Study of Immune responses in inflammatory skin diseases

Research summary

Inflammatory skin diseases account for an enormous physical and psychological burden. Although there have been tremendous improvements in the range of available treatments, there remains a major unmet medical need, not least of all because the majority of the advances are only approved for those with the most severe forms of disease. The other 80-90% of affected individuals are largely unable to benefit. Here, we aim to study the immune responses which are involved in driving skin inflammation. Specifically, we are interested in a family of immune cells (‘T cells’) which are important for defence against infections. However, it is now clear that T cells can also contribute to skin inflammation, but the underlying mechanisms are far from understood. We know little of what the T cells are responding to and how their activity can drive inflammatory disease. In the study, we will investigate and obtain T cells and related immune cells from the blood and skin of patients with inflammatory skin diseases and study their functions in great detail. We will utilise our experience in these approaches to progress our knowledge and enable the wider scientific and clinical community. It is only by understanding such processes, that we will develop new approaches to treat skin inflammation

Principal Investigator

Prof Graham S Ogg

Contact us

Email: melanie.westmoreland@ouh.nhs.uk

IRAS number

353044