How skin lymphatic drainage controls immune balance in the skin

Dermal Lymphatic Transport and Cutaneous Immune Balance

NIH-funded research New York University School of Medicine · NIH-11250124

This project looks at how tiny lymph vessels in the skin turn immune reactions on and off to help people with autoimmune or inflammatory skin conditions and some skin cancers.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionNew York University School of Medicine NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (New York, United States)
Project IDNIH-11250124 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

Researchers are studying how dermal lymphatic vessels change their structure and how those changes affect the movement of immune cells, antigens, and inflammatory signals in skin. They will use laboratory experiments, animal models, and human skin samples to map how vessel 'zippering' alters immune activation and resolution. One aim examines crosstalk between lymphatic transport and the skin’s inflammatory environment, and another tests how changing lymphatic function shifts immune outcomes. The team aims to find ways to tune lymphatic transport to reduce harmful inflammation or improve anti-tumor immunity.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: People with autoimmune skin diseases, chronic inflammatory skin conditions, or certain skin cancers would be the most relevant candidates for related future studies.

Not a fit: Those with medical problems unrelated to skin immune balance or anyone seeking immediate clinical treatments are unlikely to benefit directly from this basic research.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new treatments that reduce harmful skin inflammation, control autoimmune skin attacks, or boost immune responses against skin cancers.

How similar studies have performed: Previous laboratory and preliminary studies, including the investigators' own work, show lymphatic remodeling affects immune responses, but translating these findings into patient treatments is still novel.

Where this research is happening

New York, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.