Lab Members
Principal Investigator
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The intersection between chronic inflammatory skin diseases (such as atopic dermatitis and psoriasis) and the underlying immune environment during times of stimulation (such as vaccination) and disease (both viral and bacterial pathogens).
Research Staff
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Staff Member
Using primary adult keratinocytes to understand the mechanisms behind bullous pemphigoid (BP) development. Specifically, I am focused on the effects of the type 2 cytokines IL-4 + IL-13, Staphylococcus aureus, and the combination of inflammation and bacterial strains on BP180 (major disease driving protein) expression and cleavage to the immunodominant domain known as NC16A. This site is a key epitope in the autoantibody response of BP so understanding what generates this antigen is important in understanding the etiology of BP.
Graduate Students
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My focus is collecting clinical samples/metrics to better understand the relationship between S. aureus and bullous pemphigoid. Specifically, I am interested in whether this bacterium contributes to the molecular and/or phenotypic characteristics of disease severity. To do this I am enrolling patients to quantify S. aureus burden as well as examine biomarkers within serum and blister fluid to establish a role of this bacterium in disease pathogenesis.
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Identifying the contributions of the mycobiome to skin in health and disease.
Research Assistants
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Undergraduate Student
I am studying the composition of the cutaneous mycobiome on atopic dermatitis skin and whether intervention with Dupilumab influences the presence of specific commensal fungal species. We anticipate this study will increase our understanding of fungal populations that characterize healthy and/or diseased skin states.
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Undergraduate Student
My project aims to identify the effect of eczema-associated fungi on regulating skin inflammation and barrier function. Specifically, I study how fungal species (such as Candida albicans and Candida parapsilosis) influence protease activity on the skin and initiate pro-inflammatory cytokine responses.
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Undergraduate Student
I am investigating the role of Staphylococcus aureus in the development of bullous pemphigoid (BP), an autoimmune blistering skin disease. My research focuses on whether S. aureus presence is associated with various metrics of BP disease severity and whether isolates from individuals with more severe disease preferentially influence the expression and cleavage of BP180, the protein associated with blister formation. To do this I am analyzing bacterial abundance from skin swabs acquired from subjects recruited at URMC. The goal of this study is to identify bacterial species that contribute to BP disease pathogenesis.