About

The Dermatology Research Centre was established in 2007 as a joint initiative of The University of Queensland and the Queensland Skin and Cancer Foundation to represent Queensland's first research unit led by specialist dermatologists.

Since its initiation the Dermatology Research Centre continues to grow and build its reputation, consists of both clinical and laboratory research groups studying skin and skin cancer, both melanoma and keratinocyte cancers, utilising the state-of-the-art research infrastructure at the Translational Research Institute. The centre is also undertaking the development and validation of novel technology platforms for diagnosis and treatment of skin cancer. Our success is largely due to our researchers' ability to obtain national and international competitive funding, as well as independent funding through philanthropy and industry.

Our leaders

Professor H. Peter Soyer is the inaugural UQ Chair in Dermatology and Director of the Dermatology Research Centre. He is an academic dermatologist from Austria, and a world-renowned dermatologist and pioneer of dermoscopy for the early diagnosis of melanoma and teledermatology. His research group's main focus is clinico-pathologic-molecular-characterisation of melanocytic and keratinocytic skin cancer and its precursor lesions. He is the lead Chief Investigator of the recently awarded NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence for the Study of Naevi (2015-2019).

Associate Professor Rick Sturm joined the Dermatology Research Centre in 2014, after numerous years of collaboration with Professor Soyer. He previously headed the Molecular Genetics of Pigmentation Research Group at the UQ Institute for Molecular Bioscience, moving his full laboratory into the centre at the beginning of 2015. He is considered one of the world's leading authorities on human pigmentation genetics, with a particular interest in the correlation of pigmentation genetics and phenotypic traits to skin cancer risk.

Associate Professor Helmut Schaider established his research team at the Dermatology Research Centre in 2013. He is an academic dermatologist from Austria and previously headed the Cancer Biology Unit, Department of Dermatology, at the Medical University of Graz. His main research interests relate to all aspects of melanoma biology with an emphasis on elucidating mechanisms of drug resistance, melanoma progression and new treatment options.

Professor Khosrotehrani is a clinical scientist interested in skin biology, regenerative medicine and skin cancer. He obtained his MD from the Cochin-Port Royal School of Medicine at René Descartes University, Paris, France, specialised in Dermatology and is a fellow of the Australasian College of Dermatologists. The main focus of his laboratory, the Experimental Dermatology Group, is on mesenchymal-epidermal interactions in stem cell maintenance and cancer. His research has broad applications in skin wound healing, regenerative medicine and cancer initiation and progression.

Innovative research leading to improved patient outcomes

The Dermatology Research Centre cultivates innovative research projects that translate ultimately to improved patient outcomes. The foundation of this effort is a strong and motivated team of clinicians and scientists that embrace local, national and international collaboration. We have built transformational platform technologies that are now being commercialised in the area of skin sampling, Microbiopsy TM, and enhanced topical drug delivery, Foroderm. These novel technology platforms have attracted significant international interest from industry, the research community and dermatologists.

UQ skin and skin cancer researchers together with QIMR Berghofer have also formed the Australian Skin & Skin Cancer (ASSC) Research Centre which brings together 40 groups of researchers around these common themes.