Wearable optical biomarkers to diagnose and manage inflammatory skin diseases
Official title: Wearable Computational Sensing of Optical Biomarkers for Inflammatory Skin Diseases
Funded at University of California-Irvine · NIH-11437449 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant supports a clinician-scientist to develop wearable optical sensors and AI tools that help diagnose and manage inflammatory skin conditions like allergic contact dermatitis.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Career grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California-Irvine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Irvine, United States) |
| Project start | September 17, 2026 |
| Project end | July 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $149,810 |
| NIH project number | 1K08AR088238-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11437449 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with suspected or confirmed allergic contact dermatitis or other inflammatory skin diseases who could benefit from non-invasive optical monitoring.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without inflammatory skin conditions or those not suitable for wearable sensing may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
A physician-scientist at UCLA/UC Irvine will develop non-invasive optical methods combined with deep learning to detect skin inflammation. The project centers on allergic contact dermatitis as a model to translate new imaging biomarkers into clinical care. Over five years, the team will train as well as build and test wearable sensing approaches that could aid diagnosis and guide treatment decisions. The work aims to move from lab concepts to tools that clinicians can use at the point of care.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients with inflammatory skin diseases could receive faster, more accurate diagnoses and personalized management through non-invasive monitoring.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work in optical biomarkers and AI for skin conditions has shown promising results, with ongoing efforts translating to clinical tools.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California-Irvine
Irvine, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wongvibulsin, Shannon — University of California-Irvine
- Study coordinator: Wongvibulsin, Shannon
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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.