“New directions in science are launched by new tools much more often than by new concepts.” -Freeman J. Dyson
Over the past five years, there has been a revolution in the availability of human tissues and in the scientific techniques available for their study.
· Cutting-edge techniques are now available that allow imaging, protein expression and gene expression analyses on formalin fixed, paraffin embedded tissues, the most common way of preserving skin biopsies taken in the course of clinical care and for research studies.
· Sophisticated biobanks have been assembled that allow access to living, highly validated patients as well as banked, archived skin specimens, searchable by diagnoses.
· However, these sophisticated technologies and biobanks are only available in the largest academic medical centers and they require specialized support and reagents in order to use them successfully.
Objective of the Center: To enable access to cutting-edge biobanks and technologies to any researcher at any institution who wishes to carry out human skin disease research using human cells and tissues with the goal of accelerating human skin disease research. Additionally, the Center aims to support and mentor people of color and other underrepresented individuals in science and medicine.
Center Leadership
Rachael Clark, MD, PhD
Center Director
Department of Dermatology
Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Harvard Medical School
Thomas Kupper, MD
Associate Center Director
Chairman of Dermatology
Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Harvard Medical School
The Human Tissues Biobank Core
Jon Aster, MD, PhD
Director, Biobank Core
Department of Pathology
Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Harvard Medical School
Elizabeth Karlson, MD
Associate Director, Biobank Core
Department of Rheumatology
Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Harvard Medical School
The Single Cell and Immunoanalysis Core
James Lederer, PhD
Director, Single Cell and Immunoanalysis Core
Department of Surgery
Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Harvard Medical School
Kevin Wei, MD, PhD
Associate Director, Single Cell and Immunoanalysis Core
Department of Rheumatology
Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Harvard Medical School
The Next Generation Tissue Analysis and Imaging Core
Ajit Nirmal, PhD
Director, Next Generation Tissue Analysis and Imaging Core
Department of Dermatology
Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Harvard Medical School
The Diversity Committee
Sotonye Imadojemu, MD
Co-Leader, Diversity Committee
Department of Dermatology
Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Harvard Medical School
Deborah Scott, MD
Co-Leader, Diversity Committee
Department of Dermatology
Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Harvard Medical School
