Background Owing to its ease of collection, saliva is potentially the sample of choice in diagnosis. Salivary biomolecules have provided a porthole in surveying a person's health and well‐being. Our study aims were (1) to demonstrate the effects of pre‐analytical steps, collection and pre‐processing techniques on salivary protein detection and (2) to establish an indication of salivary reference intervals for 3 biomolecules of clinical interest. Methods Saliva samples were collected from participants (n = 25, ages 20–35 years) using the following methods: no stimulation (resting/unstimulated), mechanical, and acid stimulation. The saliva was prepared for analysis by: unprocessed, post standard centrifugation in a container without any additives, and centrifugation using Centrifugal Filter Unit (Amicon® Ultra‐0.5). AlphaLisa® assays were used to measure the levels of C‐Reactive Protein (CRP), Immunoglobin (IgE) and myoglobin in saliva samples. Results Saliva flow rates were lowest with the resting/drooling collection method. The lowest total protein concentration was with acid stimulation. Unstimulated and mechanically stimulated collections produced no effect on the CRP and IgE levels while myoglobin levels were highest with the unstimulated collection. Acid stimulation had a negative impact on the measured concentrations of IgE and myoglobin (except for CRP levels). Conclusion Mechanical stimulation was the most viable option for collecting saliva without affecting the levels of CRP and myoglobin. The processing methods had an adverse effect on the concentration of total protein as well as on CRP and IgE concentrations.

The Kungullanji Summer Research Program offers research experiences for Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander undergraduates while recognizing their contributions to research. The Kungullanji program approach is a strengths-based research training framework that recognizes existing ability outside of institutional definitions of success and adapts to student needs with multilayered support. Initial results suggest that this approach increases students’ self-confidence and interest.