 2021 10; 87(1):11-16.  View on PubMed
  18. Ye C, Kapila Y. Oral microbiome shifts during pregnancy and adverse pregnancy outcomes: Hormonal and Immunologic changes at play. Periodontol 2000. 2021 10; 87(1):276-281.  View on PubMed
  19. Radaic A, Ganther S, Kamarajan P, Grandis J, Yom SS, Kapila YL. Paradigm shift in the pathogenesis and treatment of oral cancer and other cancers focused on the oralome and antimicrobial-based therapeutics. Periodontol 2000. 2021 10; 87(1):76-93.  View on PubMed
  20. Kuraji R, Sekino S, Kapila Y, Numabe Y. Periodontal disease-related nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis: An emerging concept of oral-liver axis. Periodontol 2000. 2021 10; 87(1):204-240.  View on PubMed

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