Towards novel pemphigoid treatments
The pemphigoids make up a series of autoimmune diseases of the skin. There is a lack of knowledge concerning the pathology of these conditions and the EC-funded PEMPHIGOIDS & IMMUNITY project focused on addressing this shortfall. Project partners concentrated on the understanding of the skin's basement membrane and its molecular links to a variety of components. The University of Geneva worked on improving our understanding of basic biological processes to better explain disease mechanisms such as blistering of the skin. Researchers carried out studies on hemidesmosomes, junctional adhesion complexes, which play a role in epithelial-stromal cohesion. It has been established that genetic mutations in the sequences encoding for hemidesmosomes and a variety of related components are linked to the onset of pemphigoids. The emerging information is pivotal in the development of tailored genetic or compound-based treatment for pemphigoids. The University of Geneva is keen to form suitable linkages with biotechnology companies or research institutes, with expertise in the field of recombinant protein production and/or autoimmune disease.
