Dr. J Christopher Fenno

Biography

Dr. Fenno received his Ph.D. in Microbiology and Molecular Genetics from the University of Vermont in 1993. Before joining the University of Michigan, he was a Postdoctoral Fellow and Research Associate in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada. He joined the Department of Biologic and Materials Sciences at the University of Michigan in 1998. His recent development of molecular genetic techniques has dramatically improved culturing methods, impacting the study of microbial roles in periodontal disease. This ability to characterize specific pathogenic effects allows for molecular-level analysis of interactions between subgingival plaque bacteria and host tissue destruction, facilitating the rapidly evolving research area of cellular microbiology in infectious diseases. Dr. Fenno's research specifically focuses on the role of oral spirochetes in periodontal diseases, particularly Treponema denticola, which has long been associated with severe periodontal conditions. He has a particular interest in T. denticola's proteases, surface proteins, and their cytotoxic and immunomodulatory effects. His studies involve the molecular characterization of spirochete outer membrane proteins and their interactions with host tissue components. His work has significantly contributed to the molecular-level genetic and functional analysis of T. denticola surface proteins as potential periodontal virulence factors, making T. denticola an attractive model for the study of spirochete-host interactions and their medical implications, including syphilis and Lyme disease.

Research Interests