Luis Andres Garza, M.D., Ph.D.

Headshot of Luis Andres Garza
  • Professor of Dermatology
Male

Languages: English, Spanish

Expertise

Dermatology, Wound Healing

Research Interests

Skin Regeneration; Skin Stem Cells; and Wound Healing ...read more

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Insurance Information

Main Phone

Outside of Maryland & Washington D.C.

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International Patients

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Locations

Johns Hopkins Outpatient Center (now called Levi Watkins, Jr., M.D., Outpatient Center)

Appointment Phone: 410-955-5933
601 N. Caroline St.
8th Floor
Baltimore, MD 21287
Johns Hopkins Outpatient Center (now called Levi Watkins, Jr., M.D., Outpatient Center) - Google Maps

Background

Dr. Luis Andres Garza is a professor of dermatology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. His areas of clinical expertise include hidradenitis suppurativa, alopecia areata, and general dermatology.

Dr. Garza received his undergraduate degree in neurobiology from Cornell University. He earned his M.D. and Ph.D. together from the medical scientist training program at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. Dr. Garza completed his residency in dermatology at the University of Michigan and performed his fellowship in dermatology at the University of Pennsylvania. He joined the Johns Hopkins faculty in 2009.

In addition to treating patients, Dr. Garza runs a molecular biology laboratory that studies skin stem cells and wound healing with an emphasis on identifying the next generation of wound therapeutics and diagnostics.

...read more

Titles

  • Professor of Dermatology
  • Professor of Cell Biology
  • Professor of Oncology

Departments / Divisions

Education

Degrees

  • MD PhD; University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine (2001)

Residencies

  • Dermatology; University of Michigan Health System (2005)

Board Certifications

  • American Board of Dermatology (Dermatology) (2005)

Research & Publications

Research Summary

Dr. Garza runs a molecular biology laboratory that studies skin stem cells and wound healing with an emphasis on identifying the next generation of wound therapeutics and diagnostics. 

Please visit his lab at: Garza Lab Web Page – Learn about us and our work! (lgarzalab.com)

Lab

Our group is interested in investigating hypotheses on basic skin questions that are directly relevant to skin disease in humans. We hope that through rigorous hypothesis-driven research into skin biology, we will gain important insights that will directly improve patient care.

Our model system is the skin. To answer basic questions regarding stem cell biology and regeneration, we choose the skin because of its accessibility, the depth of current knowledge, and the complexity of epithelial/mesenchymal interactions in the context of relevant vasculature, nerves and hematopoietic cells.

The current focus of the lab is what controls and maintains skin identity. Regions of our skin are remarkably diverse in function and features. Despite constant cellular turnover, each area’s features are remarkably maintained. We study how, under normal conditions, identity is actively maintained and how it might be manipulated. We also study how, during wounding, skin identity is typically lost (i.e., scar), but in rare situations complete regeneration occurs.

Understanding these questions will have broad significance to regeneration and stem cell biology in multiple organs. Understanding wound healing programs that re-initiate embryonic developmental patterns might eventually lead to insights on how to trigger the re-growth of a severed human limb, for example.

Lab Website: Garza Laboratory

Clinical Trials

"Effects of Antibiotics and Acne on the Skin Microbiome"


"Feasibility Study for Fibroblast Autologous Skin Grafts"


"Timolol for the Treatment of Acne and Rosacea"

Selected Publications

Wang G, Sweren E, Andrews W, Li Y, Chen J, Xue Y, Wier E, Alphonse MP, Luo L, Miao Y, Chen R, Zeng D, Lee S, Li A, Dare E, Kim D, Archer NK, Reddy SK, Resar L, Hu Z, Grice EA, Kane MA, Garza LA. Commensal microbiome promotes hair follicle regeneration by inducing keratinocyte HIF-1α signaling and glutamine metabolism. Science advances. 2023;9(1):eabo7555. Epub 20230104. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.abo7555. PubMed PMID: 36598999.

Wang G, Sweren E, Liu H, Wier E, Alphonse MP, Chen R, Islam N, Li A, Xue Y, Chen J, Chen Y, Lee S, Wang Y, Wang S, Archer NK, Andrews W, Kane MA, Dare E, Reddy SK, Hu Z, Grice EA, Miller LS, Garza LA. Bacteria induce skin regeneration via IL-1β signaling. Cell Host & Microbe. 2021. Epub 2021/04/03. doi: 10.1016/j.chom.2021.03.003. PubMed PMID: 33798492.

Nelson AM, Reddy SK, Ratliff TS, Hossain MZ, Katseff AS, Zhu AS, Chang E, Resnik SR, Page C, Kim D, Whittam AJ, Miller LS, Garza LA. dsRNA Released by Tissue Damage Activates TLR3 to Drive Skin Regeneration. Cell Stem Cell. 2015;17(2):139-51. Epub 2015/08/09. doi: 10.1016/j.stem.2015.07.008. PubMed PMID: 26253200; PubMed Central PMCID: PMCPMC4529957.

Kim D, Chen R, Sheu M, Kim N, Kim S, Islam N, Wier EM, Wang G, Li A, Park A, Son W, Evans B, Yu V, Prizmic VP, Oh E, Wang Z, Yu J, Huang W, Archer NK, Hu Z, Clemetson N, Nelson AM, Chien A, Okoye GA, Miller LS, Ghiaur G, Kang S, Jones JW, Kane MA, Garza LA. Noncoding dsRNA induces retinoic acid synthesis to stimulate hair follicle regeneration via TLR3. Nature communications. 2019;10(1):2811. Epub 2019/06/28. doi: 10.1038/s41467-019-10811-y. PubMed PMID: 31243280; PubMed Central PMCID: PMCPMC6594970.

Patents

Methods for Using Autologous Fibroblasts to Alter Skin Identity
Patent # 20150110750 | 

Compositions and Methods for Promoting Skin Regeneration and Hair Growth
Patent # 20170056310 | 

Prodrugs of Itaconate and Methyl Itaconate
Patent # 20230028516 | 

Use of Itaconate and its Derivatives/Analogues to Induce Hair Growth
Patent # 20230025922 | 

Contact for Research Inquiries

Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
1550 Orleans Street
Suite 204 Koch CRBII
Baltimore, MD 21231 map
Phone: 410-955-8662
Fax: 410-614-0635

Activities & Honors

Honors

  • Daniel Nathans Scholar at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 2022
  • American Skin Association Research Achievement Award in Translational Research, 2022
  • Interurban Clinical Club Baltimore Counselor, 2022
  • Elected to American Society for Clinical Investigation (ASCI), 2023

Memberships

  • American Academy of Dermatology
  • Society for Investigative Dermatology

Videos & Media

Recent News Articles and Media Coverage

#TomorrowsDiscoveries: Healing by Regeneration, Johns Hopkins Medicine (May 20, 2016)

Scientists Grow New Hair In A Lab, But Don't Rush To Buy A Comb, NPR, October 21, 2013

What to Do If You're Going Bald, Men’s Health, May 15, 2013

A War on Baldness, Fought in the Follicle, The New York Times, July 28, 2012

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