Acne: how skin bacteria, fats, and immunity drive lesions
Official title: Acne: a disease of lipid metabolism, microbiome and the immune response
Funded at University of California Los Angeles · NIH-11393068 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A large NIH-funded effort at UCLA/UCSD is studying how skin bacteria, fat metabolism, and the immune system interact to cause acne, with plans to translate findings into better treatments.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California Los Angeles NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Los Angeles, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2022 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,550,508 |
| NIH project number | 5P50AR080594-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11393068 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with acne who visit participating centers and may be eligible for biopsy sample collection or related observational contributions.
✕Less likely to help
The study is focused on mechanistic understanding and may not directly change care for every individual participant.
What this research studies
This grant brings together experts in microbiology, lipid metabolism and immunology to study acne at the molecular and cellular levels. Researchers will analyze acne biopsy samples using transcriptomics, metagenomics, lipidomics and spatial techniques to connect what bacteria, fats, and immune cells are doing in lesions. They will focus on TREM2 macrophages and adipogenic fibroblasts and how these cells relate to lipid metabolism and inflammation in acne. The project will translate basic discoveries into ideas for new therapies that target both the microbiome and host responses. Biopsies will be collected from participants to understand these processes in real patients.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the research could lead to targeted treatments that modulate skin bacteria and fat-related immune responses to reduce acne lesions.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work using -omics approaches has linked acne-associated microbes and immune cells to disease, supporting this translational path.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California Los Angeles
Los Angeles, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Modlin, Robert L — University of California Los Angeles
- Study coordinator: Modlin, Robert L
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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How skin oils, bacteria, and the immune system cause acne
Researchers are exploring how skin oils, the bacteria on your skin, and immune cells interact in people with acne to find better treatment targets.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.