Labib R. Zakka

My first area of research was autoimmune mucocutaneous blistering diseases, specifically pemphigus vulgaris. I worked on the role of epitope spreading in multiple simultaneous autoimmune conditions, as well as the therapeutic efficacy of Rituximab (anti-CD20) and IVIg. This led to my interest in diagnostic dermatopathology and clinical dermatology where I studied the implications of the melanoma-induced immune response.

I have been involved in multiple fields of study during my fellowship with Dr. Mihm at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital. I am very excited to apply the knowledge gleamed from my study of melanoma, tumor infiltrating lymphocytes, and the role of the immune checkpoint blockade therapies to our work in vascular anomalies.

Through our close collaboration with Dr. Milton Waner, Dr. Stuart Nelson, Dr. Teresa O, and Dr. Wenbin Tan among many others, we are attempting to characterize the immunologic profile of these diseases, especially infantile hemangiomas and port-wine stain lesions. We are also studying the molecular profile of these diseases, with great interest in the role of the Ras-Raf-MEK-ERK pathway in their pathogenesis. I look forward to continuing my work in this important field.