Dr Edgerton's lab is in Foster Hall in the School of Dental Medicine at State University of New York at Buffalo. Our research focuses on understanding the mechanisms by which salivary proteins inhibit growth and kill oral microbes, especially Candida albicans. Salivary histatins are small proteins found in the oral cavity that have potent antifungal activity and are part of the human innate immune system. We are studying how these naturally occurring peptides induce killling in Candida and other yeast species, so that ultimately histatins could be used therapeutically to treat candidiasis.
Three postdoc research associates and two students are working in the lab.
