Grant: Travel Awards - Institute Community Support

Each year, 14 million people suffer severe skin injuries including burns, trauma, or chronic wounds in North America - resulting in permanent disfigurement, chronic disability, intractable pain, and fatal infections. The estimated annual cost of wound care in Canada is $3.9 billion and is expected to rise due to our aging population, as the elderly have a significantly higher prevalence of skin disease. It is estimated that one-third of individuals over the age of 65 are afflicted with a skin disorder worthy of medical attention. Hence, innovative treatments designed to prevent age-related skin dysfunction and enhance dermal regeneration is of utmost importance. Fittingly, our lab has identified two stem cell populations residing within the dermis - which hold natural abilities to regenerate components of the hair follicle and generate new cells in the dermis after injury. These stem cells hold immense potential to be employed for skin regeneration and improving dermal function in aged tissue. My project takes three unique approaches to investigate how the dermal stem cell populations are impacted by advanced age. 1) Utilize high-resolution imaging techniques on the skin from young and old transgenic mice to determine how aging affects stem cell function and identify drug-targetable signaling pathways to reverse these dysfunctions. 2) Employ cutting-edge single-cell gene expression analysis to understand how advanced age impacts dermal progenitor response to injury. 3) Study a mouse model of premature aging to understand how DNA damage contributes to stem cell dysfunction. My goal is to understand how dermal stem cell populations are affected by advanced age, to devise strategies for activating or rejuvenating these cells to promote tissue regeneration and improved skin wound healing in the elderly.