"Founded in 2013 with a $4.2 million dollar grant from the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center, the goal of Forsyth’s Center for Salivary Diagnostics is to revolutionize the medical diagnostics world and replace blood-based tests with salivary tests. Saliva contains virtually all of the same medical diagnostic information as blood, including DNA, proteins, hormones, metabolites, and immune effectors, but is obtained non-invasively and painlessly, making it the approach of choice for infants, children, the elderly, and indeed for people of all ages.
Most salivary diagnostics studies at Forsyth involve the discovery of new biomarkers for oral as well as systemic diseases. The Center takes advantage of its access to large, carefully defined patient populations, combined with Forsyth’s longstanding expertise in oral and associated systemic diseases, and history of diagnostics development. "
"Lyme disease: A saliva-based test is being developed for this insidious tick-borne infection. Forsyth investigators have discovered that components of the bacterium that causes Lyme are shed into body fluids including saliva. The test would allow rapid diagnosis and cure with a simple antibiotic regimen, before the disease becomes chronic and debilitating."
forsyth.org/salivary-diagnosticFingers and toes crossed!!!
