Basic & Clinical Research
As an academic department, we contribute to the future of the dermatology specialty by actively participating in the investigation of normal biological functions of the skin, as well as pathomechanisms and therapeutics of various skin diseases. Our faculty members are currently supported by research grants and awards from the National Institutes of Health, the Dermatology Foundation, other extramural research funding agencies, and departmental endowed research funds.
For details of currently active research programs, please click the links of the individual investigators below.
For details of departmental endowed research funds, please view the Endowments section.
For details of research outcomes, please view the Publications and Faculty sections.
Dr. Xu’s Research
Major Topics:
I. Neutrophil Migration and Function: This topic is currently supported by an independent research grant (R01) from the National Institutes of Health.
II. Angiogenesis:
Dr. Xu’s Publications in These Areas
Dr. Xu’s publications are depicted below, starting from the most recent papers:
Bidirectional regulation of neutrophil migration by mitogen-activated protein kinases.
Nat Immunol. 2012 Mar 25. doi: 10.1038/ni.2258. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 22447027[PubMed – as supplied by publisher]
Akt isoforms differentially regulate neutrophil functions.
Chen J, Tang H, Hay N, Xu J, Ye RD.
Blood. 2010 May 27;115(21):4237-46. Epub 2010 Mar 23.
PMID:20332370 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]
Di A, Kawamura T, Gao XP, Tang H, Berdyshev E, Vogel SM, Zhao YY, Sharma T, Bachmaier K, Xu J, Malik AB.
J Biol Chem. 2010 May 21;285(21):15848-57. Epub 2010 Mar 18.
PMID:20299461[PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]
Xu J, Gao XP, Ramchandran R, Zhao YY, Vogel SM, Malik AB.
Nat Immunol. 2008 Aug;9(8):880-6. Epub 2008 Jun 29.
PMID:18587400 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]
Polarity reveals intrinsic cell chirality.
Xu J, Van Keymeulen A, Wakida NM, Carlton P, Berns MW, Bourne HR.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2007 May 29;104(22):9296-300. Epub 2007 May 17.
PMID:17517645 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]
Neutrophil microtubules suppress polarity and enhance directional migration.
Xu J, Wang F, Van Keymeulen A, Rentel M, Bourne HR.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2005 May 10;102(19):6884-9. Epub 2005 Apr 28.
PMID:15860582 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]
Divergent signals and cytoskeletal assemblies regulate self-organizing polarity in neutrophils.
Xu J, Wang F, Van Keymeulen A, Herzmark P, Straight A, Kelly K, Takuwa Y, Sugimoto N, Mitchison T, Bourne HR.
Cell. 2003 Jul 25;114(2):201-14.
PMID:12887922 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]
Dr. Chan’s Research
Major Topics:
I. Pathogenesis of Atopic Dermatitis: Using a mouse model of atopic dermatitis that was induced by transgenically expressed interleukin-4 at the basal epidermis, Dr. Chan attempts to analyze contributions of the various immune components in the initiation and progression of the skin inflammation in atopic dermatitis.
II. Role of Microvascular Angiogenesis in Skin Inflammation: The findings of dermal microvascular angiogenesis in the interleukin-4-transgenic mouse model excite the interests of investigation into the roles of angiogenesis in the skin inflammation in general and in the pathogenesis of atopic dermatits in particular.
Link to Dr. Chan’s publications in these research areas