Acne skin microbiome lab
Microbiology and Metagenomics Core
Using skin samples from people with acne, the team will map the bacteria present and test how bacterial products change skin cells and inflammation.
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 ID | NIH-11178647 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This core collects skin swabs and bacterial isolates from acne patients and uses high-throughput sequencing to identify the microbes on the skin. The lab cultures Cutibacterium acnes and other skin bacteria to build libraries and performs metagenomic analyses from patient samples. They run functional screens to see how microbial metabolites and products affect skin cells and immune responses. The core supports the Acne Center of Research Translation by providing sequencing, culture, and analytic services to multiple projects.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with acne who can provide skin swabs or allow collection of skin samples at UCLA or participating clinics are the ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People without acne, those unwilling to provide skin samples, or those unable to access the UCLA site are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new treatment targets that control acne by modifying bacteria or their metabolic products.
How similar studies have performed: Previous studies have mapped acne-associated bacteria, but using functional screens of bacterial metabolites to link microbes to skin inflammation is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
Los Angeles, United States
- University of California Los Angeles — Los Angeles, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Gallo, Richard L — University of California Los Angeles
- Study coordinator: Gallo, Richard L
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 below.