Helping JEB skin cells to strengthen themselves
I am Dr Svitlana Kurinna, a research group leader and lecturer at Manchester University. I’m fascinated by the fundamental question: what molecules hold our skin together, how do they do this, and why does this work less well in epidermolysis bullosa (EB)?
Watch a recording of Svitlana’s 2025 DEBRA webinar here.
People living with EB experience extremely fragile skin because the layers of their skin cannot properly anchor to one another. Even gentle friction can cause painful blistering and wounds. My research focuses on understanding the biology behind this process and exploring whether we can strengthen skin by targeting the molecules that control how cells attach to each other and their surroundings.
In particular, I study a small molecule called microRNA-29 (miR-29). Cells contain lots of tiny RNA molecules (micro RNAs) that can act like dimmer switches, controlling how much protein is made from each genetic recipe in the cell. A gene that is being actively used to make protein is described as being “turned on” while a gene that is like a recipe stuck in a book at the back of the cupboard with no protein being made from its instructions, is “turned off”. The micro RNA molecules that turn genes on and off are ‘genetic regulators’ that can change the amounts of different proteins being made and this affects how cells behave. Our findings suggest that miR-29 plays an important role in how skin cells build the matrix, the supportive protein scaffold surrounding skin cells that helps skin stay strong and resilient.
An important step toward this project came from our earlier research on how skin cells control growth and maintain healthy skin structure. In that study, we uncovered genetic pathways that help skin cells stay stable and properly organised. These findings helped guide our current work on miR-29 by improving our understanding of how genes regulate skin strength, cell attachment, and skin repair in epidermolysis bullosa.
What excites me most is combining biology with physics-based technologies to directly measure how cells stick. Using advanced tools such as atomic force microscopy, we can measure the forces that hold a single skin cell in place. It allows us to ask not only which molecules matter, but also how much they contribute to skin strength.
What’s great about where you work?
I work in a highly collaborative research environment where scientists from different disciplines come together to tackle complex biological problems. One of the most exciting aspects is the ability to combine expertise in genetics, skin biology, mechanobiology, and regenerative medicine within the same project.
Manchester is also an excellent place for biomedical research, with strong connections between universities, clinicians, and international collaborators. This means discoveries made in the lab can move more quickly toward improving our understanding of disease and, ultimately, informing future therapies.
A particularly exciting part of this project is our collaboration with experts in Switzerland who specialise in cutting-edge force microscopy technologies. Working across disciplines and countries brings fresh ideas and approaches that would not be possible in a single lab alone.
What difference will your work make to people living with EB?
EB is a condition where treatment options remain very limited, and daily life can be extremely painful and challenging. While our research is still at the discovery stage, the long-term goal is to better understand the biological mechanisms that determine skin stability and wound healing.
By uncovering how miR-29 controls cell adhesion and matrix organisation, we hope to identify new strategies that could one day help strengthen fragile skin or improve healing. Importantly, this project is not focused on conventional drugs alone, but on RNA-based approaches that target the genetic signals controlling tissue repair.
Even beyond EB, understanding how cells mechanically connect to their surroundings could have broader implications for wound healing and regenerative medicine.
Who or what inspired you to work on EB?
What drew me to EB research was the combination of a clear medical need and a biological problem. How can the skin remain flexible and strong all at once? In EB, tiny failures in the molecular “glue” holding tissues together can have devastating consequences.
I was particularly inspired by the possibility that small RNA molecules could regulate these processes in ways we had not previously appreciated. Discovering early evidence that miR-29 might influence skin stability, and do so in a new manner, opened up an entirely new research direction for our group. The opportunity to combine fundamental biology with technologies that can directly measure cellular forces made the project even more exciting.
What does funding from DEBRA UK mean to you?
Support from DEBRA UK is incredibly important because it enables us to investigate bold, high-risk scientific questions that could lead to completely new ways of thinking about EB.
This funding allows us to combine advanced technologies, international collaboration, and experimental disease models to better understand how skin integrity is maintained.
Research can be a long journey, but support from organisations like DEBRA UK helps create the foundation for future breakthroughs.
What does a day in your life as an EB researcher look like?
No two days are exactly the same, which is one of the things I enjoy most about research. Some days involve working in the lab with cell cultures or analysing skin samples. Other days are spent discussing new ideas with collaborators, interpreting experimental results, or planning the next set of experiments.
A particularly exciting part of this project is using force microscopy techniques to measure how strongly cells adhere to their environment. These experiments combine biology, physics, and engineering in a very hands-on way.
Research also involves problem-solving and persistence. Experiments do not always work the first time, but that is part of discovering something genuinely new.
Who’s on your team and what do they do to support your EB research?
This project brings together researchers with expertise in several different fields. Our team includes scientists working in skin biology, RNA regulation, modelling, and wound healing, as well as international collaborators specialising in advanced mechanobiology techniques.
Successful research depends on teamwork. Different people contribute different skills designing models and analysing tissue samples, developing microscopy approaches and interpreting complex datasets. That interdisciplinary environment is what makes this project particularly exciting.
How do you relax when you’re not working on EB?
Outside the lab, I enjoy spending time with my border collie Morse, who really helps me take a break from the screen. Research can be intense, so finding balance is important. Some of the best ideas also appear when you step away from the lab for a while and return with a fresh perspective.
What these words mean:
RNA = ribonucleic acid – a bit like DNA but instead of two long molecules forming a double helix, a single shorter molecule of micro RNA can stick to the DNA that’s part of a gene and affect whether it is used to make protein or not (turned on or off).
Tissue = similar cells and proteins that together form part of an organ.
Genetic pathway = a cellular process where a gene is turned on and starts to make proteins that then affect other genes and proteins that ultimately lead to a change in the cell. To cause helpful changes in a cell, any link in the pathway could be a target for therapy.
Regenerative medicine = replacing or repairing damaged cells/organs to restore normal function, e.g. using the body’s natural healing processes.
Mechanobiology = an interdisciplinary field investigating how physical forces such as stretching affect cells.
Force microscopy = a method of measuring tiny movements of single cells.
Modelling = using computers, cells or animals instead of patients to carry out experiments.