How changes in the skin's scaffolding drive aging and skin cancer
The impact of the dermal ECM microenvironment on cutaneous aging and cancer
This work looks at how higher levels of a protein called MMP1 made by skin support cells break down collagen and create a skin environment that may speed up aging and raise skin cancer risk.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Michigan at Ann Arbor NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Ann Arbor, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11299521 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient point of view, researchers are studying how the connective framework under the skin (the extracellular matrix) becomes damaged when fibroblasts produce more MMP1 as we age. They combine observations from human skin with a mouse model engineered to express human MMP1 in fibroblasts to watch how collagen fragmentation leads to thinning, bruising, poor wound healing, and changes linked to cancer. The team will map molecular signals and cell behaviors that follow collagen breakdown to find pathways that could be targeted. Results could point to approaches that strengthen skin structure or reduce age-related skin problems.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates for any future patient-facing work would be older adults with visible skin aging or a history of age-related skin issues such as thinning, easy bruising, delayed wound healing, or prior skin cancers.
Not a fit: People with conditions unrelated to skin aging, very young individuals, or those seeking immediate clinical treatments are unlikely to benefit directly from this basic-mechanism research right away.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to ways to prevent or treat age-related skin thinning, improve wound healing, and lower the risk of some skin cancers.
How similar studies have performed: Prior studies have linked higher MMP1 to collagen damage in aged skin, but turning that knowledge into safe, effective treatments has been limited, so this mechanism-focused approach is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
Ann Arbor, United States
- University of Michigan at Ann Arbor — Ann Arbor, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Fisher, Gary J — University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
- Study coordinator: Fisher, Gary J
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.