Dr. Blumenberg has interest is regulation of gene expression in the epidermis. Having cloned several human keratin genes, my collaborators and I studied the transcription factors and signaling cascades that control these genes in keratinocytes. Recently, we have used DNA microarrays to follow transcriptional profiles in response to UV light, growth factors, vitamins, cytokines and other agents important in dermatology and skin biology. DNA microarrays allow us to follow global cellular responses to various agents. Using UV light as a paradigmatic damaging agent, we determined that cells make following responses: 1. They change signal transduction and transcription regulators, basically stop what they have been doing and respond to UV. 2. Produce cytokines and chemokine to alert the surrounding tissue to the damage. 3. Produce more energy by increasing mitochondrial proteins and suppressing proteins that use energy. 4. Increase the cornified layer that protects the skin. These responses protect not only the cells, but also the underlying tissues of the organism. In additional studies, we described the effects of proinflammatory and immunomodulating cytokines (IFN, TNF, TGF, IL-1 Oncostatin-M, IL-6 and IL-12), hormones and vitamins (Retinoic acid, vitamin D3 and thyroid hormones), pro- and anti-cornification agents (Ephrins, MAPK inhibitors, EGF, EGFR inhibitors), and irritants and allergens (SDS, NiSO4, DNCB, OXA, BZK). Currently, our interests are in metaanalysis of large data sets important to dermatology. We use metaanalysis approaches to integrate the results of our studies as well as combine them with the large data sets in public repositories. Our goal is to describe the global molecular responses of skin to its environment.

Microarrays, DNA chips, transcriptional profiling, UV, inflammation, keratin, promoters, transcriptional regulation, metaanalysis