Rate My Professor Mira Edgerton

Mira Edgerton, DDS, PhD, serves as Professor and Vice Chair in the Department of Oral Biology and Prosthodontics at the University at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine. She is also designated as Research Professor in Oral Biology. Edgerton began her academic journey at Ohio State University as a music performance major before transitioning to the sciences and pursuing dentistry, completing her specialty training at the University at Buffalo in the 1980s under researcher Michael Levine. As a practicing prosthodontist, she integrates clinical insights from patients with conditions such as Sjogren’s syndrome and chemotherapy-related oral complications into her work. With more than 20 years dedicated to salivary research, she has played a key role in developing the University at Buffalo's internationally recognized oral biology department, including recruiting new faculty members and previously directing the PhD program in oral biology.

Edgerton's research centers on innate immunity and antimicrobial defense mechanisms in the oral cavity, with a primary emphasis on oral candidiasis caused by Candida albicans. This opportunistic infection has risen significantly due to antibiotic use, compromised immune systems, and cancer therapies, leading to high mortality rates in systemic cases despite antifungal treatments. Her investigations explore candidacidal activity of salivary proteins like histatins and defensins, aiming to enhance these mechanisms therapeutically for immunocompromised patients. Edgerton has secured continuous NIH funding for over two decades, including R01DE12159, K02-DE000406, R29-DE010641, and supplemental American Recovery and Reinvestment Act grants. Notable publications include "Candida albicans Ssa1/2p Is the Cell Envelope Binding Protein for Human Salivary Histatin 5" (2003), "Histatin 5 Initiates Osmotic Stress Response in Candida albicans" (2007), "Bacteria Modify Candida albicans Hypha Formation" (2020), and "Neutrophil swarming is crucial for limiting oral mucosal candidiasis" (2025). Her contributions advance understanding of fungal pathogenesis and host defenses, informing strategies to combat oral infections.