Rate My Professor Alexandru Movila

Alexandru Movila, PhD, serves as Associate Professor in the Department of Biomedical and Applied Sciences at the Indiana University School of Dentistry. His research explores the role of periodontal bacteria-derived dihydroceramides in Alzheimer’s disease and Down syndrome, the association between the periodontal pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis and the severity of Gulf War illness neuroinflammation related to aging, and the beneficial inhibitory effects of acid ceramidase on the global accumulation of senescent cells driven by age-dependent oral dysbiosis. These investigations highlight connections between oral health, systemic inflammation, and neurodegenerative conditions. Movila is affiliated with the Indiana Center for Musculoskeletal Health, where he leads the Imaging Microscopy Core and contributes to studies on trauma, regeneration, and rehabilitation. His Google Scholar profile identifies key research interests in aging, periodontitis, bone, dementia, and microbiology.

Movila holds memberships in the American Aging Association, the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research, and the International Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research. His publication record includes highly cited works such as "Neuroimmunological blood brain barrier opening in experimental cerebral malaria" (PLoS Pathogens, 2012; 179 citations), "Proinflammatory M1 macrophages inhibit RANKL-induced osteoclastogenesis" (Infection and Immunity, 2016; 121 citations), "Experimental cerebral malaria pathogenesis—hemodynamics at the blood brain barrier" (PLoS Pathogens, 2014; 109 citations), and "Detection of tick-borne pathogens in ticks from migratory birds in the Baltic region of Russia" (Medical and Veterinary Entomology, 2013; 98 citations). Recent contributions feature "Minocycline reduces alveolar bone loss and bone damage in Wistar rats with experimental periodontitis" (PLOS One, 2024), multiple reviews on Alzheimer’s disease and bone interactions using AI-assisted writing (Current Osteoporosis Reports, 2024), and a patent application titled "METHODS FOR INHIBITION OF SQUAMOUS CARCINOMA CELLS USING CERAMIDE MODULATORS" (IU Reference Number: 2024-096-01, filed April 9, 2024). Earlier studies addressed tick-borne pathogens, vector competence, and Plasmodium immunobiology in contexts like cerebral malaria and blood-brain barrier dynamics.