Research Interests:
Skin microbiome; cutaneous host-microbe interactions; wound healing
Research Description:
The skin is a formidable barrier and the first line of defense against the external environment. The skin is also colonized with microbial communities, which we hypothesize have critical functions in cutaneous health and disease. These functions may include but are not limited to colonization resistance to block invasion by opportunistic or pathogenic microbiota and regulation of immunity and inflammation. Various cutaneous disorders and infections are hypothesized to in part result from dysregulation of microbiota-host interactions. The Grice lab applies a variety of different approaches, model systems, and human tissues and isolates to elucidate mechanisms regulating such interactions.
Currently, research in the laboratory is divided into the following focus areas:
(1) Skin microbiome regulation of epithelial defense
(2) Microbial regulation of tissue repair and inflammation in chronic wounds
(3) Skin microbiota-driven mechanisms of colonization resistance to pathogens
Selected Publications
Bae J, Campbell A, Hein M, Hillis SL, Grice E, Rakel BA, Gardner SE.: Relationship of opioid tolerance to patient and wound factors, and wound micro-environment in patients with open wounds. J Wound Care 34: S6-S16, Feb 2025.
Uberoi A, Murga-Garrido SM, Bhanap P, Campbell AE, Knight SAB, Wei M, Chan A, Senay T, Tegegne S, White EK, Sutter CH, Mesaros C, Sutter TR, Grice EA.: Commensal-derived tryptophan metabolites fortify the skin barrier: Insights from a 50-species gnotobiotic model of human skin microbiome. Cell Chem Biol 32(1): 111-125, Jan 2025.
Rau A, Leahr G, Del Pozo D, Hoffstad O, Chiesa Fuxench ZC, Grice E, Margolis DJ.: Atopic dermatitis: Association of maternal and child history of celiac disease and the child's development of atopic dermatitis. J Am Acad Dermatol S0190-9622(25)00178-1, 2025.
Chiesa Fuxench ZC, Mitra N, Grice E, Hoffstad O, Margolis DJ.: Is seborrhoeic dermatitis of infancy and childhood related to maternal history of seborrhoeic dermatitis? A large population-based cohort study from the UK. Br J Dermatol 192: 72-77, Dec 2024.
Barbieri JS, Ellenberg S, Grice E, Tierney A, VanderBeek SB, Papadopoulos M, Mason J, Mason A, Dattilo J, Margolis DJ.: Challenges in designing a randomized, double-blind noninferiority trial for treatment of acne: The SD-ACNE trial. Clin Trials Jul 2024.
White EK, Uberoi A, Pan JT, Ort JT, Campbell AE, Murga-Garrido SM, Harris JC, Bhanap P, Wei M, Robles NY, Gardner SE, Grice EA.: Alcaligenes faecalis corrects aberrant matrix metalloproteinase expression to promote reepithelialization of diabetic wounds. Sci Adv 10: eadj2020, Jun 2024.
Campbell A, Bae J, Hein M, Hillis SL, Rebeck ON, Rakel BA, Grice E, Gardner SE.: The heterogeneous wound microbiome varies with wound care pain, dressing type, and inflammatory gene expression. Wound Repair Regen Apr 2024.
Harris JC, Trigg NA, Goshu B, Yokoyama Y, Dohnalová L, White EK, Harman A, Murga-Garrido SM, Ting-Chun Pan J, Bhanap P, Thaiss CA, Grice EA, Conine CC, Kambayashi T.: The microbiota and T cells non-genetically modulate inherited phenotypes transgenerationally. Cell Rep 43: 114029, Apr 2024.
Cain CL, White E, Citron LE, Zheng Q, Morris DO, Grice EA, Bradley CW 2nd.: Longitudinal evaluation of the cutaneous and rectal microbiota of German shepherd dogs with perianal fistulas undergoing therapy with ciclosporin and ketoconazole. Vet Dermatol Apr 2024.
Wei M, Knight SA, Fazelinia H, Spruce L, Roof J, Chu E, Walsh J, Flowers L, Kim DY, Zhu J, Grice EA.: An exploration of mechanisms underlying Desemzia incerta colonization resistance to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus on the skin. mSphere 9: e0063623, March 2024.
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Last updated: 05/19/2025
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