Directory Entry For: Richard Lamont
Biography
Dr. Lamont is originally from Northern Ireland. He earned a doctorate in microbiology from the University of Aberdeen. He was a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Pennsylvania and my career has included faculty positions at the University of Washington and the University of Florida. He is currently the Delta Dental Endowed Professor and Chair of the Department of Oral Immunology & Infectious Diseases at the University of Louisville School of Dentistry.
Research Interests
My research for the past 35+ years is in oral microbiology. I (meaning, of course, my lab, and all the talented individuals who have worked therein) have brought molecular definition to the field of assembly of polymicrobial communities and their transition from a commensal entity to the etiological agents of inflammatory diseases such as periodontal disease. I have identified and characterized interbacterial adhesins and their receptors, as well as unraveled a complex network of small molecule signaling that coordinates community behavior. More recently, I have shown how tyrosine phosphorylation-dependent signaling couples virulence and metabolism in oral pathobionts, which provides a new framework for understanding endogenous pathogens. Another major area of research is in the interface between the epithelial barrier and bacterial colonizers. I have found that individual organisms can suppress production of specific innate immune effector molecules. The leads to a targeted and localized immune suppression which had broad implications for inflammatory responses at mucosal surfaces. The impact of bacteria on epithelial cells can also impinge upon cell life or death decisions which has relevance for the association between bacteria and some squamous cell carcinomas.
Degrees and Certifications
University of Aberdeen