Memory ILC2s in atopic dermatitis
Grantee: Itziar Martinez Gonzalez, Assistant Professor, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden
Amount: DKK 3,753,750
Grant category: Research Grants in open competition
Year: 2025
Geography: Sweden
Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common skin condition, characterized by itchy, inflamed skin. Identifying the allergens that trigger AD can be challenging, suggesting that allergen independent immune mechanisms are at play in AD. One key player in non-specific immune responses is a type of lymphocyte called ILC2. I discovered that ILC2s in human skin can remember previous activations and induce a more severe inflammation upon subsequent triggers. Memory ILC2s could be important in triggering the recurrent flare-ups seen in AD. Now, I aim to understand how memory ILC2s contribute to AD by studying how they are regulated at the cellular level and how they interact with their environment in the skin. We will also investigate if memory ILC2s play a role in the development of other allergic diseases associated with AD, like asthma. By studying how memory ILC2s function in AD, we hope to identify new ways to treat this chronic and often debilitating condition.
Unraveling Skin Origins: Developing In Utero Gene Manipulation Tools to Decipher Ectoderm and Mesoderm Contributions to Skin Health and Disease
Grantee: Emma Andersson, Associate Professor, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden
Amount: DKK 3,990,001
Grant category: Research Grants in open competition
Year: 2025
Geography: Sweden
The versatile and complex functions of skin depend on its intricate structure, which comes from different cell origins during embryonic development. Despite its importance, we know little about how these origins shape skin health and disease across the body, partly because existing tools for studying skin are slow, expensive, and use many animals. Our project aims to solve this by developing a fast and efficient way to study skin in different parts of the body, using a technique called in utero nano-injection, in mice. This method lets us precisely target and modify skin cells in developing mouse embryos, focusing on key regions like facial skin and body dermis. By creating new tools to study deeper cell layers in detail, we can uncover how they work in normal conditions and diseases. This breakthrough would save time, reduce animal use, and open new doors for understanding and treating skin disorders.