2021 Research Awards
Characterizing the Microbiome in Postmenopausal Women with Vulvar Lichen Sclerosus
Vulvar lichen sclerosus is a chronic inflammatory condition that leads to scarring, obliteration of normal vulvar architecture, dyspareunia, and significant decrease in quality of life. Little is known about the…
Cell Signaling Changes Induced by Surgical Debulking May Improve Response to Smoothened Inhibitor Therapy
Smoothened (SMO) inhibitors, such as vismodegib, are effective treatments for locally advanced basal cell carcinomas (BCCs). However, recurrences are frequent upon treatment discontinuation. Our clinical observations suggest long-term remission for…
Characterizing the Role of the Cutaneous Microbiota in Darier Disease
Darier disease is an inherited disorder of acantholytic dyskeratosis. Lesions are most prominent on seborrheic skin and are prone to secondary infections, which lead to disease flares and significant morbidity….
Immunoediting in Cutaneous Squamous Carcinogenesis
Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) is the second most common cancer, with ~700,000 cases, ~3,000 deaths, and billions of dollars in annual treatment-associated costs in the U.S. Escape from immunosurveillance,…
Assessing the Functional Consequences of Mitochondrial Genomic Alterations in Cutaneous Aging
Mitochondria generate energy for cells. They contain their own genome, which supports their function. Photoaging is associated with alterations to this genome, but the effects of these changes on mitochondrial…
Modulation of Epidermal Plasticity by Keratin Intermediate Filaments
The epidermis faces a fundamental architectural challenge during tissue remodeling—balancing resistance to mechanical insult with plasticity. Without resistance, the epidermis cannot form a functional barrier. Without plasticity, growth and wound…
Elucidating Genes Involved in the Pathogenesis of Lichen Planus and Lichenoid Dermatoses
We are investigating the pathogenesis of lichen planus (LP) and other lichenoid dermatoses using single-cell RNA sequencing and similar techniques on fresh lesional and nonlesional skin biopsies from patients. We…
Distinguishing the Mechanisms of Tumoral Immune Response and Cutaneous Adverse Events
Checkpoint inhibitor (CPI) therapy has revolutionized cancer treatment, but generates immune-related adverse events (irAEs) that commonly include cutaneous effects. I hypothesize that the tumor response is mechanistically distinct from associated…
Investigating Neuroimmune Interactions to Promote Scarless Skin Regeneration
Approximately 100 million new skin scars appear annually in the U.S. The many products marketed for scar prevention produce only modest results. We discovered that activation of the TRPA1 receptor…
Identification of Shared Genetic and Modifiable Risk Factors for Psoriasis and Multiple Sclerosis
More than 40,000 people suffer from both psoriasis and multiple sclerosis (MS), which share a number of known genetic loci. IL-17 is significant in both diseases, and I hypothesize that…