The goal of the Choi Lab is to develop novel therapies for immune-related diseases by engineering novel solutions. To accomplish this, we first utilize high-dimensional approaches on human disease to identify targetable disease-promoting molecular defects. Second, we utilize engineering approaches to reverse these molecular changes.
The goal is to translate these findings to first-in-human clinical trials.
Our group initially investigated a novel immune checkpoint inhibitor targeting a rare heparan sulfate (rHS) in melanoma treatment. Collaboratively, we explored the potential of a single-domain humanized rHS antibody (1A7 clone) that inhibits DC-HIL function and also angiogenesis and chemokine effects linked to diverse cancer progression signaling pathways. This experience provided insights into rHS-targeting as a promising approach to melanoma therapy.
The Nanes Lab investigates how the keratin intermediate filament cytoskeleton organizes cell regulatory circuits during skin development, wound healing, and cancer.
The Gill lab studies the molecular and metabolic pathways that influence melanoma progression and metastasis.
Our research focuses on how the conserved signaling pathways that underlie normal skin development are altered during the development of non-melanoma skin cancers and inflammatory skin disease.
The Glass lab focuses on how genes regulate skin development and function by studying how gene mutations or abnormal gene expression lead to skin disease.
Our focus is on gaining a greater understanding of how bacteria on the skin surface affect skin health and diseases.
