Skin Research Center

Yale Skin Diseases Research Core Center (YSDRCC)

YSDRCC consists of of a multidisciplinary, collaborative, group of 74 investigators (52 established independent investigators) representing 24 different departments/divisions at this institution. These investigators share a commitment to advancing understanding of the etiology and pathogenesis of skin diseases through investigation of both normal and pathologic structure and function of skin. The long range goal of the YSDRCC is to create an environment capable of greatly amplifying understanding of basic cutaneous biology and of a broad variety of skin diseases. To achieve that goal, the YSDRCC's aims are to:

• Stimulate new multidisciplinary interactions
• Stimulate new investigators to become involved in one or more areas of YSDRCC research
• Capitalize on potentially important and innovative research opportunities via interdisciplinary pilot/feasibility studies
• Organize time-consuming techniques, services and/or expensive reagents into cost-efficient core facilities used by multiple investigators
• Provide a rich training environment
• Foster national and international collaborations
• Facilitate the expansion of imaging capabilities at Yale to include multimodality imaging of skin in vivo

Research Activities

YSDRCC research activities center around two major themes:

• Immunobiology/Immunopathology/Vaccine Development with emphasis on both normal T cell : skin (including EC) interactions as well as those interactions in diseases involving atopic and contact dermatitis, lupus erythematosus, cutaneous T cell lymphoma and bacterial (strep, Borrelia), papillomavirus and helminth infections.
• Epidermal Biology/Photobiology including studies of normal keratinocyte, keratinocyte/mesenchymal interactions, gene therapy and carcinoma, as well as of normal melanocytes and melanoma.

Research Cores

Three Core units have been established to provide reagents and/or services to multiple YSDRCC investigators:

• SCID Mouse : Human Xenograft Core
• Cell Culture Core
• Tissue Acquisition & Analysis Core

Pilot/Feasability Program

The Pilot/Feasibility Program serves to enhance the development of new interdisciplinary skin-related investigation by preferentially funding projects involving substantive multidisciplinary collaboration between investigators with complementary interests.