Keeping the skin's collagen network healthy with age
YAP/TAZ Regulation of Extracellular Matrix Homeostasis
Researchers are learning how skin cells use YAP/TAZ signals to keep collagen strong so aging skin stays thicker and healthier.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Michigan at Ann Arbor NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Ann Arbor, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11160645 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you take part, researchers will work with human skin samples and skin cells to compare young and older skin. They will look at how dermal fibroblasts attach to collagen and how the YAP/TAZ signaling pathway changes when collagen becomes fragmented with age. Lab experiments will measure cell shape, mechanical forces, and molecules that control whether skin makes or breaks down extracellular matrix. The team aims to link these findings to why aged skin loses volume and becomes more prone to damage.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants would be adults with signs of skin aging or people willing to provide small skin biopsy samples for research.
Not a fit: People seeking immediate cosmetic treatments or those with conditions unrelated to skin aging should not expect direct or immediate benefits.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new ways to restore collagen and improve skin thickness, healing, and age-related skin problems.
How similar studies have performed: Prior laboratory and animal studies show YAP/TAZ influence cell mechanics and matrix production, but applying this to reverse human skin aging is still relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Ann Arbor, United States
- University of Michigan at Ann Arbor — Ann Arbor, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Fisher, Gary J — University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
- Study coordinator: Fisher, Gary J
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.