How skin immune cells and skin cells work together to heal wounds
Understanding immune-epithelial interactions during wound repair in live mammals
This work looks at how skin immune cells called Langerhans cells and the outer skin cells coordinate to help wounds heal, with the goal of helping people with chronic or slow-healing wounds.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Michigan State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (East Lansing, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11158796 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This work follows how Langerhans cells, a type of skin immune cell, talk with outer skin cells as wounds heal in live mammals. Scientists use live mammal models and advanced imaging and cell analysis to watch these interactions after injury. They compare normal healing to situations that become chronic wounds to find signals that help repair the skin or allow infections and worsening disease. The results are meant to point toward new treatments to strengthen the skin barrier and speed healing, though those therapies would take time to develop.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with chronic, non-healing skin wounds or those at high risk for wound-related complications would most likely benefit from therapies informed by this research.
Not a fit: People without skin wounds or those needing immediate clinical treatment are unlikely to get direct benefit from this lab-based research right away.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new ways to speed healing of chronic wounds and reduce infections or progression to cancer.
How similar studies have performed: Past animal studies have shown immune cells like macrophages and neutrophils influence healing, but focusing on Langerhans cells in live mammals is a newer and less-tested approach.
Where this research is happening
East Lansing, United States
- Michigan State University — East Lansing, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Park, Sangbum — Michigan State University
- Study coordinator: Park, Sangbum
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.