Fleur Boone
Research assistant - Unit for Cellular and Molecular (Patho)physiology, Subunit Keratinocyte microenvironment lab, Inflammation Research Center, VIB-UGent
Principal investigators: prof. Geert van Loo (PhD) & prof. Esther Hoste (PhD)
Research focus
As the largest organ of the body, the skin has many important functions, including perception of sensory stimuli, temperature regulation and providing a protective barrier against external insults and dehydration.
Skin homeostasis is tightly regulated by the crosstalk between keratinocytes and their microenvironment, and defects in this intercellular communication may lead to multiple dermatological diseases, such as atopic dermatitis, psoriasis and skin cancer. In addition, this crosstalk is critical to repair the skin’s barrier function in case of injury. However, subsequent tissue regeneration can predispose tissues to cancer initiation.
Our team investigates the cellular and molecular interactions of different signal transduction pathways in health and disease in skin. Moreover, we aim to unravel the molecular pathways through which (auto)inflammation, cell death and fibrosis effect wound repair and tumor initiation.
Contact & links
- Lab address: Unit for Cellular and Molecular (Patho)physiology, Inflammation Research Center (VIB-UGent), Technologiepark 71, 9052 Gent-Zwijnaarde
- Keratinocyte microenvironment lab
- LinkedIn