Congratulations to:
Dr. Aziz Ghahary (Plastic Surgery), Dr. K. McElwee (Department of Dermatology) and Dr. R. Jalili have recently received a 5 year grant from the Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR).
This team of researchers proposed to use dermal fibroblasts expressing IDO, a tryptophan-degrading enzyme, in preventing the progression of autoimmune diseases such as Alopecia Areata in which hair follicles are attacked by the immune system. They provided compelling evidence that IDO expressing dermal fibroblasts serve as immuno- regulatory cells prevent host’s antigen presenting cells from being activated against auto-antigens in autoimmune diseases. These investigators hope to use skin cells as a therapeutic modality in preventing any inflammation in general and particularly the progression of autoimmune diseases such as and alopecia areata and type I diabetes.
posted : 2014-July-29