Research Summary
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 |
Patient Ratings & Comments
The Patient Rating score is an average of all responses to physician related questions on the national CG-CAHPS Medical Practice patient experience survey through Press Ganey. Responses are measured on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the best score. Comments are also gathered from our CG-CAHPS Medical Practice Survey through Press Ganey and displayed in their entirety. Patients are de-identified for confidentiality and patient privacy.