
Autoimmunity occurs when the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissues, leading to organ damage. Pemphigus vulgaris is a potentially fatal autoimmune disease in which autoantibodies against desmosomal cell adhesion molecules known as desmogleins cause blistering of the skin and mucous membranes. Our laboratory was launched with a mission to understand pathogenic mechanisms in this model organ-specific autoimmune disease, with the goal of using our knowledge to develop precision targeted therapies for pemphigus and other autoantibody-mediated diseases.