Molecular biomarker research in periodontology: A roadmap for translation of science to clinical assay validation

The number of studies that aims to apply host- or microbe-derived biochemical biomarkers to periodontal disease diagnosis has increased significantly during the last three decades. The biochemical markers can reflect the presence, severity, and activity of periodontal diseases; however, heterogeneities in applied laboratory methods, data presentation, statistical analysis, and data interpretation prevent the translation of candidate host- or microbe-derived biochemical biomarkers to clinical assay validation. Here, we propose a roadmap for making the research outcomes comparable and re-analysable with the ultimate goal of translating research to clinical practice. This roadmap presents reporting recommendations for host- or microbe-derived biochemical biomarker studies in periodontology. We aim to make essential elements of the research work (including diagnostic criteria, clinical endpoint definitions, participant recruitment criteria, sample collection and storage techniques, biochemical and microbiological detection methods, and applied statistical analysis) visible and comparable.