Basic Science Research

Basic science research at Johns Hopkins Dermatology is focused on answering questions about the skin's basic building blocks in order to better understand how to diagnose disease and customize treatments to individuals.

Doctor working in lab.

Our Labs

The Alphonse Laboratory

The Alphonse Laboratory goal is to understand the immune responses in skin diseases and to develop biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets. The laboratory research focuses on inflammasome biology, caspase signaling, and immune metabolism in inflammatory skin diseases, including S. aureus skin infections, atopic dermatitis, and psoriasis.

The Archer Laboratory

The Archer Laboratory's 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.

The Garza Laboratory

The Garza Laboratory is conducting new research on hypotheses on basic skin questions that are directly relevant to skin disease in humans. Dr. Luis Garza and his laboratory staff are exploring how stem cell regeneration impacts wound healing, among other projects. 

The Kwatra Laboratory

Focus of the Kwatra Laboratory is on pruritic and inflammatory skin conditions in diverse patient populations, and the mechanisms by which these conditions affect patients. The team employs a patient focused approach utilizing collection of clinically curated skin biopsies, blood samples, and microbiome specimens.


Healing by Regeneration | Luis Garza, M.D., Ph.D.

Dermatologist Luis Garza is working to reactivate the codes that allowed our cells to build our organs. Harnessing this code as adults could change typical healing from scarring to regeneration.