Chisholm Lab
Principal Investigator: Andrew D Chisholm
Institution: University of California San Diego (La Jolla, CA)
Primary Subfield: Molecular & Cell Bio
Recruitment Status: ✅ Hiring Postdocs
Research Focus
Summary The skin is a complex organ composed of multiple cell types and complex extracellular matrices that together shape organismal morphology, provide permeability barrier functions, and defend organisms against biotic and abiotic challenges. This research program explores how specific molecules function in patterning, morphogenesis, and maintenance of the skin. The system of choice is the nematode C. elegans, a relatively simple and tractable model for animal skin biology. The C. elegans skin comprises a simple epidermal epithelium (‘hypodermis’) and its associated basal and apical extracellular matrices. The skin can respond to injury via a cascade of injury- triggered signals leading to cytoskeletal reorganization, innate immune responses, and permeability barrier repair. Proposed studies will use a combination of molecular genetics, advanced imaging, and biochemistry to address key unanswered questions in epidermal biology, such as the patterning of the epidermal apical extracellular matrix, the nature of the skin permeability barrier, and the roles of extracellular vesicles in skin morphogenesis. Results will shed light on fundamental aspects of the biology of barrier epith…
Active NIH Awards
- 1R35GM163671-01: Morphogenesis and Maintenance of the Epidermis (2026)
- 5R35GM134970-05: Maintenance and Repair of the C. elegans Skin (2024)
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