Dr. Armitage's current research interests include the development and testing of new methods for the diagnosis and treatment of periodontal diseases. Ongoing studies include evaluation of (1) microbial diversity in the subgingival flora, utilizing 16S ribosomal RNA gene detection techniques (in collaboration with Drs. David Relman and Paul Lepp of Stanford University); (2) salivary sialyl Lewis X in risk assessment for periodontal disease (in collaboration with Drs. Susan Fisher and Akraporn Prakobphol); (3) the effects of bisphosphonates and parathyroid hormone on mandibular bone density (in collaboration with Drs. Nancy Lane, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, and Sharmila Majumdar, Department of Radiology, School of Medicine); (4) genetic tests for susceptibility to periodontal infections; and (5) drug-delivery systems for the treatment of periodontitis.
Research techniques routinely employed include (1) clinical research methods for the collection and analysis of periodontal examination findings; (2) gingival crevicular fluid analyses; (3) periodontal microbiology techniques such as the collection of subgingival plaque samples for microscopic, cultural, and molecular analyses; and (4) clinical trials and research study design.