Mohammad Deen Hayatu, MSc

Research Focus

My research focuses on the genetic and molecular mechanisms driving autoinflammatory skin and bone disorders, with particular emphasis on pustular psoriasis and chronic non-bacterial osteomyelitis (CNO)/SAPHO syndrome.

These conditions represent a spectrum of rare and severe inflammatory diseases characterized by dysregulated innate immune responses, neutrophil-driven inflammation, and aberrant cytokine and lipid-mediator signaling. Despite clinical overlap, their molecular underpinnings remain incompletely understood.

Using an integrated approach that combines human genetics, functional genomics, and molecular biology, my work aims to:

• Identify rare and pathogenic genetic variants through whole-exome and targeted sequencing in patients with pustular psoriasis and CNO/SAPHO.
• Functionally characterize how variants in key inflammatory regulators (e.g. IL1RN, PTGS1) alter cytokine signaling, prostaglandin metabolism, and immune cell behavior, including osteoclast and neutrophil function.
• Bridge genetic findings with cellular and biochemical readouts to uncover shared and disease-specific inflammatory pathways across skin and bone involvement.

By linking genotype to mechanism, my research seeks to improve our understanding of autoinflammatory disease biology and contribute to the development of precision-based therapeutic strategies for rare inflammatory disorders.