Interdisciplinary characterization of the oral mucosa using next generation techniquesThe oral mucosa is a major interface between animals, humans, and the environment. It is commonly affected by recurrent or chronic inflammatory conditions caused by different etiologies. The response of the mucosa to these conditions has a fairly limited spectrum, making different diseases often phenotypically indistinguishable and therefore a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. The Oral Health Laboratory uses innovative technologies including next generation sequencing, bioinformatics, and artificial intelligence to study the oral mucosa, the interkingdom interactions in the oral cavity, as well as the host responses to this biomass, locally and distantly. Our group aims to advance diagnostic and treatment methods used in dentistry and oral surgery harnessing companion animal disease models to provide individualized and more precise oral care.