VIVID
Research type
Research Study
Full title
In vivo investigation of immune dynamics following cutaneous challenge (VIVID)
IRAS ID
358157
Contact name
James Fullerton
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Oxford/Research Governance, Ethics and Assurance
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 6 months, 1 days
Research summary
This study aims to improve our understanding of how the human immune system responds to a controlled 'challenge'. Three different chemicals will be used to trigger inflammation in the skin: lipopolysaccharide, cantharidin and bleomycin. All are known to cause a small local reaction which can be studied by observation and direct sampling at pre-selected timepoints of interest. LPS and cantharidin have been extensively employed for this purpose and safe, effective protocols for their use exist. Bleomycin has also been studied as a ‘challenge’ agent in humans before although less frequently, despite significant usage in pre-clinical (animal) studies.
Healthy participants will be allocated into one of four different groups which will influence which chemical they receive and when the response is assessed. All will receive three set doses of the same chemical at staggered times and then come for a single visit where the skin response to these is measured. This ensures the inflammatory reactions are of different ages and we can explore multiple phases of the immune response. The key innovation in this study is the direct comparison of different stimuli via advanced immunological techniques, including non-invasive imaging and small skin samples (punch skin biopsy), to examine how the immune response variably develops and resolves.
The three chemical challenges should allow us to access different parts of the immune system or different immunological response types relevant to discrete scientific questions or diseases. If proven, we can then select the right one to explore immune variability between people or groups of people (e.g. men and women), and use these 'model systems' to better design and test 'precision' drugs or drug regimen whereby treatment is selected or modified (e.g. dose) on an individual or stratified (e.g. age band) basis.
REC name
London - Riverside Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
25/LO/0554
Date of REC Opinion
11 Aug 2025
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion