The 3rd International Conference on Oral Mucosal Immunity and Microbiome (OMIM) aims to highlight cutting-edge basic and translational research from an oral immunological and microbiological perspective. Oral diseases with a microbial etiology are the most prevalent chronic diseases of humans. Whilst not life-threatening, they can significantly compromise quality of life, are associated with increased morbidity and pose heavy financial burdens to national health systems. Hence, periodontal and peri-implant diseases, dental caries, root canal infections and mucosal infections are significant global public health problems.

The microbiome of the oral cavity is the most well characterised of all the microbial populations associated with the human host. However, in order to understand how the composition and functions of the oral microbiome influence the maintenance of health as well as the initiation and progression of oral disease it is important to now focus on the mechanisms underpinning their interactions with the host, in particular, oral mucosal immunity. Further progress in this field will be driven by multi-omic technologies applied to well defined clinical populations and appropriate model systems, combined with new computational tools, imaging technologies and expertise in cellular and molecular biology.

This 4-day conference is a focused forum where global experts will summarize and discuss the latest progress made in oral mucosal immunity and the oral microbiome, in an idyllic setting in the island of Crete, near the ancient city of Knossos, the birthplace of the first European civilization. Target audience is basic and/or translational researchers with expertise in host immunity and microbiome research, and interest in oral health and disease. It is anticipated that this conference will provide a much needed quantum leap in the field, by joining forces to address gaps at the oral mucosal immunity-microbiome cross-talk

Publication in Frontiers in Oral Health: Proceedings of the 2ndInternational Conference on Oral Mucosal Immunity and Microbiome. 
Editors: G.N. Belibasakis and G. Hajishengallis.