Clinical Research Directory

Transdiagnostic Intervention to Reduce Internalized Health-Related Stigma

Stigma due to health conditions increases disease burden and adversely impacts health. The internalization of health-related stigma is associated with impaired mental health and quality of life. The current project will test the effects of a novel, transdiagnostic, group counseling intervention, and peer support, to determine the optimal method for helping patients cope with health-related stigma, reducing its internalization, and enhancing patient quality of life.

Dynamics of Dysbiosis in the Skin and Gut Microbiome of Burn Patients

This prospective observational cohort study aims to investigate the longitudinal changes in the skin and gut microbiome of burn patients after injury and compare them with healthy controls. Burn injuries are known to induce systemic physiological and immune responses that may lead to widespread microbial dysbiosis (microbial imbalance) beyond the injured site. However, the dynamics of microbial community changes in both burned and non-burned skin, as well as the gut, remain poorly understood. In this study, a total of 660 participants will be enrolled, including 600 burn patients and 60 healthy controls. For burn patients, skin swabs from burned scars and matched non-burned skin, stool samples, and physiological skin measurements will be collected at multiple time points (baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months, and 24 months). Healthy controls will provide skin and stool samples at baseline only. Microbial profiling will be performed using 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene sequencing, and functional prediction will be analyzed using Phylogenetic Investigation of Communities by Reconstruction of Unobserved States 2 (PICRUSt2). Physiological skin-barrier measurements, including transepidermal water loss (TEWL), hydration, pH, erythema, and elasticity, will be assessed using standardized instruments. Blood biomarkers, including C-reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), will also be measured. The findings of this study will improve our understanding of burn-related microbial dysbiosis, provide insights into microbiome-driven skin-barrier recovery, and inform potential therapeutic strategies for long-term burn care.

The Skin Microbiota in Skin Disease and Eczema

Background: The skin microbiota influence skin health in several skin diseases and atopic dermatitis (AD). Presence of Staphylococcus have been associated to a sever course of the disease. Objectives: The aim of the study is to investigate the influence of bacteria, and the skin microbiota on the inflammation and skin barrier. Moreover, dysbiosis in the microbiota, the inflammation profile, the skin barrier damage will be related to objective and patient oriented measures. Importance: Knowledge of interactions between host defense, skin barrier and bacterial colonizing skin can facilitate development of new prevention and treatment strategies to control microbial impact in skin diseases and eczema.