Meet the Principle Investigator
Tamia Harris-Tryon M.D., Ph.D.
Principle Investigator
Tamia A. Harris-Tryon, MD, PhD, is a physician-scientist at UT Southwestern and principal investigator of the Harris-Tryon lab. She earned her MD and PhD at The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and completed a residency in Dermatology at The Johns Hopkins Hospital. Certified by the American Board of Dermatology, she joined the UT Southwestern faculty in 2014 and began postdoctoral training in the HHMI lab of Lora Hooper. In her postdoctoral work, she made use of a unique model system- germ free mice. Through use of this system, her data showed that the protein RELMα is bactericidal in skin, and that vitamin A impacts the expression of RELMα (Cell Host & Microbe 2019). Since starting her own lab in 2018, Dr. Harris-Tryon has created a unique research platform bridging the fields of immunology, microbiology, and metabolism, with a focus on the interface between the skin surface and the community of microbes that colonize the skin niche. Her lab is particularly interested in the study of sebaceous glands – specialized epithelial structures that generate an oily mixture of lipids and proteins, called sebum. In addition to producing sebum, sebaceous glands secrete antimicrobial proteins that limit colonization of the skin by bacteria. They also secrete steroid hormones and lipids that have direct impact on the microbes present at the skin surface. Through basic research, her lab aims to unlock how diet and the immune system alter skin epithelial biology and the impact of these changes on the microbiome. Ultimately, her goal is to translate discoveries from the bench into new therapies for individuals with inflammatory skin diseases. Her work is supported by the Burroughs Wellcome Fund, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the National Institutes of Health. She is prior recipient of the ASCI, Young Physician Scientist Award and an American Academy of Dermatology Young Investigator Award.
Current Lab Members
Sindhura Maria John, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Researcher
Sindhura is currently a Postdoctoral Researcher in Dr. Harris Tryon’s lab in the Dermatology Department at UT Southwestern Medical Center. She completed her PhD in Molecular Biology and Cellular Biotechnology at the University of Camerino, Italy in 2020 where her dissertation focused on ‘Biogenic synthesis and characterization of metal nanoparticles from a bacterial consortium associated with the Antarctic psychrophilic ciliate Euplotes focardii. In the Harris-Tryon lab she is dissecting interactions between host derived signals and S. aurues pathogenesis. Originally from India. Sindhura enjoys cooking, playing badminton and watching documentaries about travelling and different cultures.
Mahendran Chinnappan, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
His interests are in studying the role of sex steroid hormones in the regulation of immune response and barrier gene expression in atopic dermatitis (AD) condition. He employs in vitro and in vivo models with immune and hormone signaling gene specific knock out mice to dissect the mechanisms behind this AD pathology. He obtained his Ph.D. in Zoology from the University of Delhi, India for his studies on noncoding RNAs. He enjoys traveling, driving and learning about history.
Priyanka Das, M.S.
Research Assistant
Priyanka is a research assistant at the Harris–Tryon lab in the Dermatology Department at UT Southwestern Medical Center. She graduated with a master's degree in Molecular and Cell Biology from The University of Texas at Dallas (UTD) in 2021. She is interested in understanding the virulence factors from clinical pathogens in S. aureus and studying the invasiveness of these isolates through screening of their phenotypes. Priyanka loves singing, dancing, and spending time with her family. She also enjoys reading and watching movies.
Camille Sturges, B.A.
Lab Manager
Camille is the lab manager of the Harris-Tryon Lab. She graduated with her Bachelors of Biology in 2022 from The University of Texas at Dallas. She is interested in studying the physiology of the microbiome. In her free time, she enjoys writing and producing comedy shows.
Solangie Pulido-Gomez, B.S.
Research Technician
Solangie is a research technician in Dr. Harris Tryon's lab in the Dermatology Department at UT Southwestern Medical Center. She earned bachelor's degrees in Biochemistry and Genetics from Clemson University, where she studied fatty acid uptake in the parasite Trypanosoma brucei with Dr. Kimberely Paul. In the Harris-Tryon lab, she studies virulence factors in Staphylococcus aureus. In her free time, she enjoys running and reading.
