Understanding how vitamin D receptors control skin barrier function
Official title: Skin Barrier Adaptation
Funded at Henry Ford Health System · NIH-11351025 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how vitamin D receptor signals in the skin influence the barrier that protects us from infection and inflammation.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Henry Ford Health System NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Detroit, United States) |
| Project start | July 19, 2022 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $339,459 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AR079888-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11351025 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Individuals with skin conditions linked to barrier function or vitamin D signaling, or those of African or European ancestry contributing samples or information.
✕Less likely to help
People without skin barrier issues or vitamin D–related skin biology findings may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
Researchers will study how the vitamin D receptor interacts with skin genes to influence the epidermal barrier, using both human tissue and mouse models. They will analyze how a protein called involucrin affects vitamin D signaling and immune responses in the skin. The study uses advanced genomic techniques to map accessible DNA regions and connect them to skin function, with a focus on differences across populations. The findings could help explain why the skin adapts to different environments and how this impacts skin health.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could inform new strategies to strengthen the skin barrier and reduce skin infections or inflammatory skin diseases.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work has linked IVL and VDR signaling to epidermal function, but this project aims to clarify mechanisms in humans and diverse populations.
Where this research is happening
-
Henry Ford Health System
Detroit, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Strong, Cristina de Guzman — Henry Ford Health System
- Study coordinator: Strong, Cristina de Guzman
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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.