Simpson Lab Publishes First Paper in JID
Please join us in congratulating the Simpson Lab on the publication of their first academic paper!
The new article titled, “Live Imaging with Genetically Encoded Physiologic Sensors and Optogenetic Tools,” was published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology (JID) on Feb. 21, 2023.
As senior author, Cory Simpson, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor and Principal Investigator for the Simpson Lab, collaborated with Andre Berndt, PhD, Assistant Professor in the UW Department of Bioengineering, to merge their interests in cutaneous biology and live microscopy tools, respectively. Shivam Zaver, an MD/PhD student in his final year at UW was lead author with assistance from Christopher Johnson, second-year medical student at the UW Montana site in Bozeman.
The ability to visualize the inner workings of live cells has undergone a revolution in recent years through the development of new techniques for microscopic imaging. Biosensors let scientists observe dynamic fluctuations in pH, calcium, or other signaling mediators with unprecedented resolution in both space and time. Meanwhile, the field of optogenetics has developed novel tools that allow investigators to actually control biological processes using precise laser illumination of cells in culture, within tissues, or even in live animals. The review by Zaver et al. summarizes how these advances in microscopy have already improved our understanding of cutaneous biology and how they promise to change the way we study skin regeneration and dermatologic disease.
Summary
“Barrier tissues such as the epidermis employ complex signal transduction systems to execute morphogenetic programs and to rapidly respond to environmental cues to promote homeostasis. Recent advances in live-imaging techniques and tools allow precise spatial and temporal monitoring and manipulation of intracellular signaling cascades. Leveraging the chemistry of naturally occurring light-sensitive proteins, genetically encoded fluorescent biosensors have emerged as robust tools for visualizing dynamic signaling events. In contrast, optogenetic protein constructs permit laser-mediated control of signal receptors and effectors within live cells, organoids, and even model organisms. In this paper, we review the basic principles underlying novel biosensors and optogenetic tools and highlight how recent studies in cutaneous biology have leveraged these imaging strategies to illuminate the spatiotemporal signals regulating epidermal development, barrier formation, and tissue homeostasis.”
Click here to read the article in full.
Congratulations to Dr. Simpson and co-authors!
Dr. Simpson & The Simpson Lab
Dr. Simpson joined the UW Division of Dermatology in 2021 as an Assistant Professor and dermatologist at UW Medical Center-Roosevelt Dermatology Clinic. That same year he launched the Simpson Lab, an independent wet lab at the UW Medicine Biotech & Medical Research Hub in Seattle’s South Lake Union (SLU) neighborhood to study epidermal differentiation and how it is compromised in dermatologic disease.
The Simpson Lab’s staff includes research scientists, graduate students, medical students, and undergraduate researchers.
The Simpson Lab currently has two main areas of interest: (1) Applying novel microscopy methods to an organoid model of human skin to define how the autophagy pathway and organelle degradation drive formation of the epidermal barrier and (2) Leveraging CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing to develop in vitro models of genetic skin diseases to better understand their pathogenesis and identify new treatments.
To learn more about Dr. Simpson's research, please visit the Simpson Lab website.
