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

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

Appointment Phone: 410-955-5933
601 N. Caroline St.
8th Floor
Baltimore, MD 21287 map

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

Nelson AM, Reddy SK, Ratliff TS, Hossain MZ, Katseff AS, Zhu AS, et al. 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

Vandiver AR, Irizarry RA, Hansen KD, Garza LA, Runarsson A, Li X, et al. Age and sun exposure-related widespread genomic blocks of hypomethylation in nonmalignant skin. Genome Biol. 2015;16:80. doi: 10.1186/s13059-015-0644-y. PubMed PMID: 25886480; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC4423110

Kim D, Hossain MZ, Nieves A, Gu L, Ratliff TS, Mi Oh S, et al. To Control Site-Specific Skin Gene Expression, Autocrine Mimics Paracrine Canonical Wnt Signaling and Is Activated Ectopically in Skin Disease. Am J Pathol. 2016;186(5):1140-50. Epub 2016/04/24. doi: 10.1016/j.ajpath.2015.12.030. PubMed PMID: 27105735

Zhu AS, Li A, Ratliff TS, Melsom M, Garza LA. After Skin Wounding, Noncoding dsRNA Coordinates Prostaglandins and Wnts to Promote Regeneration. J Invest Dermatol. 2017;137(7):1562-8. Epub 2017/04/11. doi: 10.1016/j.jid.2017.03.023. PubMed PMID: 28392344; PubMed Central PMCID: PMCPMC5483387

Zhou R, Wang G, Kim D, Kim S, Islam N, Chen R, et al. dsRNA sensing induces loss of cell identity. J Invest Dermatol. 2018. Epub 2018/08/19. doi: 10.1016/j.jid.2018.07.021. PubMed PMID: 30120933

Kim D, Chen R, Sheu M, Kim N, Kim S, Islam N, et al. Noncoding dsRNA induces retinoic acid synthesis to stimulate hair follicle regeneration via TLR3. Nature Communications. 2019;10(1):2811. doi: 10.1038/s41467-019-10811-y. PubMed PMID: 31243280; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6594970

Zhou R, Wang G, Kim D, Kim S, Islam N, Chen R, et al. dsRNA Sensing Induces Loss of Cell Identity. J Invest Dermatol. 2019;139(1):91-9. Epub 2018/08/19. doi: 10.1016/j.jid.2018.07.021. PubMed PMID: 30120933

Wang G, Sweren E, Liu H, Wier E, Alphonse MP, Chen R, et al. 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

Patents

Method for removing mercury and selenium from sulfate-containing waste water
Patent # 10,183,879 | 

Compositions and methods for promoting skin regeneration and hair growth
Patent # 10,105,305 | 

Methods and compositions for inhibiting or reducing hair loss, acne, rosacea, prostate cancer, and BPH
Patent # 9,889,082 | 

Methods and compositions for inhibiting or reducing hair loss, acne, rosacea, prostate cancer, and BPH
Patent # 9,254,293 | 

Hyperspectral imaging for detection of skin related conditions
Patent # 8,761,476 | 

Remote sensing system
Patent # 8,242,93 | 

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

  • Winter Eicosanoid conference NIEHS/NIH Travel Award for Young Investigators, 2011
  • Johnson-Beerman Basic Science Research Award, College of Physicians of Philadelphia, 2007
  • TAMS University of Michigan Medical Student Appreciation Award for Mentoring, 2005
  • University of Michigan Department of Dermatology Upjohn Resident Research Award, 2005
  • Michigan Dermatological Society Ralph Coskey Resident Research Award, 2005
  • North American Clinical Dermatologic Society Resident Clinical Research Award, 2005
  • National Young Investigator Award, Clinical Research AAD, 2005
  • Albert Kligman SID Travel Award, 2004

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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