Dr. Yvonne L. Hernandez-Kapila is a distinguished clinician-scientist, academic leader, and global research contributor recognized for her transformative work in oral biology, periodontology, and cancer biology. As Professor and Associate Dean for Research at the UCLA School of Dentistry and the Felix and Mildred Yip Endowed Chair in Dentistry, her research has significantly advanced understanding of the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying periodontal disease, oral cancer, and host-microbiome interactions. Her laboratory’s pioneering investigations into the oral-gut-brain axis, bacteriocin therapeutics, and oral virome have shaped new paradigms in microbial pathogenesis, inflammation, and regenerative oral health. A prolific author with more than a hundred peer-reviewed publications in leading journals such as NPJ Biofilms and Microbiomes, Journal of Biological Chemistry, PLOS Pathogens, and Cell Death and Differentiation, Dr. Kapila’s work bridges fundamental discovery with translational innovation. She has served as principal investigator on multiple NIH-funded projects, including major initiatives exploring host–bacterial dynamics and microbiome modulation in oral and systemic disease contexts. Her editorial leadership extends across several international journals and major textbooks, including Periodontology 2000 and Newman and Carranza’s Clinical Periodontology, where she continues to shape scholarly discourse in the field. Dr. Kapila has received numerous prestigious honors recognizing her scientific excellence, mentorship, and contributions to dental research, including awards from the American Dental Association, the American Academy of Periodontology, and the American Association for Dental Research. A dedicated mentor, she has guided over a hundred trainees and junior faculty toward successful academic and research careers worldwide, championing inclusivity, rigorous scientific methodology, and leadership development. Through her interdisciplinary collaborations and global initiatives, Dr. Kapila continues to influence the future of oral health sciences, biomolecular therapeutics, and translational medicine, establishing herself as a leading voice in advancing oral-systemic health research on an international scale. She has 8347 citations from 146 documents with an h-index of 47.
Profiles: Scopus | ORCID
Publications
1. B. lactis HN019 modulates periapical inflammation and enhances cementum repair by increasing CEMP-1 expression in an animal model. (2025). Archives of Oral Biology.
2. The antimicrobial peptide nisin promotes host cell survival during SARS-CoV-2 infection. (2025). Virology Journal.
3. Nisin lantibiotic prevents NAFLD liver steatosis and mitochondrial oxidative stress following periodontal disease by abrogating oral, gut and liver dysbiosis. (2024). NPJ Biofilms and Microbiomes.
4. Biological biomarkers of oral cancer. (2025). [Journal name not specified].
5. Nisin, a probiotic bacteriocin, modulates the inflammatory and microbiome changes in female reproductive organs mediated by polymicrobial periodontal infection. (2024). Microorganisms.