Dr Riichiro Abe

Education

1988-1994 Hokkaido University School of Medicine

Degrees

1994 M.D., Hokkaido University School of Medicine

2001 Ph.D., Hokkaido University School of Medicine

Work Experience

1994-1998 Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine

1998-2000 Research fellow, Picower Institute for Medical Research, NY

2000-2002 Staff dermatologist, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine

2002-2007 Instructor, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine

2007-2010 Assistant Professor, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine

2010-2015 Associate Professor, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine

2015-present Professor and Chairman, Division of Dermatology, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences

License 

1994 Japanese Medical License Registration

2001 Specialist Certificate, Japanese Board of Dermatology, Japanese Dermatological Association

Professional Memberships

Japanese Society for Investigative Dermatology: Board of Directors

Japanese Dermatological Association

Society for Investigative Dermatology

Chief-in-Editor, Journal of Dermatological Sciences (2018-)

Awards:

2001 Poster award, The 63rd Annual Meeting of Society of Investigative Dermatology

2009 JSID's Fellowship SHISEIDO Award

2012 Japanese Society of Investigative Dermatology Award

2018 POLA PHARMA RISING STAR AWARD

Zhi Liu

? Louis Skinner Distinguished Professor of Dermatology, UNC-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC

? Director of Research, UNC-Chapel Hill, NC

? Tenured Professor, Department of Dermatology, Microbiology and Immunology, UNC-Chapel Hill, NC

My research interest has been focusing on the immunopathogenesis of the skin autoimmune blistering disease bullous pemphigoid (BP) using animal models. BP is an autoinflammatory subepidermal blistering disorder associated with IgG and IgE autoantibodies directed against the hemidesmosomal antigens BP180 and BP230 and an inflammatory infiltrate (predominant eosinophils and minor neutrophils). Our lab was the first to develop a mouse model for BP to establish the pathogenicity of anti-BP180 IgG antibody. In this model, rabbit anti-mouse BP180 IgG trigger neutrophil (no eosinophil) infiltration and BP blistering. Using this BP animal model, we have identified key players in disease development; however, this model cannot be used for studies of the disease mechanism with BP patient-derived autoantibodies due to the lack of cross-reactivity between human and mouse BP180 in the region harboring pathogenic epitopes (termed NC16A domain). To overcome this obstacle, we generated a humanized BP180NC16A mouse strain, in which the mBP180NC16A is replaced by the hBP180NC16A. Like the first BP animal model, anti-BP180 IgG autoantibodies induce neutrophil (no eosinophil) infiltration and neutrophil-dependent BP disease in NC16A mice. This IgG autoantibody-induced BP model enables us to study the role of different IgG subclasses (IgG1, IgG3, and IgG4) of anti-BP180 autoantibodies and neutrophils in BP. To determine whether anti-BP180 IgE autoantibodies are pathogenic we recently developed a double humanized mouse strain (termed hFcεRI/NC16A mice) expressing human NC16A domain and human IgE receptor FcεRI on eosinophils and mast cells. hFcεRI/NC16A mice injected with anti-NC16A IgE autoantibodies from BP patients develop BP skin disease that requires eosinophils. Our lab used genetically modified mouse models and identified that BP180 play an important role in barrier function, wound healing and inflammatory responses. Loss of BP180 functions also lead to accelerated melanoma progression and atopic dermatitis.

Majority of our research projects have been carried out by graduate students and postdoc fellows. For this application, I will provide my experience and expertise in skin autoimmunity and inflammation in mentoring students/postdocs.

Kenji Kabashima M.D., Ph.D.

Occupation:

1996-: Intern, United States Naval Hospital, Yokosuka

1997-: Resident, University of Washington, Department of Internal Medicine

1998-: Visiting Clinical Fellow, University of Washington, Department of Dermatology

1998-: Clinical Fellow, Department of Dermatology, Kyoto University

2003-: Assistant Professor, Department of Dermatology, Kyoto University

2003-: Research Associate, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, San Francisco

2005-: Associate Professor, Department of Dermatology, University of Occupational and Environmental Health

2008-: Associate Professor, Department of Dermatology, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine

2010-: Associate Professor, Department of Dermatology, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine

2015-: Professor and Chairman, Department of Dermatology, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine

2015-: Adjunct Principal Investigator, Singapore Immunology Network (SIgN)/Skin Research Institute of Singapore (SRIS), A*Star, Singapore

2017-: Senior Research Advisor, National Skin Centre, Singapore

Board of directors:

International League of Dermatological Societies

International Eczema Council

Japanese Dermatological Association

Japanese Society of Investigative Dermatology

Japanese Society of Inflammation and Regeneration

Japanese Society of Immunology

Editorial board members:

Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology

Scientific Reports

Journal of Investigative Dermatology

British Journal of Dermatology

Journal of European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology

Experimental Dermatology 

International Immunology

Education:

1996: Kyoto University, Faculty of Medicine (MD)

2003: Kyoto University, Faculty of Medicine (PhD)

Licensure:

1996: Medical Licensure in Japan

1996: USMLE step 1 

1996: USMLE step 2

1998: USMLE step 3

2003: Board Certification as Dermatologist in Japan

2015: Board Certification as Allergologist in Japan

Awards:

PhARF Award from European Allergy Society (2013)

Japanese Society for Investigative Dermatology (JSID) Award (2009)

Minami Award (Japanese Dermatological Association) 

11th Japanese Society for the Promotion of Science Prize

22nd Japanese Society for Immunology Award

Publications:

>700 peer reviewed English papers, h-index 69 (Scopus)