INTERDISCIPLINARY MEET REPORT TOPIC: ROLE OF MICROORGANISMS IN ORAL SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA (OSCC)
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On 21 January 2026, the Department of Oral Pathology and Microbiology, in collaboration with the Department of Microbiology, organized an interdisciplinary meeting at the Shri Padmavathy Ammal Memorial Auditorium.
The session began with an overview of the oral microbiome and its association with oral carcinogenesis. The topic, “Role of Microorganisms in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OSCC),” highlighted how viruses, bacteria, and fungi contribute to tumor initiation, progression, and modulation of the tumor microenvironment.
The deliberations emphasized that microorganisms such as Human Papillomavirus (HPV), Epstein–Barr Virus (EBV), and specific bacterial species act as co-carcinogens by inducing chronic inflammation, genomic instability, immune evasion, and pro-tumorigenic signaling pathways. The session underlined the importance of understanding microbial dysbiosis in early diagnosis, risk assessment and targeted management of OSCC, along with the presentation of two clinical cases.
The programme was conducted under the guidance of:
Department of Oral Pathology and Microbiology
Dr. Kavitha M., MDS, Ph.D., Professor & Head
Dr. Raghu Dhanapal, MDS, Professor
Dr. Gowri Shankar P., MDS, Reader
Dr. Jayasri P.A., MDS, Senior Lecturer
Department of Microbiology
Dr. Soundarapandian P., M.Sc., M.Phil., Ph.D., Professor & Head
Dr. Saravanan B.S., M.Sc., Ph.D., Reader
Ms. Lakshanya A., M.Sc., Lecturer
The presentations were delivered by interns Sona R., Soundarya V., Sowmiya G., Sriha, and Srishilesh Kumar, who elaborated on molecular mechanisms, clinical implications, and current research evidence linking microorganisms to OSCC.
The session concluded with an interactive discussion, a question-and-answer segment, and reflections on the emerging role of microbiome-based diagnostics and therapeutics in oral cancer management.
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