Recruiting

Skin Diseases

Sponsor:

National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS)

Code:

NCT02471352

Conditions

Dermatologic Conditions

Healthy Volunteers

Normal Volunteers

Carcinoma, Merkel Cell

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 0 - 70+

Healthy Volunteers: Accepted

Study Details

Brief summary:

Background:

\- Skin disease can have many causes. It can have widespread consequences, and in rare cases can lead to death. Researchers want to determine the causes of various types of skin diseases and find a way to treat them.

Objectives:

\- To determine the causes of various skin diseases and find ways to treat them.

Eligibility:

  • People ages 2 and older who have:

  • A skin disease or at risk of developing a skin disease OR
  • A family member of persons with a skin disease
  • Healthy volunteers ages 2 and older

Design:

  • Participants will be screened under a separate protocol.
  • Participants may take a survey about how their skin condition affects their quality of life.
  • Participants will have a medical history and a physical exam including a detailed skin exam. Pictures will be taken of their skin to document any skin disease.
  • Participants will have specimens collected. This may include:

  • Several teaspoons of blood taken at each visit
  • Stool samples
  • Nail and body fluid (like saliva) samples
  • Cheek swabs. The inside of the cheek will be scraped for about a minute in each direction to collect cells.
  • Collection of skin samples with:

  • A swab (like a Q-tip)
  • Gently scraping skin to remove the outer layers of cells
  • Applying and removing 1-inch pieces of tape
  • Participants may have up to 4 skin biopsies in 12 months, with 4 separate biopsies taken each time.

  • An area of skin will be numbed with an injection.
  • A piece of skin the size of a pencil eraser will be removed using a small instrument.
  • A flat scar usually develops at the biopsy site.

Conditions

Dermatologic Conditions

Healthy Volunteers

Normal Volunteers

Carcinoma, Merkel Cell

Study ID

NCT02471352

Start date

Jun 19, 2015

Status verified date

Aug 27, 2026

Completion date

Jan 31, 2035

Anticipated

Primary completion date

Jan 31, 2035

Anticipated

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 0 - 70+

Healthy Volunteers: Accepted

  • INCLUSION CRITERIA:
  • Eligible participants must:

  • Have a dermatologic condition, as determined by the PI or AIs, OR --be at risk for developing a dermatologic condition, as determined by the PI or AIs, OR
  • be a family member of a person with a dermatologic condition OR
  • be a healthy volunteer, as defined as a person with no known significant health problems.
  • Be willing to provide biospecimens for research and clinical studies, and for storage to be used for future research.
  • Subjects of age greater than 0 years old (including only viable neonates) are eligible.

EXCLUSION CRITERIA:

  • Presence of conditions that, in the judgment of the investigator, may put the subject at undue risk or make them unsuitable for participation in the study.
  • Inability to comply with the requirements of the protocol.

Study Design

Enrollment

700 participants

Anticipated

Interventions and Outcome Measures

Arms

1/ Skin disease or at risk

Subjects with a skin disease or at risk of developing a skin disease/ Family member of persons with a skin disease

2/ Healthy Volunteers

Healthy Volunteers

Primary outcome measure

  • Procure biologic samples for exploratory cellular, molecular, genetic and genomic biological studies [ Time Frame: Time of collection ]

Central Contacts and Locations

Central contacts

Heidi H Kong, M.D.

(301) 827-2460NIAMSderm@nih.gov

Locations

National Institutes of Health Clinical Center

Recruiting

Bethesda, Maryland, United States, 20892

Contacts

Office of Patient Recruitment (OPR)

800-411-2222ccopr@nih.gov

More Information

Sponsor

National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS)

Last update posted

Sep 2, 2026

Last verified

Aug 27, 2026

Keywords

  • Dermatologic Condition
  • Skin Disease
  • Biospecimen
  • Healthy Volunteers
  • Merkel Cell Carcinoma
  • Natural History

Trial information was received from ClinicalTrials.gov and was last updated on 2026-09-10. This information was provided to ClinicalTrials.gov by National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) on 2026-09-02.