Research and Development - University links

The University Department of Dermatology is recognised as one of the main academic departments in the UK.  One of the main strengths over the years has been the link between clinical investigation and non-clinical science and the integration of clinical and laboratory based research.

The University Department of Dermatology is a constituent member of the School of clinical and laboratory sciences which received drades of 5/5* in the 2001 research assessment exercise and moved to new buildings in June 2009.   The University Department is staffed by Professor NJ Reynolds (Head of School), Professor MA Birch-Machin (Professor of Molecular Dermatology), Dr Sophie Weatherhead, Wellcome Clinical Research Fellow, 4 post-Doctoral Research Associates and 10 PhD/ MD students with support from technical and clerical staff.  The laboratory space has recently been refurbished with £900k of funding from SRIF2 and provides state of the art facilities including uniquely in the UK access to two departmental confocal microscopes and close association with the School and Faculty Bioimaging Facilities. Dedicated clinical research space in available in the Clinical Research Facility in the adjacent Leazes wing of the RVI as well as within the Dermatology Department, Victoria wing.

Dermatological research in Newcastle is focused on 6 broad themes:

1)                  Molecular and signalling mechanisms of inflammatory skin disease, principally psoriasis and atopic eczema and their therapies (e.g. Fearon et al, J Invest Dermatol 2011; Wahie et al, Br J Dermatol 2011; Brown et al, J Allergy Clin Immunol 2008; Flockhart et al, FASEB J 2008; Ross et al, J Cell Physiol 2007; McGill et al, FASEB J 2005)

2)                  Clinical and translational research on inflammatory skin disease (e.g. Weatherhead et al, Br J Dermatol 2007; Meggitt et al, Lancet 2006; Reynolds et al, Lancet 2001).

3)                  Cutaneous and epidermal responses to damage signals from the environment – including ultraviolet radiation (e.g. Boulton et al, Free Radic Res 2010; Flockhart et al, FASEB J 2008; Birket et al, Aging Cell 2007; Krishnan et al, J Invest Dermatol 2006).

4)                  Pathogenesis, molecular genetics and pharmacology of skin cancer (e.g. Hiscutt et al, J Invest Dermatol 2010; Flockhart et al Br J Cancer 2009; Hill et al, Clin Cancer Res 2009; Armstrong et al, Apoptosis 2007; Harbottle et al, Br J Cancer 2006).

5)                  Cutaneous immunology (in collaboration with Prof A Dickinson and Prof J Issacs; e.g. Haniffa et al, J Exp Med 2009; Haniffa et al J Immunol 2007).

6)                  Epidermal stem cell research (e.g. Reichelt et al, Methods Mol Biol 2010; Reichelt, Eur J Cell Biol 2007; Reichelt et al, J Cell Sci 2002).

The Department is well supported with external grant income and is currently supported with grants from The Wellcome Trust, CRUK, BSF, MRC, BBSRC and industry.  We have established a number of productive collaborations across the School and Faculty, in particular with Medical Physics, Physiology and Immunobiology

Education

Medical students

Newcastle is renowned for its innovative undergraduate medical curriculum, and dermatology teaching has been consistently highly rated.  Teaching is given in 4 blocks over the 3 year clinical course. Newcastle coordinates the dermatology teaching for students based in both  Newcastle and Northumberland.

Junior Doctors, Registrars and Clinical fellows

Training of junior doctors at most stages is undertaken in the department. There are SHO level junior doctors and SpRs attached to the department. The Dermatology Surgery unit also trains post CCT fellows in Dermatology Surgery.

General Practitioners

The provision of Dermatology teaching for GPs has recently been changed. The Skin Club had run in the same format for over 25 years. From April 2011 we will hold regular evening educational lectures in the RVI. Once or twice a year full day courses involving lectures and teaching with patients are held.