Mrinal K Sarkar, PhD
Associate Research Scientist
Dermatology
Medical School
[email protected]
Available to mentor
Mrinal K Sarkar, PhD
Associate Research Scientist
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About
Mrinal Sarkar, PhD, is an Associate Research Scientist in the Department of Dermatology at the University of Michigan. He is a member of the Skin Immunology and Autoimmunity Research Program and serves as Associate Director of the Functional Analytics Core within the U-M Skin Research Center.
Dr. Sarkar’s research focuses on the functional characterization of genetic variants involved in psoriasis and other autoimmune skin diseases.
He earned his PhD in Biochemistry from Jadavpur University, Kolkata, India, in 2010 and completed postdoctoral training in the U-M Department of Human Genetics. Dr. Sarkar joined Dr. Johann Gudjonsson’s laboratory in Dermatology in 2014, was appointed Research Investigator in 2016, promoted to Assistant Research Scientist in 2020, and advanced to Associate Research Scientist in 2025.
Research Overview
• Psoriasis
• Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus (CLE)
• Keratinocytes
• Type I Interferons
• Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE)
• Interferon kappa
Recent Publications
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Jiang R, Kirma J, Fox J, Xing X, Wang J, Sarkar MK, Bogle R, Do T, Coon A, Cole C, Plazyo O, Rew JE, Zhang H, Kahlenberg JM, Billi AC, Bachelez H, Tsoi LC, Harms PW, Shao S, Chen X, Gudjonsson JE. Nature Communications, 2026 Dec 1; 17 (1):Journal ArticleDynamic neutrophil-keratinocyte communication network centered on IL-36/TNFSF15 responses characterizes inflammatory responses in generalized pustular psoriasis
DOI:10.1038/s41467-025-67917-9 PMID: 41436466 -
Plazyo O, Chopp LB, Peela R, Young K, Zhang H, Bogle R, Hesson A, Langen ES, Bergin IL, Syu L-J, Erba J, Kirma J, Dey P, Zhang L, Sarkar MK, Swindell WR, Gallagher KA, Ward NL, Singer K, Kahlenberg JM, Billi AC, Dlugosz AA, Ganesh SK, Tsoi LC, Gudjonsson JE. Circulation, 2026 Apr 9;Journal ArticleDefective Trophoblast Differentiation, Endothelial Dysfunction, and Immune Dysregulation in Preeclampsia Coalesce on a Placental VGLL3-Centered Gene Network.
DOI:10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.125.076218 PMID: 41953989 -
Cohen E, Xu Y, Ghodke S, Orosco A, Wang D, Johnson CN, Steen K, Sarkar MK, Özlü N, Tsoi LC, Gudjonsson JE, Marchal L, Hovnanian A, Parent CA, Coulombe PA. Sci Transl Med, 2026 Apr 8; 18 (844): eadx9123Journal ArticleKeratin 16 inhibits type I interferon responses in differentiating keratinocytes of stressed and diseased skin.
DOI:10.1126/scitranslmed.adx9123 PMID: 41950305 -
Durgin JS, Veniaminova NA, Huyge TJ, Tsai SY, Fox J, Cai Y, Sarkar MK, Tsoi LC, Gudjonsson JE, Wong SY. Jci Insight, 2026 Feb 9; 11 (3):Journal ArticleSpatial transcriptomics identifies differentiation, lipid metabolism, and retinoid pathway alterations in acne vulgaris
DOI:10.1172/jci.insight.198021 PMID: 41657309 -
Gupta R, Chinchole A, Paul NP, Sarkar MK, Gudjonsson JE, Verma A, Rao R. bioRxiv, 2025 Dec 17;Journal ArticleInsulin-Regulated Actin Dynamics is Disrupted in a Human Keratinocyte Model of Hailey Hailey Disease.
DOI:10.64898/2025.12.15.694174 PMID: PMC12724522 -
Schmidt K, Tiwaa A, Coon A, Sarkar M, Gudjonsson J, Simpson C. Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2025 Nov 26; 145 (12): s309Journal Article244 A human epidermal model of keratin 5 loss-of-function reveals potential therapeutic strategies for epidermolysis bullosa simplex
DOI:10.1016/j.jid.2025.10.252 -
Rudd JC, Smits JPH, Kuwong PT, Johnson RE, Monga LMN, van Vlijmen-Willems IMJJ, Porter GL, Halloran PO, Sharma K, Schmidt KN, Kumar V, Madson JG, Sarkar MK, van den Bogaard EH, Grunkemeyer JA, Gudjonsson JE, Wong SY, Simpson CL, Hansen LA. Nature Communications, 2025 Dec 1; 16 (1):Journal ArticleFlower dependent trafficking of lamellar bodies facilitates maturation of the epidermal barrier
DOI:10.1038/s41467-025-62105-1 PMID: 40715079 -
Dand N, Stuart PE, Bowes J, Ellinghaus D, Nititham J, Saklatvala JR, Teder-Laving M, Thomas LF, Traks T, Uebe S, Assmann G, Baudry D, Behrens F, Billi AC, Brown MA, Burkhardt H, Capon F, Chung R, Curtis CJ, Duckworth M, Ellinghaus E, FitzGerald O, Gerdes S, Griffiths CEM, Gulliver S, Helliwell PS, Ho P, Hoffmann P, Holmen OL, Huang ZM, Hveem K, Jadon D, Köhm M, Kraus C, Lamacchia C, Lee SH, Ma F, Mahil SK, McHugh N, McManus R, Modalsli EH, Nissen MJ, Nöthen M, Oji V, Oksenberg JR, Patrick MT, Perez White BE, Ramming A, Rech J, Rosen C, Sarkar MK, Schett G, Schmidt B, Tejasvi T, Traupe H, Voorhees JJ, Wacker EM, Warren RB, Wasikowski R, Weidinger S, Wen X, Zhang Z, Siebert S, Schofield J, McAteer H, Brown SJ, Smith CH, Burden AD, Nelis M, Milani L, Metspalu A, Barton A, Chandran V, Esko T, Foerster J, Franke A, Gladman DD, Gudjonsson JE, Gulliver W, Hüffmeier U, Kingo K, Kõks S, Liao W, Løset M, Mägi R, Nair RP, Rahman P, Reis A, Di Meglio P, Barker JN, Tsoi LC, Simpson MA, Elder JT. Nature Communications, 2025 Dec 1; 16 (1):Journal ArticleGWAS meta-analysis of psoriasis identifies new susceptibility alleles impacting disease mechanisms and therapeutic targets
DOI:10.1038/s41467-025-56719-8 PMID: 40021644
