Charlene Miciano

I’m a San Diego native and a recent graduate of UC San Diego, where I majored in Biology: Bioinformatics. During undergrad, I’ve had the opportunity to use my computational skills to study conditions like Down Syndrome and linear morphea. I’ve also had the chance to develop a small bioinformatics app to help researchers learn more about gene regulation. I’m very interested in applying bioinformatics tools to learn more about human disease. I plan to work for a few years as a programmer after graduation, and in the future, I’d like to attend graduate school for bioinformatics. In my off time, I enjoy playing piano and going to concerts.

Research Area

My research in Cristina de Guzman Strong’s lab studies the genetics involved in skin barrier function. My current project investigates the role of involucrin in skin inflammation. Involucrin (Ivl) is a scaffolding protein that contributes to the formation of the cornified envelope of the skin, the top layer of differentiated skin cells. We’ve currently observed that mice without involucrin have reduced skin inflammation when induced by a vitamin D agonist. I am currently analyzing single cell RNA-seq data to identify differences in cell type abundance and gene expression between WT mice and Ivl knockout mice. The goal of this analysis is to identify what cell types are changing between conditions and validate that skin inflammation is truly reduced in Ivl knockout mice.