Ozlem Yilmaz

Ozlem Yilmaz, Ph.D., D.D.S.


Professor
Biomedical & Community Health Sciences
Cancer Focus:

Role of Opportunistic Bacteria in Cancer Development and Response to Therapy

Research Interest

I am a clinician scientist who was uniquely trained as a molecular microbiologist and cellular biologist. Consequently, I have combined my skills to characterize complex host cell and microbe interaction in the oral mucosa using primary cell models and system biology approaches. As a pioneer in the field, I demonstrated a record of collaborative studies bringing novel molecular insights in the biology of oral bacteria and their emerging roles in progression of human systemic diseases such as orodigestive cancers, vascular dementia, metabolic syndrome (I have been placed in Top 1% most cited scientists in single calendar years since 2017 for the Microbiology and Dentistry published by Stanford University, in PloS Biology, 2021).

Positions and Scientific Appointments

2021-2023: Chair, Department of Oral Health Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina 2016-Present: Professor, Department of Biomedical & Community Health Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina 2016-Present: Joint Professor (former Dept. Microbiology and Immunology; current Pharmacology and Immunology) 2010–2015: Associate Professor, University of Florida, Periodontology and Oral Biology 2010-2015: Resident Member of Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida 2006-2010: Assistant Professor, University of Florida, Periodontology and Oral Biology 2002-2006: Post-Doctoral Senior Fellow, University of Washington, School of Public Health & Community Medicine 2003: Visiting Scholar, Biologie Moléculaire du Géne, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France

Education

Postdoctoral
December 2005
Pathobiology/Microbiology
University of Washington, Seattle
PhD
May 2002
Oral Biology
University of Washington, Seattle
DDS
July 1990
Dentistry
Istanbul University, Istanbul