Microbiome function in atopic dermatitis: understanding skin bacteria to help people with AD
Official title: Microbiome Function in Atopic Dermatitis
Funded at University of California, San Diego · NIH-11319829 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study is exploring how skin bacteria affect atopic dermatitis in both kids and adults and testing ways to support helpful bacteria to improve the skin.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Diego NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (La Jolla, United States) |
| Project start | May 1, 2020 |
| Project end | April 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $465,223 |
| NIH project number | 5U01AI152038-07 |
| Project ID | NIH-11319829 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates include both adults and children with atopic dermatitis who have disrupted skin microbiomes and related inflammatory symptoms.
✕Less likely to help
Some participants may not experience direct benefit if their skin microbiome is not responsive to the interventions under study.
What this research studies
This project looks at the skin’s bacterial community in people with atopic dermatitis and how Staphylococcus aureus disrupts the skin barrier and immune responses. Researchers will study why beneficial bacteria like Staphylococcus hominis are missing in adults with AD and test strategies to help these helpful microbes survive on the skin. They will evaluate interventions to boost beneficial bacteria in adults and then explore applying promising approaches to children with AD. The aim is to pave the way for a new microbiome-based therapy to reduce inflammation and improve skin health in AD patients.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the research could lead to a novel microbiome-based therapy that strengthens the skin barrier and reduces flares in AD patients.
How similar studies have gone: Similar microbiome-focused approaches in skin diseases have shown promise, but this exact strategy in AD is being tested for the first time.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California, San Diego
La Jolla, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Gallo, Richard L — University of California, San Diego
- Study coordinator: Gallo, Richard L
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Stopping Atopic Dermatitis and Allergy: Preventing Food Allergy by Protecting the Skin
A large study in infants at high risk for allergies tests whether using a skin barrier cream together with early, proactive skin care can prevent peanut allergy and other food allergies.
-
SEAL Study: Preventing peanut allergy by protecting baby skin
This trial tests whether using a skin-emollient and proactive skin steroids early in life can prevent peanut allergy in high-risk infants.
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SEAL Study: Prevent allergy by protecting the baby’s skin
A very young group of high-risk babies will try a early skin-care plan to reduce eczema and prevent peanut allergy.
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Understanding how skin fungi affect atopic dermatitis in adults
A study will look at how the skin's fungal community influences atopic dermatitis in adults and whether this understanding could lead to new treatments.
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Preventing eczema-related allergies by strengthening infants' skin barrier
This project will see if using a trilipid skin cream plus proactive mild topical steroids in infants with early dry skin or eczema lowers their chances of developing food allergies.
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Personalized predictions for how atopic dermatitis may progress in kids and teens
A patient-friendly plan to forecast how early-onset eczema might evolve in children and young people using simple health clues and data from diverse settings.
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.