Founding Director: Kristen Kelly, MD
Our Vision: Innovate in Skin Health
Skin is the largest organ of the body, our outermost surface, and our first line of defense against microorganisms, toxins, solar radiation and other harmful exposures. As we age, our skin thins and weakens, and cancer of the skin becomes the most common type of malignancy, particularly in sunny California. Skin diseases profoundly affect us as individuals because our skin is a defining feature that shapes how we are perceived and feel about ourselves.
Here at UC Irvine, we are world leaders in non-invasive skin imaging that is revolutionizing the diagnosis, treatment and monitoring of skin disease. Together, our scientists and clinicians are leading groundbreaking discoveries in skin inflammation and aging. Indeed, it is our unique collaboration of basic, translational and clinical skin scientists that positions UC Irvine at the forefront of developing the next generation of medications, technologies and treatments for dermatologic diseases.
The UC Irvine Interdisciplinary Skin Science Program is saving and changing lives by developing advanced treatment of psoriasis, atopic dermatitis (eczema), alopecia (hair loss), blistering diseases, chronic wounds, vitiligo, melasma, gynecologic skin conditions and skin cancers. It has been selected as one of 12 high-impact research programs that will be located in the Falling Leaves Foundation Medical Innovation Building.
In This New Facility
Our Competitive Advantage
Empowered by the distinctive One Health approach of UC Irvine Health Affairs that transcends disciplinary boundaries, the Interdisciplinary Skin Science Program Laboratory will comprise faculty and staff from the Susan & Henry Samueli College of Health Sciences which includes the schools of medicine, nursing, pharmacy & pharmaceutical sciences, population & public health and UCI Health, our regional healthcare delivery system partnered with the pioneering Susan Samueli Integrative Health Institute. With brilliant minds working together instead of in silos, our teams will push the boundaries of innovation and facilitate fundamental discoveries in science.
UC Irvine has one of only six National Institutes of Health funded Skin Disease Research Core Centers. This Center brings together scientists across the campus from medicine, biology, mathematics, computer science and engineering to investigate the biology and diseases of the skin. And at UC Irvine, our Center benefits from valuable collaborations with other centers on campus. Skin biologists are key players in the Cancer, Stem Cell and Cancer Systems Biology Centers and have natural synergies with these groups.
UC Irvine has built a community of skin researchers who have advanced our understanding of skin biology, propelling UC Irvine to national prominence. These advances include findings relevant to the control of hair follicles and other skin appendages; epidermal differentiation; epidermal stem cells; skin regeneration; wound healing; UV-induced DNA damage and early skin carcinogenesis; regulation of pigmentation; the pathogenesis and detection of pigmented lesions; as well as the pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment of vascular malformations.
Our program is nationally recognized for clinical trials in alopecia and vitiligo, as well as advances in light-based imaging and treatment, and for the study of and treatment development for inflammatory conditions, including psoriasis. We are national leaders in developing energy-based devices. The success of UC Irvine’s skin investigators coupled with the clinical trials expertise of our dermatologists provide a strong foundation for future growth in translational research.
Current Team
The Interdisciplinary Skin Science Program is comprised of over 20 highly interactive skin research faculty. Some of the investigators include:
Join Us in Making an Impact
We are seeking philanthropic partners to establish a home for the Interdisciplinary Skin Science Program in the Falling Leaves Foundation Medical Innovation Building, and to support our programmatic funding to achieve transformational discoveries.
