Herzberg receives honorary degree from Malmo University

Mark Herzberg, DDS, PhD, received an honorary doctorate from Malmo University in October.

Herzberg is a professor of basic sciences whose research focuses on host-microbial interactions. He has been involved in active collaborations with faculty at Malmo University since 2007.

It was around that time that Herzberg first met Per-Olaf Glantz, DDS, PhD, OdontDr, professor and then-president of Malmo University. Glantz is “a very smart and interesting guy, and a very good scientist in his own right,” shared Herzberg. “We used to argue vigorously and amiably about various points of science.”

Glantz introduced Herzberg to Gunnel Svensater, professor at Malmo University, and a collaboration was quickly formed.

Together with others at Malmo University, Herzberg and Svensater studied a high molecular weight glycoprotein that is found in human saliva. “It was well known that a lot of bacteria stick to this protein, and so we began to look at other ways in which this high molecular weight mucin contributed to the development of oral microbial communities.”

Herzberg and his team explored the ways bacteria recognize and respond to the mucin.  They showed that different species of dental plaque bacteria show division of labor as they try to “eat” the mucin. The mucin is chemically complex and each of the species digests a different part of this massive molecule. They work collaboratively to make this molecule into food.

“It’s been known for a few years that some pathogens have the capability of responding to high molecular weight mucins in the GI tract, and that response contributes to their virulence,” he explained. “Though we knew the mucins were important for colonization and enabling an organism to behave as a pathogen, it wasn’t known how the bacteria orchestrates itself to respond. So we discovered that certain oral streptococci employ a novel mechanism to recognize and inform the cells that they need to make changes to accommodate to a mucin-coated surface like those in the mouth.”

This years-long collaboration, an NIH grant and the significant publications that came out of the collaboration led to the decision to provide Herzberg with an honorary doctorate. He traveled to Malmo University to provide a talk about the research that was developed through the collaboration, enjoy a celebratory dinner with the chancellor of the University and receive the honorary degree in a formal ceremony.

Herzberg considers it “lovely” to have received this honor, and is grateful for the experience to celebrate his accomplishments and his life with his colleagues.

“I often think that when people die, eulogies are given. When academics die, there’s often a symposium celebrating them. But I’ve always wondered why they don’t do that while people are alive, so they can enjoy it,” Herzberg reflected. “It’s lovely to receive this celebration and honor.”