The UConn Center on Aging in collaboration with The Jackson Laboratory is recruiting volunteers for the study, ‘Skin Immunity
as a Function of Frailty, Aging, and Skin Microbiome Composition’.
To be Eligible:
- Currently residing in the community
- Men or Women between the ages of 20-40 years and 60 years or older.
- No presence of inflammation of visible skin or lesions at sites of planned samplin
- No tape or adhesive allergiesNo individuals who have been on antibiotics/antifungals (specifically antimicrobials, either oral or topical) or high dose
steroids within the month before sampling (≥ 10 mg/day of prednisone or equivalent) - No history of Keloids (a type of raised scar that occurs when there is an overgrowth of scar tissue at the site of skin injury)
- No current psoriasis flare up
- Not currently immunosuppressed
- No terminal illness (anyone on Palliative or Hospice Care)
- No severe, potentially confounding illnesses (e.g., diabetes requiring insulin, renal failure on dialysis, severe autoimmune
disease requiring biological therapy) - Must not be pregnant
Be willing to:
- Attend 2 study visits at UConn Center on Aging. Visits 1 and 2 will occur on consecutive days.
- Not shower or bathe 24 hours prior to your visit and 24 hours after your visit (while micropatches are on)
- Refrain from using any topical medicated creams or lotions 7 days prior to your visit
- Answer questions about your medical history and skin health.
- Allow research staff to measure physical properties of your skin (like hydration and oiliness) using a
specialized instrument. - Allow research staff to collect skin swabs on 7 areas of your body (cheek, torso, back, inner elbow, palm of hand,
thigh, and toe web of foot). - Allow research staff to place small patches that have very tiny projections (called micropatches) on the same 7 skin sites
that were swabbed and wear for 20 minutes during your visit (the patches are about the size of a pencil eraser head for
toe web of foot and the size of a nickel for the other 6 skin sites). - After wearing the micropatches for 20 minutes, allow research staff to remove them and then place a 2nd set of
micropatches adjacent to the same 7 skin sites where the 1st set of micropatches were placed which are to be worn
for up to 24 hours for the collection of interstitial fluid. - Allow research staff to photograph 7 skin sites at each study visit to document the skin before and after the
micropatches are applied as well as before and after the micropatches are removed. - Return to the UConn Center on Aging within 24 hours for removal of the micropatches by research staff and complete
a short survey about your experiences wearing the micropatches.
Volunteers will be reimbursed for their participation: $25 Visa gift card for Visit 1 and $50 Visa gift card for Visit 2
This study is being conducted under the direction of Julie Robison, PhD, George Kuchel, MD, and Patrick Coll, MD from
UConn Health as well as Julia Oh, PhD, from Duke University, Sasan Jalili, PhD, and Karolina Palucka, MD, PhD from The
Jackson Laboratory.
For further information please contact Alba Siharath Santiago at (860) 679-3675 (santiago@uchc.edu) or Sarah Driscoll at
(860) 679-6237 (sdriscoll@uchc.edu)
IRB#: 24-158JO-2
For more information, contact: Alba Siharath Santiago and Sarah Driscoll at (860) 679-3675 and (860) 679-3675