Russell P. Hall III

Our laboratory is investigating the pathogenesis of autoimmune blistering skin diseases. Areas of special expertise include immune mediated skin diseases, especially immune mediated primary blistering disorders. These include pathogenesis, diagnosis, and management.
Specifically our laboratory is investigating the role of the mucosal immune response in the pathogenesis of dermatitis herpetiformis (DH) and the role the associated gluten sensitive enteropathy (GSE) plays in the development of this disease. Studies are currently focused on understanding the systemic manifestations of the mucosal immune response to dietary ingestion of wheat proteins in patients with DH. Studies are directed at determining the pattern of cytokine activation and inflammatory cell activation in the gut, skin and circulation. These studies are focused on understanding the manner in which gastrointestinal inflammation leads to the development of skin lesions in patients with DH and will provide new insight into the pathogenesis of the numerous skin diseases associated with inflammatory gastrointestinal disease.
In addition, our laboratory is investigating the pathogenesis of the organ specific auto immune blistering diseases bullous pemphigoid, and pemphigus vulgaris. These studies are directed at understanding auto-antibody epitopes and their relationship to disease activity and the role of B cells in the development and maintaince of auto-antibodies. Clinical trials are ongoing in both pemphigus and bullous pemphigoid that are coupled with mechanistic studies.