Richard Gallo

Richard L. Gallo M.D., Ph.D. is Professor and Chief of Dermatology at the University of California, San Diego and Chief of Dermatology at the VA San Diego Healthcare System. His notable research accomplishments as a physician-scientist include discovery of antimicrobial peptides in mammalian skin and establishing new links between innate immunity and skin diseases such as atopic dermatitis and rosacea.

Research

Dr. Gallo studies how humans interact with the environment and protect themselves from infection. He discovered that cathelicidin antimicrobial peptides AKA [Cathelicidins] are present during wound repair.^[1] Subsequent work from his laboratory used molecular techniques to produce a knock out mouse that has shown how cathelicidin antimicrobials protect against infection in several organs including the skin.^[2] By using a wide variety of biochemical and genetic tools his work has also shown that other antimicrobial peptides and elements of innate immunity such as Toll-like receptors and Hyaluronan influence human health. His work has translated into a new understanding of the cause of rosacea, a finding with immediate therapeutic implications. Most recently his research has defined biochemical mechanisms through which Vitamin D and the normal skin microflora can control immune responses. These latest findings have advanced understanding of the Hygiene hypothesis and Rosacea.

Several Press Releases and Scientific publications have reported his discoveries. ^{[3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10]}

References