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Development and function of the oral immune system | Faculty of Dental Medicine

Development and function of the oral immune system

Prof. Hovav Avi-Hai (PhD)

Avi-Hai Hovav

​Our research group is studying immunological mechanisms involved in the development and function of the oral immune system. Specifically, we are focusing on the oral epithelium and its key resident leukocytes: Langerhans cells and γδ T cells. In recent years we have demonstrated that the oral epithelium utilizes sophisticated mechanisms to fulfill its function as the first line of defense under physiological and pathological conditions. Current topics in the lab are:

  1. Postnatal development of the oral immune system
  2. Differentiation and function of oral Langerhans cells
  3. Differentiation and function of oral γδ T cells
  4. Aging of the oral immune system
  5. Immunological mechanisms involved in periodontal disease
  6. Immunological mechanisms involved in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC)

Publications

Lab website

avihaih@ekmd.huji.ac.il