Psoriasis Center of Research Translation

The University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center and Case Western Reserve University Psoriasis Center of Research Translation (CORT) bring together the strengths of the Department of Dermatology and the Murdough Family Center for Psoriasis in psoriasis care and research with the innovative approaches of our Institute for Computational Biology, Department of Population & Quantitative Health Sciences (PQHS).

The CORT integrates cutting-edge technology and bioinformatics with basic and clinical science in order to advance translational discovery and application in psoriasis. The goal is to better identify and treat those psoriasis patients that are more susceptible to developing comorbidities (simultaneous medical conditions) associated with psoriasis, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, depression, and psoriatic arthritis. Currently, it is difficult for physicians to determine which patients will develop these comorbidities.

Using data collected from blood and skin samples of UH Cleveland Medical Center psoriasis patients and preclinical models, the CORT is designed to look for new patterns and relationships using a systems biology approach. The investigative team combines these data with psoriasis-patient information from an integrated electronic medical record (EMR).  Using this large pool of data and new ways to analyze the data, the CORT is designed to make better connections between groups of patients with similar forms of psoriasis versus an individual’s unique biology and therapy options.

This approach uses tailored computational processes to zero in on viable gene targets, potential drug candidates or repurposed drugs, and identification of patient endotypes (matching patient profiles).

Through this form of personalized medicine, the goal is to make great strides in determining which psoriasis patients are likely to suffer from various co-occurring ailments and to ultimately fashion treatments.

Advanced bioformatics and clinical informatics approaches are used to identify personalized medicine pathways and therapies based on identification of previously unrecognized subgroups. In photomedicine, the Department is renowned worldwide for its work on how UV and visible light rays affect the skin, in particular photobiology, photoimmunology, reversal of UV injury and photodynamic therapy.