Understanding how skin bacteria interact with the immune system in early life
Official title: Unraveling skin microbiota-immune interactions that drive early life commensal tolerance
Funded at University of California, San Francisco · NIH-11162080 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study looks at how your skin's immune system works with good bacteria during early life to keep your skin healthy, which is important for preventing issues like acne and eczema.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Fellowship grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Francisco NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project start | May 7, 2025 |
| Project end | November 6, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $47,203 |
| NIH project number | 1F31AI191408-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11162080 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are infants and young children who are at risk for developing skin inflammatory conditions.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with established chronic skin conditions who are beyond the early life stage may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how the skin's immune system interacts with beneficial bacteria during early life to maintain a healthy balance. It focuses on the role of specific immune cells that help develop tolerance to these bacteria, which is crucial for preventing chronic skin conditions like acne and eczema. By studying the mechanisms behind this tolerance, the research aims to identify how disruptions can lead to inflammatory diseases. The approach includes both in vivo and ex vivo studies to explore the signals that promote immune tolerance.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to new strategies for preventing or treating chronic skin conditions in children.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promising results in understanding the role of skin microbiota in immune tolerance, indicating that this approach has potential for success.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California, San Francisco
San Francisco, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Tran, Victoria — University of California, San Francisco
- Study coordinator: Tran, Victoria
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Diet, gut microbiome, and immune health in adults with type 2 diabetes
A study at Stanford is exploring how fermented foods and their molecules, like lactate, influence gut bacteria and the body's immune and inflammatory responses in adults with adult-onset diabetes.
-
Gut microbiome and Parkinson's disease: how gut bugs relate to symptoms and progression
A multi-year study will look at gut bacteria and related markers in people with Parkinson’s disease to understand how the gut-brain connection may influence symptoms and progression.
-
Gut-Brain Axis in Parkinson’s Disease: biomarkers and procedures to track progression
A patient-focused program to study how gut health and the brain interact in Parkinson’s disease using biomarkers and clinical procedures.
-
Oral bacteria and brain metastasis: how the mouth may influence brain tumors
A study exploring how oral microbes may affect brain metastases and patient outcomes, with potential to guide new microbiome-based approaches.
-
How gut bacteria metabolites affect your immune system and allergies
This project looks at how substances made by the gut microbiome influence the body’s immune responses to allergic diseases and intestinal infections.
-
Vitamin D, gut bacteria and dementia risk in older adults with HIV
This work will look at whether low vitamin D and changes in gut bacteria are linked to higher dementia risk in older adults living with chronic HIV and similar community members.
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.