# Northwestern University Skin Biology and Diseases Resource-based Center

> **NIH NIH P30** · NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $774,889

## Abstract

Northwestern University (NU) is recognized for its strong interdisciplinary cutaneous biology research program
with particular strength in investigations related to epidermal structure and function. Leveraging this strength,
the theme of the NU Skin Biology and Disease Resource Center (SBDRC) is the “Keratinocyte and its
Microenviroment”, with its goal to promote outstanding translational research. The NU SBDRC, with its 41
Senior Bench members, 11 Junior Bench members and 12 Collaborating Clinical Associate members,
encompasses 13 University departments and 5 divisions within the Department of Medicine. Information
generated through the SBDRC will ultimately improve patient care. To accomplish this goal, the SBDRC has
the following Cores: (i) Administrative (Admin); (ii) Skin Tissue Engineering and Morphology (STEM); (iii)
Translational and Experimental Skin Testing and Immune Tracing (TEST IT); and (iv) Gene Editing,
Transduction and Nanotechnology (GET iN). The Admin Core encourages collaboration among the SBDRC
Senior and Junior Bench Research members, as well as with the Collaborating Clinical Associate members
through its Enrichment Program. Within the Enrichment Program, the SBDRC will support its Pilot and
Feasibility (P&F) Program, which will extend cutaneous research in new directions and be a source of new
SBDRC members from the NU community. The Admin Core will feature its Minority and Sex Awareness (MSA)
Program, which promotes research to elucidate the differences in skin based on sex and skin color. The STEM
Core will provide: (i) normal keratinocytes, fibroblasts, and melanocytes, cells from patient lesional skin, and
induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, including an extensive cell bank; (ii) 3D organotypic cultures of human
and mouse epidermis; (iii) keratinocyte co-cultures, including with immune cells and nerves; and (iv) an
extensive array of morphogenetic processing services. The TEST IT Core focuses on the important
relationship between keratinocytes and the skin immune system, and provides instrumentation and
immunological assay services, as well as the unique opportunity for human testing in a controlled environment.
The GET iN Core will generate: (i) lentiviral and retroviral constructs to overexpress or silence genes and to
express reporters in skin cells; (ii) viruses for generating and differentiating iPSCs; (iii) CRISPR/Cas constructs
for introduction into keratinocytes; (iv) nonviral approaches for delivering CAS9 and guide RNAs; and (v) a
variety of other nonviral delivery techniques using nanotechnology (spherical nucleic acids/SNAs, high density
lipoprotein/HDL-like nanoparticles) and Nanofountain Probe-based Electroporation. STEM, TEST IT and GET
iN cores interdigitate with each other and other university cores, provide education through training and
interpretation of results, and have strong translational components. The NU SBDRC is ideally positioned to
provide users with opportunities to take their basic find...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9999400
- **Project number:** 5P30AR075049-02
- **Recipient organization:** NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Amy S Paller
- **Activity code:** P30 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $774,889
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-08-20 → 2024-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9999400

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9999400, Northwestern University Skin Biology and Diseases Resource-based Center (5P30AR075049-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-21 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9999400. Licensed CC0.

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