Lindsey Shapiro, PhD,  science writer—

Lindsey earned her PhD in neuroscience from Emory University in Atlanta, where she studied novel therapeutic strategies for treatment-resistant forms of epilepsy. She was awarded a fellowship from the American Epilepsy Society in 2019 for this research. Lindsey also previously worked as a postdoctoral researcher, studying the role of inflammation in epilepsy and Alzheimer’s disease.

Articles by Lindsey Shapiro

Pilot Study Will Test APR-TD011 Wound Spray for EB

A pilot trial will investigate the effects of antimicrobial spray APR-TD011 on bacterial colonization in the wounds of people with epidermolysis bullosa (EB), the therapy’s developer, Relief Therapeutics, announced. The treatment’s active ingredient is hypochlorous acid, a chemical with strong and broad-acting antimicrobial properties. It is approved and…

Metabolites Linked to Nourishment, Inflammation Altered in RDEB

Patients with recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB) had distinct blood metabolic profiles compared with healthy people, a study showed. The most significantly altered molecules were amino acids — the building blocks of proteins — most of which were at lower levels in RDEB patients and correlated with disease severity.

Hsp70 Autoantibodies Elevated in EBA, May Contribute to Disease

Self-reactive antibodies against the stress-induced heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) were higher in the blood of patients with epidermolysis bullosa acquisita (EBA), a study found. In a corresponding mouse model, the researchers observed the autoantibodies contributed to a worse disease course, likely through the mediation of inflammatory pathways. “This…

Two New COL7A1 Mutations Identified in Boy With DEB

Two new mutations in the COL7A1 gene, one inherited from each parent, were identified as the cause of recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (DEB) in a 10-year-old boy, a case study reported. Further functional analyses suggested that each mutation had only mild effects — supported by the fact that his…

Rare-occurring Skin Disease Diagnosed in Three Children

Researchers have identified three cases of epidermolysis bullosa acquisita (EBA) in children, which they described in a recent case series. All three children showed clinical features of the disease, including blisters, scarring, and small cysts on the skin, called milia, and a diagnosis was confirmed with…

Gene-edited Spray-on Skin Cells May Show Promise for DEB

A gene-edited skin cell therapy — called Spray-On Skin cells — promotes skin healing by correcting the mutation associated with recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (DEB), preclinical research from Avita Medical shows. “These data, while early, demonstrate promise … for treatment of epidermolysis bullosa with gene-corrected skin cells,” Mike Perry,…