Research

This encompasses five major projects:

Biomarker identification

We utilize a multidisciplinary approach by collaborating with physicians, analytical chemists, and biomedical engineers to identify biomarkers of various skin diseases and then apply the learned knowledge to development of targeted and personalized treatment strategies. (Collaborations with Drs. Robert Kirsner, Hadar Lev-Tov, Jason Levine, Matthew Hardy, Devinder Singh, Jennifer Tang, Shasa Hu)

Wound Healing

We have previously demonstrated that non-healing wounds (diabetic foot ulcers and venous leg ulcers) exhibit an upregulation of caveolae which act to sequester and antagonize growth factor receptors, thus limiting efficacy of growth factor-based therapies. To this end, our lab seeks to understand how manipulation of cholesterol synthesis augments responses of various cell types responsible for successful wound closure and how to leverage changes in membrane fluidity to develop hydrogel formulation to enhance rates of cutaneous wound healing. (Collaborations with Drs. Fotios Andreopoulos, Francisco Fernandez Lima, Joshua Tam) 

Inflammatory skin diseases

We have previously demonstrated that multiple inflammatory skin diseases exhibit aberrant levels of caveolins, the primary structural component of specialized lipid rafts (caveolae). Thus, our lab is trying to understand the sometimes paradoxical pro- and anti-inflammatory roles of caveolae in various skin diseases. (Collaboration with Dr. Paolo Romanelli)

Hair follicle physiology/pathophysiology

We have previously demonstrated that multiple forms of scarring alopecia (frontal fibrosing, lichen planopilaris and central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia) exhibit upregulation of caveolin proteins within the bulge of the hair follicle, implicating a role in regulation of epithelial hair follicle stem cells. Here, our lab is trying to understand how caveolae may be involved in immune privilege collapse and thus how targeting caveolae may be utilized in treatment of various types of alopecia. (Collaborations with Drs. Ralf Paus, Mariya Miteva & Alessandra Anzai)

Skin aging

We have previously demonstrated that both chronological and photo-aged skin exhibits elevated levels of caveolae structural components. To this end, our lab is trying to elucidate the mechanisms by which caveolae establish a microenvironment permissive to development of localized senescence and how this leads to development of age-associated changes in skin morphology. (Collaboration with Drs. Carlos Moraes and Milena Pinto)