Diana Blaydon

Dr. Diana Blaydon is a Senior Lecturer at Queen Mary University of London, affiliated with the Blizard Institute’s Centre for Cell Biology and Cutaneous Research. She holds a BSc from the University of Bath and a PhD from University College London (UCL). Her research focuses on understanding epidermal barrier function, particularly through studying rare inherited skin disorders such as palmoplantar keratoderma, tylosis, and exfoliative ichthyosis. Her work integrates molecular and cellular biology to uncover disease mechanisms and normal skin biology.

Education:

• BSc (Hons) in Biochemistry, University of Bath
• PhD in Molecular Genetics of Usher Syndrome (Institute of Child Health, UCL)

Research Interests:

• Role of AQP5, iRHOM2, and ADAM17 in epidermal barrier integrity
• Molecular basis of palmoplantar skin specialization and stress responses
• Genetic and cellular mechanisms underlying esophageal cancer in tylosis
• Identification of novel genes in rare skin disorders via genomic approaches

Her teaching spans the School of Medicine and Dentistry’s MBBS program, including PBL facilitation, lectures on skin biology, and supervision of undergraduate and postgraduate projects. She currently supervises PhD student Laura Ramos Del Caño.

Key projects include investigating AQP5’s role in palmoplantar barrier defects and exploring the iRHOM2-ADAM17 axis in oesophageal repair. These studies aim to bridge basic science and clinical applications for barrier-related diseases.