Matthew Grimes

Dr. Grimes’ research focused on how CD44 expression influenced collagen structure in lichen sclerosus (LS), a chronic inflammatory condition of the genital skin affecting about 1 in 300 individuals. Around 20% of men with LS developed urethral stricture disease (USD), often resulting in severe fibrosis and complex, low-success surgical reconstructions. His work addressed a critical gap in understanding how LS leads to USD by investigating the role of the hyaluronic acid receptor CD44. He found that LS lesions showed loss of CD44 and excess extracellular hyaluronic acid, leading to collagen fibrosis. Using a mouse model with epithelial CD44 depletion, he demonstrated similar patterns of fibrosis and molecular changes, supporting the hypothesis that CD44 loss triggered hyaluronic acid accumulation, TGF-β activation, and collagen buildup. During this research, Dr. Grimes completed a Certificate in the Foundations of Clinical Research and worked with mentors skilled in microscopy, image analysis, and transgenic animal models. His findings helped identify potential therapeutic targets and informed efforts to move beyond a “surgery first” approach toward minimally invasive treatments for LS and USD.