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Faculty Detail    
Name CRAIG A ELMETS
  
Campus Address LHFO 848 Zip 0009
Phone  (205) 934-5188
E-mail  celmets@uab.edu
Other websites
     


Faculty Appointment(s)
Appointment Type Department Division Rank
Primary  Dermatology  Dermatology Professor Distinguished

Graduate Biomedical Sciences Affiliations
Hughes Med-Grad Fellowship Program 
Integrative Biomedical Sciences 
Waiting to be Seated 



Research/Clinical Interest
Title
Immunodermatology
Description
Dr. Elmets’ research focuses on the interaction of environmental agents with the skin. His research has particular relevance to skin cancer and cutaneous allergic reactions. In the area of skin cancer, his interests are on skin cancer chemoprevention and therapy. He has played a key role in defining the mechanisms by which the immune system controls the development of skin cancers. More recent studies have centered on the identification of new agents that can protect against skin cancer and on the non-surgical treatment of these malignancies. These include the arthritis drug celecoxib and extracts of green tea. He has also played a major role in the development of photodynamic therapy as a treatment for cancer. Photodynamic therapy utilizes light activated drugs to eradicate cancer. Dr. Elmets’ other area of research is on allergic contact dermatitis, of which poison ivy is the best-known example. He is evaluating better and more accurate diagnostic techniques for contact allergies. His studies have shown that certain proteins called cytokines are synthesized in skin cells from allergic individuals exposed to contact allergens but not in those obtained from people who are the not allergic. These findings provide the conceptual framework for the development of a diagnostic test for skin allergy testing, which can used by physicians and by industry as an alternative to animal testing prior to the introduction of new products into the marketplace.

Selected Publications 
Publication PUBMEDID
Huang CM, Xu H, Wang CC, Elmets CA. Proteomic characterization of skin and epidermis in response to environmental agents. Expert Rev Proteomics. 2005 Oct;2(5):809-20.    
Huang CM, Wang CC, Kawai M, Barnes S, Elmets CA. Surfactant sodium lauryl sulfate enhances skin vaccination: molecular characterization via a novel technique using ultrafiltration capillaries and mass spectrometric proteomics. Mol Cell Proteomics. 2006 Mar;5(3):523-32. Epub 2005 Nov 28.    
Huang CM, Wang CC, Kawai M, Barnes S, Elmets CA. In vivo protein sampling using capillary ultrafiltration semi-permeable hollow fiber and protein identification via mass spectrometry-based proteomics. J Chromatogr A. 2006 Mar 24;1109(2):144-51. Epub 2005 Dec 27.    
Meeran SM, Mantena SK, Meleth S, Elmets CA, Katiyar SK. Interleukin-12-deficient mice are at greater risk of UV radiation-induced skin tumors and malignant transformation of papillomas to carcinomas. Mol Cancer Ther. 2006 Apr;5(4):825-32.    
Meeran SM, Mantena SK, Elmets CA, Katiyar SK. (-)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate prevents photocarcinogenesis in mice through interleukin-12-dependent DNA repair. Cancer Res. 2006 May 15;66(10):5512-20.