Project Grant K99AR087549

Award Summary

The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) awarded a Project Grant totaling $101,414 to The Regents of the University of Colorado–Denver under the Arthritis, Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.846). The award, effective July 2, 2026, through June 30, 2028, supports basic research investigating the role of the skin commensal bacterium Micrococcus luteus in immune signaling and skin health. The research seeks to understand how skin commensals can prevent infections by pathogenic Staphylococcus aureus and improve skin health outcomes, with specific focus on blocking T helper 2 (Th2)-mediated signaling in skin epithelial cells and characterizing antimicrobial compounds produced by M. luteus strains.

This investigation addresses the underlying mechanisms of atopic dermatitis (eczema), a condition affecting 10–30% of children and characterized by skin damage, infections, and reduced quality of life. By elucidating how protective skin commensals modulate host immune responses and inhibit pathogen virulence, the research will inform development of novel preventive and therapeutic strategies beyond current FDA-approved monoclonal antibody treatments. The project builds on the investigator's prior postdoctoral work on S. aureus colonization mechanisms and represents a transition to independent research on commensal-mediated skin immunity at the University of Colorado's Aurora, Colorado campus.