Clinical Research Directory

The Acquisition of Blood and Skin Samples From Normal Volunteers to Support Research Activities on Dermatologic Diseases

Background: -This protocol is concerned with the acquisition of blood, skin, or mucosal samples from healthy volunteers or patients with selected skin diseases to support the basic science and clinical research activities of the Dermatology Branch and other intramural Laboratories and Branches at the NIH Clinical Research Center. Objectives: (Primary) -To allow collection of blood, skin, or mucosal samples from healthy volunteers or patients with selected skin or systemic diseases as needed to support the research activities of our Branch and other Laboratories and Branches. Eligibility: * Healthy individuals (including employees and other patients) and patients with selected skin or other diseases, including individuals of both genders and all racial/ethnic groups. * Patient volunteers must be willing to undergo blood drawing and/or skin/mucosal biopsies. Design: -This is dependent upon the particular investigation for which these samples are needed.

Role of Angiogenesis in Dermatologic Diseases: A Potential Therapeutic Target

The researchers believe that pro-angiogenic factors are upregulated in a wide range of dermatologic diseases, including port wine stains, hemangiomas, angiofibromas, Kaposi's sarcoma, angiosarcoma, scars, rosacea, and psoriasis. Select specimens may undergo genetic analysis to investigate underlying molecular pathways associated with dysregulated angiogenesis in cutaneous disease. Biospecimens, either previously obtained or newly collected from dermatologic conditions, will be analyzed for angiogenic markers. Discarded skin tissue from surgical or biopsy procedures may also be used, including both diseased and non-diseased tissue from the same donor. Some specimens may also undergo genetic analysis to investigate underlying molecular pathways. De-identified data such as age, sex, race, cause of death, lesion location, and description will be recorded. Currently, specimens are limited to clinically diagnosed lesions not typically biopsied, or lesions already confirmed by prior biopsy.