Overview

This program consists of several components: epidermal repair and regeneration, melanocyte biology, skin appendages, and vascular/lymphatics networks of the skin. Basic, translational, and clinical studies in these areas of research are supported by this program. Within each of these components, specific focus areas include:

Skin Repair and Regeneration:

  • Basic studies of skin regeneration.
  • Analysis of keratinocyte behavior during the normal wound healing process.
  • New animal models of wound repair and regeneration.
  • Basic, translational and clinical studies of chronic wounds.
  • Abnormal wound healing in hereditary skin diseases.
  • Skin scarring.
  • Epithelial, mesenchymal and induced pluripotent stem cells in skin repair.
  • Skin tissues engineering and improved skin equivalents.

Melanocyte Biology:

  • Normal melanocyte development, differentiation and homeostasis
  • Skin pigmentation process and its regulation.
  • Skin pigmentation disorders including hyperpigmentation and albinism.
  • Photobiology of the skin.
  • Melanocyte stem cells and their regulation.
  • Early melanocyte transformation, melanocytic nevi, and melanoma prevention.

Skin Appendages:

  • Development and maintenance of skin appendages.
  • Diseases of skin appendages including hair, nails, sweat and sebaceous glands.
  • Identifying potential stem cells and their niches.
  • Function and regulation of stem cells in normal skin and diseases.
  • Regenerative potential and conditions of skin appendages.

Skin Vasculature and Lymphatic System:

  • Mechanisms of skin blood vessels and angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis.
  • Structure-function of blood and lymphatic vessels in normal skin development.
  • Cellular, molecular biology and genetics of skin vasculature and lymphatics.
  • Skin vascular malformations such as hemangioma and port wine stain.

 

Funding Opportunities

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Research News

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Contact Us

Alexey Belkin, Ph.D.

Program Director
6701 Democracy Blvd
Building: Democracy I, Suite 800
Bethesda MD 20892-4872