How sun-damaged, aging skin cells may drive skin cancer
Official title: Promotion of photocarcinogenesis by the senescent field and mechanisms for field persistence
Funded at Rlr VA Medical Center · NIH-11131049 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at whether pockets of sun-damaged, 'senescent' skin cells help cause skin cancer, especially in older adults and people on immune-suppressing drugs.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Rlr VA Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Indianapolis, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2022 |
| Project end | June 30, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| NIH project number | 5I01BX005816-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11131049 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates would be adults with a history of significant sun exposure (for example veterans), older adults, or people taking immunosuppressive medications who are willing to undergo skin imaging and possible small skin sampling.
✕Less likely to help
People without significant sun exposure, young healthy individuals, or those unwilling to have skin imaging or biopsies are less likely to receive direct benefit from this work.
What this research studies
You may be asked to have your skin imaged and possibly sampled so researchers can find and measure a 'dermal senescent field'—areas under the skin with aging cells that cause inflammation and new blood vessel growth. The team uses imaging of dermal hemoglobin to map these fields, tracks how they persist after stopping UV exposure, and links them to overlying epidermal cell changes and tumor formation. They will study how age and immunosuppressant treatments influence this process, with attention to veterans who had high sun exposure. The goal is to learn whether these persistent fields predict where skin cancers start and whether targeting them could prevent tumors.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help spot high-risk sun-damaged skin before tumors form and point to ways to prevent skin cancer.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work has shown UV creates persistent senescent changes visible by imaging, but directly linking these dermal fields to tumor formation and testing interventions is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
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Rlr VA Medical Center
Indianapolis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Konger, Raymond L — Rlr VA Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Konger, Raymond 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.