About

Dr. Indraneel (Neel) Bhattacharyya is a tenured Full Professor and the Director of the Division of Oral Pathology at the University of Florida College of Dentistry. He completed his oral and maxillofacial pathology training and received a master's degree from Indiana University School of Dentistry in 1995, as well as a DDS from the University of Nebraska College of Dentistry. He is a diplomate of the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology. Dr. Bhattacharyya has authored or co-authored more than 170 refereed papers and book chapters covering a diverse range of topics addressing both clinical and microscopic aspects of oral and maxillofacial pathology. His research involves studying bisphosphonate-induced osteonecrosis of the jaws, molecular and clinical aspects of various oral and jaw lesions, precancerous and cancerous oral lesions, polymicrobial periodontal disease, atherosclerosis in animal models, and Sjogren’s syndrome. He has received numerous teaching awards, including four at the University of Florida, and has served on various committees for the American Academy of Oral & Maxillofacial Pathology. Dr. Bhattacharyya is actively involved in a large clinical oral pathology practice and biopsy service, and he is a sought-after speaker who has lectured extensively both in the US and internationally.

Research topics

• Medicine
• Dermatology
• Internal medicine
• Pathology
• Dentistry
• Computer Science
• Information Retrieval
• Cancer research
• Surgery
• Immunology
• Data science
• Biology
• Radiology

Selected publications

• Comparative pilot study of chronic hyperplastic candidiasis and atypical epithelial proliferation with candida utilizing p53, p16, CD44 and OCT4 immunohistochemistry

  Oral Surgery Oral Medicine Oral Pathology and Oral Radiology · 2025-07-21

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• Exploring MHC class II I-Ab blockade as a potential treatment for Sjögren’s disease in the mouse model

  ImmunoHorizons · 2025-08-25 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access

  Sjögren's disease (SjD) is a chronic autoimmune disorder predominantly affecting females, characterized by exocrine gland dysfunction. This study investigates the therapeutic potential of 2-chloro-1-(4-hydroxy-phenyl)-ethanone (CHPE) and metformin in the C57BL/6.NOD-Aec1Aec2 mouse model, which closely mirrors human SjD. Molecular docking identified CHPE and metformin as high-affinity binders to the MHC class II I-Ab antigen-binding groove, suggesting their ability to inhibit antigen presentation and modulate immune responses. In-vitro assays confirmed their effectiveness in reducing T cell activation. In-vivo studies demonstrated that both preventative and therapeutic regimens of CHPE and metformin significantly reduced lymphocytic infiltration in the lacrimal glands, with metformin showing a more pronounced effect in females. Salivary gland infiltration was less responsive, though some reduction in focal scores was observed in male mice treated preventatively with CHPE. Both drugs altered the composition of lymphocytic infiltrates, particularly by reducing B cell populations, with notable sex-specific differences in response to treatment. CHPE and metformin also reduced anti-nuclear antibody levels, with CHPE showing stronger effects in females. Additionally, both drugs improved saliva and tear secretion, with metformin being more effective in the preventative regimen, especially in females. T cell receptor transductant assays revealed that CHPE and metformin exert their therapeutic effects through antigen-specific pathways, inhibiting T cell responses to SjD-associated autoantigens. Overall, this study provides compelling evidence that CHPE and metformin can modulate immune responses and improve gland function, with effectiveness varying by sex and age. These findings support the potential of these compounds as personalized treatments for SjD tailored to individual patient characteristics.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Combined squamous cell carcinoma and neuroendocrine carcinoma of the oral cavity: report of a rare case

  Oral Surgery Oral Medicine Oral Pathology and Oral Radiology · 2025-07-21

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• HER2 expression in minor salivary gland mucoepidermoid carcinoma and correlation to demographic, clinical, and histologic features

  Oral Surgery Oral Medicine Oral Pathology and Oral Radiology · 2025-07-21

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• Gingival presentations of ghost cell odontogenic lesions: a retrospective case series

  Oral Surgery Oral Medicine Oral Pathology and Oral Radiology · 2025-07-21

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• Comparison between NOR-1 and DOG-1 immunohistochemistry staining in the diagnosis of salivary acinic cell carcinoma

  Oral Surgery Oral Medicine Oral Pathology and Oral Radiology · 2025-07-21

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• Single-cell transcriptomics unveil profiles and interplay of immune subsets in rare autoimmune childhood Sjögren’s disease

  Communications Biology · 2024-04-19 · 11 citations

  articleOpen access

  Abstract Childhood Sjögren’s disease represents critically unmet medical needs due to a complete lack of immunological and molecular characterizations. This study presents key immune cell subsets and their interactions in the periphery in childhood Sjögren’s disease. Here we show that single-cell RNA sequencing identifies the subsets of IFN gene-enriched monocytes, CD4 + T effector memory, and XCL1 + NK cells as potential key players in childhood Sjögren’s disease, and especially in those with recurrent parotitis, which is the chief symptom prompting clinical visits from young children. A unique cluster of monocytes with type I and II IFN-related genes is identified in childhood Sjögren’s disease, compared to the age-matched control. In vitro regulatory T cell functional assay demonstrates intact functionality in childhood Sjögren’s disease in contrast to reduced suppression in adult Sjögren’s disease. Mapping this transcriptomic landscape and interplay of immune cell subsets will expedite the understanding of childhood Sjögren’s disease pathogenesis and set the foundation for precision medicine.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Epstein-Barr virus-positive mucocutaneous ulcer: A case series

  Oral Surgery Oral Medicine Oral Pathology and Oral Radiology · 2024-12-05

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  PublisherDOI

• Single-cell transcriptomics reveals a pivotal role of DOCK2 in Sjögren’s disease

  Research Square · 2024-02-21

  preprintOpen accessSenior author
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Assessment of MDM2 Gene Locus Amplification by Fluorescence In-Situ Hybridization in Juvenile Ossifying Fibroma

  Head and Neck Pathology · 2024-08-06 · 1 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  Juvenile ossifying fibroma (JOF) is an uncommon benign fibro-osseous lesion (BFOL) of the maxillofacial bones with a locally aggressive nature and a high recurrence rate. Murine Double Minute 2 (MDM2) is an oncogene located at chromosome 12 (12q13-15) that inhibits the tumor suppressor gene TP53. The presence of MDM2 gene locus amplification is a useful molecular adjunct in the evaluation of some sarcomas, including low-grade intramedullary osteosarcoma (LGIOS). JOF and LGIOS have some overlapping clinical and histopathological features. The aim of this study is to evaluate a series of JOF for the presence of MDM2 gene locus amplification using fluorescence in-situ hybridization (FISH). MATERIALS AND METHODS: With IRB approval, a search of the institutional files of the archives of the Oral Pathology and Surgical Pathology biopsy services at the University of Florida Health was performed. The cases were re-evaluated by an oral pathology resident, an oral and maxillofacial pathologist, and a bone and soft tissue pathologist. Cases with consensus in diagnosis were selected (n = 9) for MDM2 testing. Testing by FISH for MDM2 gene locus amplification was applied to all retrieved cases. RESULTS: The examined cases were all negative for MDM2 gene locus amplification via FISH testing. CONCLUSION: In our small series, JOF did not demonstrate MDM2 gene locus abnormality, a characteristic of LGIOS. This finding suggests that JOF has a distinct underlying pathogenesis. If confirmed in a larger series, these findings may be useful in distinguishing these two entities in cases with overlapping features or when minimal biopsy material is available.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

Frequent coauthors

• Donald M. Cohen

  Florida College

  333 shared

• Mohammed N. Islam

  195 shared

• Sarah Fitzpatrick

  142 shared

• Nadim Islam

  University of Florida

  70 shared

• Joseph Katz

  35 shared

• Molly Housley Smith

  31 shared

• Saja A. Alramadhan

  University of Mississippi Medical Center

  31 shared

• Maram Bawazir

  University of Pennsylvania

  29 shared

Education

• M.S.

  Indiana University School of Dentistry

  1995

• Other

  University of Nebraska College of Dentistry

Awards & honors

• Four teaching awards at the University of Florida