Molecular investigation of CCL5-hi chronic adult rashes (CCARs)

Grantee: Raymond Cho, Associate Professor, Dermatology, School of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, CA

Amount: DKK 3,330,056

Grant category: Research Grants in open competition

Year: 2020

Geography: USA

This project aims to characterize a newly identified type of persistent rashes which resemble both eczema and psoriasis, but which differ at the molecular level.

Initial single-cell genetic screening of relevant immune cells from the rashes has identified a strong overlap in their genetic profile – especially in the expression of two specific cytokines, CCL5 and IL32 – cytokines are substances that are secreted by certain cells of the immune system and have an effect on other cells. At the same time, the classical markers of both atopic dermatitis and psoriasis are absent, suggesting that these rashes indeed may represent a novel condition.

The project aims to further identify and substantiate the genetic profiling by studying a larger patient population and link this to dupilumab treatment outcomes in order to stratify and optimize the treatment options available for this patient population.

Protein aggregation in host defense and skin inflammation

Grantee: Artur Schmidtchen, Professor, Dermatology and Venereology, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University

Amount: DKK 2,100,000

Grant category: Research Grants in open competition

Year: 2020

Geography: Sweden

The primary goal of this project is to identify and characterize the ‘aggregatome’, which describes the complete and complex network of proteins that are involved in the specific mechanism where the body – via its immune system – protects itself e.g. from bacteria. Subsequently, the project will explore and define the roles of the ‘aggregatome’ in inflammatory skin diseases.

The ultimate goal is to obtain new and deeper understanding of diseases affected by protein aggregation and potentially identify biomarkers of diagnostic significance.

In vivo gene editing for genodermatoses

Grantee: Thomas Kocher, Postdoc, EB House Austria, Salzburg

Amount: DKK 1,389,845

Grant category: Research Grants in open competition

Year: 2020

Geography: Austria

The goal of this project is to evaluate the translational and therapeutic potential of two in vivo CRISPR/Cas9 delivery methods. CRISPR/Cas9 is a gene-editing technology that enables researchers to edit parts of the genome by removing, adding or altering sections of a specific DNA sequence. Although CRISPR/Cas-based technologies hold great promise as genome editing tools in many genetic diseases, its clinical application, especially in genodermatoses, remains a big challenge.

To challenge this hurdle, CRISPR/Cas9 molecules will be delivered into the skin of a suitable animal model via two application methods: laser microporation and gene gun bombardment. The first method uses a laser to make micropores into the skin to allow the CRISPR/Cas9 constructs to enter the outer skin barrier and subsequently the target skin cells. The second method uses a “gene gun”, where gold particles covered with CRISPR/Cas9 constructs are shot directly into the skin/cells.

These constructs can then restore genetic defects in e.g. epidermolysis bullosa (EB) – a genetic condition that results in easy blistering of the skin and mucous membranes – which is used in this project as a model, and potentially cure the disease.

The project will investigate the potential of these two delivery methods in a mouse model using grafted human skin equivalents from expanded recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB) patient-derived fibroblasts and keratinocytes. If either delivery method proves efficient, it may hold the potential for development of future treatments, or even cure, of genetic skin diseases.

Identification and biological basis of immunomodulation of skin inflammation by S. epidermidis

Grantee: Peter Arkwright, Senior Lecturer, The University of Manchester

Amount: DKK 4,369,423

Grant category: Research Grants in open competition

Year: 2020

Geography: United Kingdom

The ultimate goal of this project is to contribute to the development of new medicines to treat bacterially induced eczema.

The project is a continuation of previous work supported by the LEO Foundation on the impact of bacterial infection, specifically caused by Staphylococcus Aureus (S. Aureus), on eczema. Here, a single factor secreted by S. Aureus was identified as the primary causative agent for eczema development or flare-up. Furthermore, it was also found that the naturally occurring variant, S. Epidermidis, has an inhibitory effect on eczema-induction.

The objective of the present project is to further elaborate on the disease-preventing effect of S. Epidermidis. First, the team will identify any factor(s) secreted by S. Epidermidis that inhibits eczema and then confirm its role by knocking out any relevant gene(s). Finally, the effect of any identified factor(s) on S. Aureus-induced eczema will be studied.

Deciphering the Role of Non-Coding RNAs in Epidermal Carcinogenesis

Grantee: Andor Pivarcsi, Senior lecturer/Associate Professor, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology (IMBIM), Uppsala Universitet, Uppsala

Amount: DKK 4,164,300

Grant category: Research Grants in open competition

Year: 2020

Geography: Sweden

The goal of this project is to investigate the potential role of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs, RNA molecules, which do not function through coding for protein, but by regulating other genes) in the development of the most common form of skin cancer with metastatic potential – Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC). Such RNAs are known to be key regulators of multiple cellular functions, tissue development and homeostasis, but their role in SCC is not clear. Andor Pivarcsi and his team have identified a group of long non-coding RNAs that have altered expression in this disease. As these lncRNAs may prove to be key players both in the development of cutaneous cancers and in the maintenance of normal skin homeostasis, they now want to investigate their function.

Andor Pivarcsi and his team will do so by defining the role and mechanism of action of selected lncRNAs by a combination of methods, including inhibiting them with anti-sense oligonucleotides, that will effectively prevent their association with natural binding partners. The results will improve our understanding of long non-coding RNAs in cutaneous malignancies and may pave the way towards improved antisense oligonucleotide-based skin cancer therapy.

Andor Pivarcsi is a former LEO Foundation Silver Award Winner (2010).

Rapid Clinical Assessment of Skin Barrier Function by Corneocytes Nanotexture

Grantee: Edwin En-Te Hwu, Associate Professor, Technical University of Denmark

Amount: DKK 2,824,593

Grant category: Research Grants in open competition

Year: 2020

Geography: Denmark

The goal of this project is to develop a clinically applicable imaging method for evaluation of atopic dermatitis (AD) development, progression and impact of therapeutic intervention.

It is known that AD is closely linked to the status of the skin barrier and therefore Edwin En-Te Hwu and his team will utilize a newly developed biomarker for skin barrier function, the Dermal Texture Index. This index is based on the number of circular nano-objects found on corneocytes (skin cells in the outermost part of the epidermis) of the skin by atomic force microscopy (AFM). However, the current analytical setup is both costly and has a limited throughput which makes it less suitable in a clinical setting.

The team has recently developed a new AFM technique and now aims to develop ‘Dermal AFM’, which will allow a ten times higher throughput in a clinically applicable unit. The unit may also help facilitate the understanding of the biology behind the observed corneocyte nanostructures.

The project is a collaboration between Denmark, Netherlands and Taiwan headed by DTU Health Technology.

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Targeting Aberrant STAT3 Signaling in CTCL

Grantee: Sergei Koralov, Associate Professor, NYU Langone, NY

Amount: DKK 2,676,248

Grant category: Research Grants in open competition

Year: 2020

Geography: USA

The goal of this project is to elucidate the mechanism behind the beneficial effects of atovaquone, a well-tolerated anti-microbial drug, on the rare type of skin cancer – the T-cell lymphoma (CTCL). It is known that atovaquone inhibits malignant cells from growing and may induce cell death, but the precise mechanism(s) is not known.

Sergei Koralov and his team have previously developed an animal model of the CTCL disease and will use this along with cells from patients to investigate the effects of atovaquone. Specifically, they will look at how the drug affects the gene regulating protein STAT3 as hyperactivation of this has shown to be critically important in the development of cancerous T-cells.

Given the outstanding tolerability of atovaquone, it is believed that if its mode of action can be deciphered it may prove a powerful tool in the future for treatment of malignant and inflammatory diseases.

Unveiling AMBRA1 as a prognostic biomarker in in vivo pre-clinical models of cutaneous melanoma

Grantee: Daniela De Zio, Danish Cancer Society Research Center, Copenhagen

Amount: DKK 2,900,000

Grant category: Research Grants in open competition

Year: 2019

Geography: Denmark

The survival rate of patients with advanced melanoma has improved in recent years due to the clinical application of immune checkpoint inhibitors, as well as kinase inhibitors in BRAF/RAS-mutated melanoma cases.

However, melanoma remains a fatal diagnosis as a consequence of emerging resistance mechanisms and the absence of reliable biomarkers that identify high-risk tumour subsets, therefore impacting the stratification of these subsets for novel adjuvant therapies.

In the search for novel oncosuppressors that are altered in melanoma, we have found a promising candidate in the protein called AMBRA1. AMBRA1 has a fundamental role in the positive regulation of autophagy – a process which can elicit both pro- and anti-tumorigenic roles. Additionally, AMBRA1 finely modulates other crucial oncogenic processes, such as cell proliferation, cell invasion, and cell death.

Our preliminary research in a mouse model of melanoma has proven Ambra1 to be a crucial oncosuppressor, whose expression has been found highly altered in a number of human melanoma cells. Thus, by applying melanoma cell and mouse models in combination with systems biology approaches and state-of-the-art technologies, we aim to decipher the response of Ambra1-deficient melanomas to the current therapies.

Moreover, we will investigate the role of Ambra1 in regulating lipid metabolism in melanoma, which has recently been shown to profoundly affect its progression. Additionally, our aim is to assess the prognostic relevance of AMBRA1 in human cohorts of melanoma patients and understand whether AMBRA1 expression correlates with disease progression and whether it influences treatment.

Outcomes from this project will pave the way for novel clinical insight into the prognosis and treatment of melanoma patients.

This project is co-supported by a Young Investigator award from the Melanoma Research Alliance (MRA) in the USA of 224,500 USD (https://www.curemelanoma.org/research/grants/).

Heritability of dermoscopic patterns in melanocytic naevi; a twin study

Grantee: Emmanouil Chousakos, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens

Amount: DKK 40,400

Grant category: Research Grants in open competition

Year: 2019

Geography: Greece

It is of the utmost importance for diagnosing melanoma on an early stage to identify high risk population groups, which will subsequently receive special screening and follow-up for their melanocytic lesions.

Managing patients with multiple naevi, including atypical mole syndrome patients, can be challenging for the clinicians, despite the introduction of dermoscopy, digital dermoscopy mapping and full body imaging in the everyday clinical practice.

The goal of this study is to prove the heritability of the dermoscopic pattern of melanocytic naevi. Evidence of a strong relation between the genome and the dermoscopic, hence histopathological image can be the fundament of a comparative approach among members of the same family in terms of evaluating their melanocytic lesions and their malignant potential. With this approach we will be able to establish a familial profile of the lesions.

Thermal Imaging in dermatology – Creation of the first database for artificial intelligence-based diagnostics

Grantee: Professor Alexander Navarini, Department of Dermatology and Allergy, University Hospital Basel

Amount: DKK 1,180,760

Grant category: Research Grants in open competition

Year: 2019

Geography: Switzerland

Thermal imaging is an investigational tool whose advantages are undisputed in engineering, i.e. for the non-destructive testing of composite materials, or in the photovoltaic industry.

The technique consists in measuring and imaging the thermal radiation and to convert this information into temperature maps, or thermograms. Medical applications of thermal imaging exhibit great potential and the field is currently experiencing a renaissance. One reason is probably the recent dramatic improvements of infrared cameras that are now affordable and compact and can even be connected to smartphones.

This project aims to produce a full body thermal imaging scanner for patients to later use as a next generation diagnostic tool, coupled with a 360° 2- and 3-dimensional digital photography device.

Our goal is to create the first open access skin thermograms database, large enough to enable artificial intelligence analysis. Such a tool could be very useful for the quantification and potentially prediction of affected areas in different skin disease such as psoriasis and eczema.