Basal cell carcinoma
BCC is the world’s most common cancer, with nearly 5 million new cases diagnosed each year. Our research has identified stem cells in the skin that give rise to BCC and uncovered a neural niche for a subset of tumors. Recent findings from our lab have deduced genetic factors that govern tumor progression and modulate drug response.
Sebaceous glands
Sebaceous glands secrete oils that protect our skin. Studies from our group have mapped the cellular architecture of these structures and identified signals that control sebaceous gland stem cells. Abnormalities in these glands contribute to skin conditions such as acne.
Hair Regeneration
Our interest in hair biology began when our group identified a novel protein, Keratin 79 (K79), in the upper hair follicle. Our work has now shown that K79+ cells are the earliest terminally differentiated cells to form in developing hairs (below, red) and that defects in K79 lead to abnormal sebaceous glands in the skin and loss of meibomian glands from the eyelid. Meibomian gland dysfunction is the underlying cause of dry eye disease, the most common ocular disorder.
The Wong Lab @ The University of Michigan 