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Harnessing Postbiotics to Target Intracellular Pathogens in Hidradenitis Suppurativa

Award Number: F30AI202839
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY & INFECTIOUS DISEASES
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: FELLOWSHIP/SCHOLARSHIP/STUDENT LOANS
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 02/19/2027
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 02/18/2028

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Harnessing Postbiotics to Target Intracellular Pathogens in Hidradenitis Suppurativa - Project Summary Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic inflammatory skin condition characterized by painful skin lesions with an immense morbidity burden. HS afflicts 1 to 4% of Americans. There is no cure, and even with new treatment advances, about half of the individuals living with HS experience relapse. Unfortunately, the lack of knowledge regarding the cause of HS and the origins of chronic skin inflammation impedes effective therapies. Microbial dysbiosis is a major hallmark of HS and consists of a shift from benign commensal bacteria to Gram- negative anaerobic pathogens. Our group previously identified that chronic skin conditions with unresolved inflammation can harbor intracellular pathogenic bacteria that active immune signaling and destroy the skin barrier. Additionally, we discovered that applying non-viable commensal lactobacilli bacteria (lactobacilli postbiotic therapy, LPT) kills intracellular methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and strengthens the skin barrier. We used RNAseq analysis of HS tissue samples (n=22) to determine significant dysregulation of two immune processes that may be modulated by intracellular bacteria to support chronic HS inflammation: the inflammasome pathway and epidermal barrier functions. Like in chronic inflammatory skin conditions, we hypothesized that LPT will reduce intracellular bacteria, suppressing inflammasome activity and restoring barrier functions. Thus, the goal of this proposal is to evaluate the protective and therapeutic effects of LPT, against intracellular bacteria isolates from HS (Aim 1), and epidermal barrier functions in HS (Aim 2). We will use a patient-centered approach including an existing biobank of HS tissue, cells, and bacterial isolates, a 3D organotypic HS model, and a human skin ex vivo infection model. This will enable the first study of LPT for intracellular pathogens for the prevention and treatment of HS. Treatment with non-viable lactobacilli may represent a broadly-applicable approach to target the microbiome in other dysbiosis-associated immunologic diseases. This fellowship proposal provides a tailored training opportunity in precision medicine, integrative skin microbiology, human models of skin disease, and bridging discovery to therapy towards career development as a physician-scientist in the immunodermatology field.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2026 ( Subtotal = $55,114 )
2026	2026	UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI	1320 S DIXIE HWY STE 1200	CORAL GABLES	FL	33146	MIAMI-DADE	USA	Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research	000	1	8/20/2026	NEW	$55,114
														Subtotal = $55,114

Grand Total All Awards = $55,114

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Harnessing Postbiotics to Target Intracellular Pathogens in Hidradenitis Suppurativa

Award Number: F30AI202839

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY & INFECTIOUS DISEASES

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: FELLOWSHIP/SCHOLARSHIP/STUDENT LOANS

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 02/19/2027

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 02/18/2028

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