Research:

Keywords: bacteria, dermatology, innate/adaptive responses, inflammation, allergic disease, immunotherapy, Staphylococcus aureus

Research Activities

Our lab seeks to understand the immune mechanisms that protect against skin pathogens and promote inflammatory skin diseases, which can serve as targets for the development of novel immune-based therapeutics.

Summary of Research Program

Our goal is to understand mechanisms of protective innate and adaptive immune responses to skin pathogens and the role of aberrant immune responses and the skin microbiome in the pathogenesis of inflammatory skin diseases, including atopic dermatitis and psoriasis. We have made discoveries involving Toll-like receptors (TLRs), IL-1 family cytokines, inflammasome responses, and the role of different T cell subsets (especially IL-17-producing T cells). We are currently investigating the protective immunity to Staphylococcus aureus, which is the most common human bacterial skin pathogen. This area of research is highly significant since S. aureus infections represent a major public health threat due to the widespread emergence of virulent community-acquired methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) strains. In our work involving pathogenic immune mechanisms and dysbiosis of the skin microbiome in contributing to skin inflammation and allergic disease, we have made key discoveries involving the role of IL-36, MyD88-signaling, and STAT3-signaling. Our long-term goal is to discover mechanisms that can serve as targets for future immune-based therapies and vaccination strategies.

Publications and Interests: https://jhu.pure.elsevier.com/en/persons/nathan-archer