Dr. Purnima Kumar

Biography

Purnima Kumar is the William K. Mary Anne Najjar Professor of Dentistry and Chair of the Department of Periodontics and Oral Medicine at the University of Michigan School of Dentistry. She received her dental degree from Annamalai University and an MS in Periodontology from Dr. MGR Medical University in India. Dr. Kumar also holds a Doctorate in Philosophy in Molecular Microbiology from Ohio State University. She previously served as a professor and chair in the Ohio State University College of Dentistry and James Cancer Center. Dr. Kumar is the Principal Investigator of the Oral Microbial Ecology Laboratory at the University of Michigan, which has been continuously funded through the NIH for over 15 years. Her research focuses on collaborating extensively with the oral healthcare industry to develop therapeutics through microbial modulation. A Fellow of the Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine program, she has authored over 100 papers and book chapters, serves as Co-Editor of Clinical Advances in Periodontics, and is an Associate Editor for the Journal of Periodontology and Nature Scientific Reports Microbiome. An active clinician, teacher, researcher, and administrator, Dr. Kumar has mentored students and colleagues across various academic stages. She serves on multiple committees, including the Continuing Education Oversight Committee for the American Academy of Periodontology and is involved in initiatives supporting women in science and STEM fields.

Research Interests