Molecular Dermatology & Stem Cell Research

Our research group in dermatology investigates several topics in relation with some of the major functions of the skin, whose perturbations could lead to various diseases.

1.  The immunological mechanisms underlying inflammatory diseases, such as psoriasis, hidradenitis suppurativa, different forms of eczema, and adverse drug reactions by studying: a) the involvement of the innate versus the adaptive immune system, b) the contribution of cytokines and chemokines, and c) the molecular effects of therapeutic interventions.
2. The pathophysiological mechanisms in the auto-immune diseases pemphigus and bullous pemphigoid by identifying the involved auto-antigens and studying the immunological responses associated with these diseases.
3. The evolution of skin and oral squamous carcinoma by trying to identify specific markers correlated with the metastatic properties of the cancer cells, tumor progression and regression.
4. The potential benefits of vaccinating patients suffering from primary cutaneous T-cell lymphoma with a telomerase peptide by analyzing the vaccine-elicited immune response.
5. The use of cell therapy in chronic wounds and pigmentations disorders.
6. The biological functions of spectraplakins, which are giant proteins linking the cytoskeleton components and whose mutations lead to skin, muscular and neurological disorders, by dissecting the proteins in smaller fragments and investigating the individual role of the various subdomains.