Investigating skin injury caused by chemical agents at the cellular level

The Initiation of Vesicant Skin Injury at a Single Cell Level

NIH-funded research University of California-Irvine · NIH-10880607

This study is looking at how certain harmful chemicals can hurt your skin and cause big blisters and slow-healing wounds, and it’s testing a possible treatment to help heal those injuries better.

Quick facts

Grant typeNIH-funded research
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionUniversity of California-Irvine NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Irvine, United States)
Project IDNIH-10880607 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

This research focuses on understanding how chemical agents like sulfur mustard and arsenicals cause skin injuries, particularly large blisters and slow-healing wounds. By examining the effects of these agents at the single cell level, the study aims to uncover shared mechanisms of injury and the role of oxidative stress. The researchers will use specific chemical compounds as models to simulate the effects of these harmful agents and test a potential antioxidant treatment, cobinamide, to see if it can mitigate the damage. This approach could lead to new strategies for treating injuries caused by chemical warfare agents.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates for this research include individuals who have been exposed to chemical agents or are at risk of such exposure, such as military personnel or first responders.

Not a fit: Patients who have not been exposed to chemical agents or do not have skin injuries related to such exposure may not benefit from this research.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to effective treatments for skin injuries caused by chemical warfare agents, improving recovery outcomes for affected individuals.

How similar studies have performed: Previous research has shown promise in understanding the mechanisms of vesicant injuries, but this specific approach focusing on single cell analysis and antioxidant treatment is relatively novel.

Where this research is happening

Irvine, 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.