Djalma de Souza Lima-Junior, Ph.D.
![](/-/media/post-launch-images/2017/05/2017-latin-america-fellows/souza-lima-junior/souza-lima-junior_1x1.jpg?la=nb&h=570&w=570&hash=3E7C955BAB2B59C7CB7A7CF8726C7184)
- Title
- Postdoctoral Fellow
- Department
- Mucosal Immunology Section
- Institution
- The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, NIH
- Address
-
4 Memorial Drive
BG 4 RM 243 - City, State, ZIP
- Bethesda, MD 20814
- Country
- United States
- Phone
- (301) 451-8686
- [email protected]
- Website
- https://www.niaid.nih.gov/research/yasmine-belkaid-phd
- Research field
- Immunology
- Award year
- 2017
- Country of origin
- Brazil
- Mentor name
- Yasmine Belkaid, Ph.D.
Research
The Belkaid lab studies the link between obesity and diseases of the skin. The metabolic changes that accompany obesity affect more than just body fat: They alter the immune system, the composition of the microbial community found in the gut, and even the development of certain skin conditions, including dermatitis and psoriasis. Using a sophisticated array of microbiological, immunological, molecular genetic, and sequencing techniques, I will determine whether obesity also alters the makeup of the microbes that inhabit the skin—and whether this change affects the skin’s susceptibility to infection or inflammation. These findings could reveal a novel approach to the treatment of skin conditions, particularly in individuals who are also affected by obesity.