Biography:

Originally trained in biochemistry and molecular biology I joined the University of Sheffield in 2005 as a post-doctoral scientist in the Academic Unit of Biomedical Genetics. In this position I worked exclusively for York Pharma on the early stage development of novel therapeutics and diagnostics for atopic dermatitis, psoriasis and malignant melanoma. In 2009 I joined the Academic Unit of Dermatology Research as a post-doctoral Research Associate. The focus of my research in this role was improving our understanding of the structure and function of the epidermal (skin) barrier and its role in the development of disorders such as atopic dermatitis (AD). At the beginning of 2012 I was awarded a 3-year unencumbered research fellowship from Johnson & Johnson to continue my research on the skin barrier and set up a dedicated research facility for conducting human skin research. Since then I have continued to conduct and lead translational dermatology research as an independent fellow.

Research Interests:

The skin serves as an important barrier that keeps moisture in the body and prevents the incursion of harmful exogenous agents, such as irritants and allergens, and resists the invasion of pathogens. A growing body of evidence suggests a primary role for the ‘skin barrier’ in the pathogenesis of a broad range of inflammatory skin disorders, including contact dermatitis, ichthyosis, psoriasis, rosacea and atopic dermatitis (AD). Repeated barrier disruption for instance induces epidermal hyperplasia and inflammation. Current medicine is based on the reactive treatment of these downstream consequences of skin barrier dysfunction, and includes the use of both anti-inflammatory and anti-proliferative compounds. My research focuses on increasing our understanding of the skin barrier defect and developing treatments to correct it under the following core themes:

• Gene-environment interactions in the development of atopic dermatitis

• Development of treatments for atopic dermatitis

• The improvement of neonatal skincare

• Interaction of topical pharmaceutical and cosmetic agents with the skin barrier

A greater understanding of the underlying skin barrier defect promises to firstly identify susceptible individuals early on, and secondly to deliver novel therapeutic options for targeted skin barrier repair with the potential to prevent the development of clinical disease.

Teaching Interests:

• I teach on the undergraduate medical degree course (Common skin conditions and skin pharmacology) and on the Molecular Medicine MSc (Experimental medicine pathway, modules MED6020 & MED6021 Cellular and Molecular Basis of Disease)

• I supervise undergraduate BMedSci and Research Attachment SSC projects conducted within our dedicated skin barrier research suite

• I also deliver external educational presentations to healthcare professionals on topics covering skin physiology, skincare, atopic dermatitis and the mechanisms of topical therapies for atopic dermatitis

Professional activities:

• Member of the European Society for Dermatological Research (ESDR)

• Manager of the “Skin Barrier Research Facility” housing a range of bioinstrumentation for the assessment of human skin in vivo non-invasively

Current projects:

• Characterisation of the skin barrier defect in atopic dermatitis using ATR-FTIR spectroscopy

• Improving neonatal skincare: the Skin Testing for Atopic eczema Risk (STAR) study

• Characterizing the microcirculation of atopic dermatitis using angiographic optical coherence tomography

• Evaluation of topical emollients and bath/wash emollients

• Effect of topical anti-inflammatory treatments on the structure and function of the skin barrier

• Hygiene and emollient interventions for maintaining skin integrity in older people in hospital and residential care settings

• A Comparison between Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) determined basal cell carcinoma (BCC) margins against surgeon excision margins and histology – an observational pilot study

Biography:

I joined the University of Sheffield as a student and studied for a BSc in Biochemistry. I fell in love with #theoutdoorcity of Sheffield and have lived here ever since, enjoying the heady combination of city life, amazing countryside and friendly locals. Following my degree, and with a keen interest in molecular biology, I joined the Molecular Ecology Laboratory in the Department of Animal and Plant Sciences and worked on a number of research projects centred around animal conservation and behaviour. It was here I learnt core skills in sequencing, genotyping and gene expression. A desire to work in human disease saw me move to my current role at Sheffield Dermatology Research. Here, I work as a laboratory manager and bioanalytical lead on our cutting-edge clinical trials of Investigational Medicinal Products for the treatment of eczema patients.

Research Interests:

Designing and delivering functional mechanistic studies to further our understanding of the skin barrier. Investigating skin proteases and natural moisturising factors (NMF) as biomarkers of accelerated skin barrier breakdown associated with eczema. Applying this biomarker research to neonates from birth to understand the pathological skin changes that precede eczema development during the first year of life.

Professional activities:

• Member of the European Society for Dermatology Research (ESDR)

• Member of the Institute of Science and Technology (IST)

• Registered Scientist (RSci)

Current projects:

• Skin Testing for Atopic eczema Risk (STAR) study

Stephen Matcher graduated from Imperial College London with a BSc in Physics and subsequently a PhD in optical astronomy, where he used high-speed, low-light-level imaging to overcome atmospheric turbulence and achieve diffraction-limited ground-based imaging. He translated his expertise in low-light-level imaging into medicine at University College London, where he developed near-infrared spectroscopy techniques to study tissue oxygen delivery, especially in newborn infants at risk from birth asphyxia. He then joined the staff of the Physics department at the University of Exeter, where he established research programmes in visible light spectroscopy of skin and optical coherence tomography (OCT).

In 2006 he joined the University of Sheffield where he is currently Professor of Biophotonics. His chief research interest lies in the development and application of novel biophotonic imaging tools to aid the non-invasive diagnosis and treatment of disease. He works extensively with optical coherence tomography (OCT), including novel variants such as polarization-sensitive OCT for the non-invasive assessment of collagen organization and OCT angiography for the measurement of tissue vascularization and inflammation. He also develops novel microscopy tools based on second harmonic generation (SHG) and novel clinical sensors based on fluorescence.

He collaborates extensively with colleagues in SDR to quantify skin barrier function, epidermal inflammation and dermal remodelling in atopic dermatitis. He is also working with the department of oncology and metabolism to develop biophotonics tools to aid the detection of spontaneous pre-term birth. He is also part of an international team working to improve the detection of bacterial and fungal eye infections in low-resource settings.

Biography:

I am a Consultant Paediatrician/Dermatologist and a Senior lecturer at the University of Ilorin/ Teaching Hospital, Nigeria. I have been involved in teaching of undergraduate and postgraduate students, supervision of postgraduate resident doctors and research in areas of Paediatrics and Dermatology.

I started my PhD programme at the University of Sheffield in March 2020, and it is being sponsored by the Nigerian Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund). Since then, I have been part of the Sheffield Dermatology Research group where I am involved in multiple clinical trials as a clinical sub-investigator. I also have honorary research contracts at Sheffield Children’s Hospital and Sheffield Teaching Hospitals.

Research interests:

My areas of interest are development of cost-effective emollients and topical products for developing countries and atopic dermatitis research. My current projects are the BEPAIR (Skin barrier enhancement and protection against allergen induced reaction with moisturisers in patients with atopic dermatitis/eczema) and SPRING (Survey of practices and recommendations on infant skin care among health care workers in Nigeria) studies.

Professional activities:

• Member, International Society of Pediatric Dermatology (ISPD)

• Member, Nigerian Association of Dermatologists (NAD)

• Member, African Society of Dermatology and Venearology (ASDV)

Biography:

Originally graduated with BSc Hons Zoology with Marine Zoology, I joined The University of Sheffield in 1996 as a research technician in the Department of Biomedical Sciences. I then moved to the Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacokinetics as a teaching technician for the pharmacology BSc course. While undertaking this role, I also worked in the laboratory of Dr Peter Peachell where I obtained a PhD in 2008. Here I undertook a variety of research projects involving Human Lung Mast Cells and alveolar macrophages isolated from human lung tissue and supervised MSc students and Hallam placement students within the research group. I have presented my research (both oral and poster) at various UK and international meetings where I have won a number of prizes at the European Histamine Research Society (EHRS) meetings. I have also co-chaired oral and poster sessions at various EHRS meetings. Over the years, departments have merged and, as a core research technician within the department, I have worked with a number of different research groups including that of Prof Ian Sabroe, where I supported various laboratory based research projects in addition to an asthma clinical trial and a patient trial looking into diabetes and cardiovascular disease. In 2017, I joined the Sheffield Dermatology Research Group supporting research both in the laboratory and on various trials. Currently, I am technical lead for Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular's clinical trial hub and since March 2020 have worked on a number of COVID-19 trials within the department, including leading the lab team for the COVID-19 Oxford vaccine trial (COV002) and Janssen COVID-19 vaccine trial (ENSEMBLE2).

Professional activities:

• Member of European Histamine Research Society (EHRS)

• Joint publication secretary for proceedings of EHRS meetings (published in 'Inflammation Research')

• Member of the Institute of Science and Technology (IST)

• Registered Scientist (RSci)

• Assessor for IST and Science Council

Current projects:

• Skin Testing for Atopic eczema Risk (STAR) study

• The Barrier Optimizing skincare for Newborn Development (BOND) trial

• Skin bioMARkers for atopic eczema Therapy evaluation (The SMART study)

• Skin Pathology assessment with Optical Technologies (The SPOT study)

I graduated from the University of Sheffield in medicine and trained in general medicine in Sheffield and Manchester before specialising in Dermatology. I have presented nationally and internationally and have written multiple publications including a book chapter on vulvar pruritus. I was awarded the 2019 North of England Dermatology Society Annual Prize - The Roy Summerly Prize. I am currently a NIHR Academic Clinical Fellow in Dermatology in Sheffield.

My research interests include the role of atopic dermatitis on psychiatric disorders and novel pharmacological agents for atopic dermatitis.

I graduated from University of Babylon-Iraq with first class Honours degree. After my foundation training, I have completed MSc degree with Distinction in Dermatology skills and treatment from University of Hertfordshire. I have trained at Royal Papworth Hospital in 2016 and completed my core medical training at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals.

I am currently working as a Specialty Registrar at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals and will be joining Dermatology team at Sheffield Children’s Hospital as a Specialty doctor in April 2021.

CESR route is the path that I am pursuing to achieve my passion in being a Consultant Dermatologist. I have attended multiple courses and participated in several publications and presentations. Furthermore, I am currently exploring a special interest in Paediatric Dermatology.

My research experience expands to include current participation in Atopic Dermatitis trials as a medical investigator. I am dedicating time for research in addition to my clinical commitments to help making a positive change in Dermatology.

I grew up here in Sheffield and, after completing my A Levels at King Ecgbert School, I studied Physics with Medical Physics at the University of Nottingham, graduating in July of 2020. Initially I worked for Sheffield Teaching Hospitals as a Clerical Officer in patient bookings, speaking with hundreds of patients a week as their first point of call. I joined Sheffield Dermatology Research in September of 2021 as a research technician, this role combines my love of healthcare science and my enthusiasm for interacting with lots of different people everyday. I carry out data collection using a wide range of non-invasive devices and sample collection techniques as well as aiding the recruitment and coordination of study visits. SDR is a great team to be a part of, with lots of friendly faces from lots of different disciplines.

I completed my BEng in Biomedical Engineering, specializing in medical device design, at University of Sheffield in 2016. I undertook my final year project, on quantifying mechanical parameters of skin using OCT, under the supervision of Prof. Stephen Matcher. Afterwards, I completed my MEng in Biomedical Engineering at University of Groningen, Netherlands, in 2020, again specializing in medical device design. Subsequently, I have undertaken multiple R&D projects at Philips BV, Drachten, Netherlands, on establishing skin biomarkers for their shaving developments, mainly investigating how various skin parameters interact with Philips’s shaving system. I also helped to develop a robotic system for object tracking on artificial skin models, to explore potential design aspects of their shaving system.

Currently, I am doing my PhD under the supervision of Prof. Stephen Matcher at University of Sheffield on skin biomarker research. This PhD project largely involves the development & clinical application of novel skin imaging devices, to establish and validate biomarkers of inflammatory skin disease such as AD, Psoriasis, systemic and localized Scleroderma, and graft-versus-host-disease. Equipment being applied in this project includes commercial and lab-built OCT systems, PS-OCT and OCT angiography. My research interest spans OCT technical development and clinical research in dermatology, via the use of novel OCT and other photonic imaging equipment.

Biography:

I have been a dermatologist at Asaad Alhamad Dermatology Centre, Kuwait, since January 2016. I practised in the outpatient, phototherapy, laser and surgical dermatology departments. Alongside my medical qualifications, I hold a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) in Biology, providing me with a solid scientific foundation. Prior to my current role, I gained laboratory experience as a technologist working on tissue typing and PCR procedures in an immunology laboratory at the Organ Transplant Centre in Kuwait.

In June 2023, I joined the Sheffield Teaching Hospital as a clinical fellow in Paediatric Dermatology, working with Professor Cork and Dr Simon Danby and their distinguished dermatology team at the Sheffield Children's Hospital. Concurrently, I began an MD program in Clinical Dermatology at the University of Sheffield. As part of my MD, I initiated a clinical study as an investigator with the Sheffield Dermatology Research team under the supervision of Dr Simon Danby and Professor Cork.

I am dedicated to a patient-centred approach, ensuring personalised treatment plans tailored to each patient's needs. Outside my practice and research, I actively volunteer for skin awareness campaigns and public health education initiatives.

Research interest:

Characterisation of skin microstructure in healthy individuals and comparing it to patients exhibiting skin atrophy following long-term or excessive use of topical corticosteroids.

Professional activities:

• Member, Kuwait Medical Association (KMA)

• Member, Kuwait Society of Dermatologists (KSD)

• Member, American Academy for Dermatology Association (AADA)

• Member, British Association for Dermatology (BAD)

Ruth Murphy has been a consultant in adult and paediatric dermatology for 20 years. She is currently a Consultant Dermatologist at Sheffield Teaching Hospital and Sheffield Children’s Hospital. She has been involved in research since 1994 when she was awarded a Wellcome Trust Clinical Fellowship to study IL-4 polymorphisms in Atopic Dermatitis. This sparked an interest in inflammatory skin diseases in adults and children. Before returning to Sheffield she was a consultant dermatologist and Honorary Associate Professor at Nottingham University Teaching hospitals where she was a co-applicant on two NHIR grants and supervised the associated PhDs in paediatric psoriasis and vulval disease. She has experience as principal investigator in both industry sponsored and NIHR supported registry trials predominantly in psoriasis (BADBIR) and atopic dermatitis (A*STAR). She was elected as a fellow of the International Psoriasis Council in 2009 and was section Editor for the British Journal of Dermatology for 4 years.

She has chaired sessions at the World Congress of Dermatology, the British Society of Dermatology, the European Academy of Dermatology and Venerology and the European Society of Paediatric Dermatology and the British Association of Dermatology. She lectures widely on inflammatory skin disease and has published accordingly. She is the co-editor of the Oxford Handbook of Paediatric Dermatology. She is the Immediate Past President for the British Association of Dermatologists and prior to this was the Academic Vice President of the British Association of Dermatologists where she established the Education Unit. She is also a past President of the British Society of Paediatric Dermatologists. She has an international standing in medical education and was Chair of the Specialty Advisory Committee in Dermatology to the Royal College of Physicians from 2011-2015 which nationally advises the training for dermatology at specialty level and was appointed by the Australian Medical Council to be part of a team review Dermatology training nationally. She continues to supervise research into medical education both in the UK and overseas and currently supervises a PhD in undergraduate dermatology. She currently works with Health Education England as part of the Topol Steering group and Digital Health Steering group and continues as lead for Digital Transformation at the British Association of Dermatologists.