How early-life skin microbes shape immune cells
Elucidating microbial and host mechanisms supporting early life immune imprinting by skin monocytes
['FUNDING_OTHER'] · OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY · NIH-11123346
Researchers are learning how microbes on newborn skin change immune cells in ways that could affect the risk of eczema and other inflammatory skin conditions.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_OTHER'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (Columbus, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11123346 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
This project uses specially bred (transgenic) mice and advanced lab tests to see how early-life skin microbes change a type of immune cell called monocytes. The team will use tools like mass cytometry and single-cell RNA sequencing to map which cells appear in newborn skin and what signals they carry. They will also use new ex vivo translational approaches to link the mouse findings to human skin biology and to mechanisms relevant to atopic dermatitis. The work focuses on how microbial exposure during a narrow early-life window imprints long-term immune behavior in the skin.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: The grant mainly uses laboratory and mouse models and does not enroll patients, but its findings would most directly help infants at higher risk for atopic dermatitis, such as those with a family history of eczema.
Not a fit: Adults with unrelated skin conditions or people with long-established chronic skin disease are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this specific project in the near term.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new ways to prevent or reduce eczema and related inflammatory skin diseases by targeting early-life microbe–immune interactions.
How similar studies have performed: Previous studies have shown skin microbes can tune newborn T cell responses, but the regulatory role of skin monocytes described here is a newer and less-tested idea.
Where this research is happening
Columbus, UNITED STATES
- OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY — Columbus, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: DHARIWALA, MIQDAD ONALI — OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY
- Study coordinator: DHARIWALA, MIQDAD ONALI
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.