International Investigative Dermatology Research Articles

Trends and Perspectives for Dermatological Research in Europe: An Abstract Title Analysis of ESDR and IID Congresses 2010–2019

To better understand and interpret the trends in cutaneous research, we carried out a network analysis of all the titles of the submitted abstracts of the annual meetings of the European Society of Dermatological Research (ESDR), including the International Investigative Dermatology (IID) meetings between 2010 and 2019. Network analysis is a data science tool to process, analyze, and visualize big sets of data. As expected, psoriasis was the frontrunner in each of the annual meetings, followed by dermatitis and melanoma. Interestingly, alopecia, acne, squamous cell carcinoma, pruritus, basal cell carcinoma, and hidradenitis suppurativa were among the next most frequently named diseases and/or terms. We also looked at diversity to assess how broad the interest of the submitting community is and to identify whether "blockbusters" such as psoriasis and atopic dermatitis expand in expense of other interests. In contrast to our expectations, the diversity of submissions to the ESDR annual meetings remained high over the 10 years of our observation period. Interestingly, the diversity increased in the years of the IID, indicating an outreach to other research areas worldwide compared with the ESDR meetings. This is true for both 2013 in Edinburgh, UK, and 2018 in Orlando, USA. During these meetings, this rise in diversity was associated with a relative decrease of the three most often named diseases. Network analysis thus may be a useful tool for research societies like the ESDR to identify trends and allocate resources such as reviewers and sessions accordingly. In addition, it can serve as quality control monitoring whether the ESDR continues to offer a platform for all researchers in cutaneous biology or implements or focuses on emerging fields.

A World of Scientific Endeavors and Friendships

To give readers a sense of the important contributions of the European Society for Dermatological Research (ESDR) in the development of individuals’ careers from the early 90s through the early 2000s, we asked Eugene Healy (University of Southampton, UK), Sarolta Karpati (Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary), and Lajos Kemeny (University of Szeged, Hungary) to share their experience in leadership positions in the Society during that period. They were posed several questions, presented in bold, and their responses follow their initials in the paragraphs that follow.

207 Gender equality among award winners and leaders at the Society for Investigative Dermatology meetings

Women are increasingly represented in medicine and in dermatology; however, women leaders in academic medicine are still a minority. Our aim was to understand the representation of women leaders in academic dermatology including award winners, invited lecturers and directors and officers at the Society for Investigative Dermatology meetings (SID). We conducted a retrospective review of SID (or International Investigative Dermatology, as relevant) meeting schedules from 2009 to 2017 and lists of award winners from 1961 to 2017. We evaluated the proportion of women, 1) award winners (including the Stephen Rothman, Julius Stone, William Montagna, Naomi M Kanof, Herman Beerman, Albert M Kligman/Phillip Frost, and Eugene M Farber lectureships), 2) invited lecturers, including State-of-the-Art Plenary lectures or Clinical Scholars’ sessions speakers and 3) SID directors and officers. The proportion of award winners who were women increased over time. Specifically, 4.3% of award winners were women from 1961 to 1990, compared to 18.4% from 1991-2000, 13.5% from 2001- 2010, and 30% since 2011. Approximately one third of invited lecturers (32.3%) and SID directors and officers (35.7%) were women between 2009-2018. In 2018, 39.9% of SID members were women. Our findings show that women’s representation within SID meeting leadership is increasing, though women are still in the minority. Our study also suggests that leadership opportunities for women are improving within academic dermatology.

Councilor's Meeting/General Assembly of Members at the International Investigative Dermatology 2018 (IID2018)

Councilor's Meeting/General Assembly of Members at the International Investigative Dermatology 2018 (IID2018)

International Investigative Dermatology 2018 Meeting: Promoting Global Skin Biology and Skin Disease Research

International Investigative Dermatology 2018 Meeting: Promoting Global Skin Biology and Skin Disease Research

From Epidemiology and Genetics to Diagnostics, Outcome Measures, and Novel Treatments in Autoimmune Bullous Diseases

The International Pre IID 2013 Satellite Meeting on Autoimmune Bullous Diseases (AIBDs) was held in Lubeck, Germany, from 6th to 7th May 2013, preceding the International Investigative Dermatology (IID) meeting in Edinburgh, UK. This Satellite Meeting followed the tradition of the IID-associated symposia on AIBDs in Kyoto (1993), Salzburg (1998), and Otsu (2008). In total, 180 international researchers and clinicians attended the meeting. Plenary lectures covered the following topics: (i) epidemiology and genetics of AIBDs; (ii) diagnosis and novel disease entities; (iii) cell biology of desmosomes and disease pathways; (iv) cell biology of hemidesmosomes and disease pathways; and (v) outcome measures and novel treatments. In the exhibit of posters, approximately 60 abstracts were presented. The meeting was flanked by two satellite symposia. Importantly, the meeting provided ample time for interactive discussions, critical analyses of the progress achieved to date, and the identification of questions that still needed to be resolved.

JDS improvements during 2003–2012

JDS improvements during 2003–2012

Collegiality Awards: An International Platform for Young Investigator Opportunities

Collegiality—an unusual word, of French origin. Collégialité was in fact first used in Belgium in the 1880s to express colleagueship: the relationship between colleagues. In more recent definitions, both in print dictionaries and online, however, the word encompasses the concept of respect for another’s commitment to a common purpose and the ability to work toward it. Now, for the Society for Investigative Dermatology (SID), the European Society for Dermatologic Research (ESDR), and the Japanese Society for Investigative Dermatology (JSID), the term has been embodied in the Collegiality Awards program. This series of awards was established in 2007 with a broad vision to foster and promote the careers and professional visibility of young investigators, with an emphasis on international experience and exchange. The goal was quite simple: to create a framework and something tangible that could help promising researchers obtain international exposure of their work at an early stage in their career and thereby help develop their professionalism and sense of achievement. The hope was that this would be an effective way to stimulate academic exchange as well as new professional interactions, collaborations, and friendships. The objective was for a research-active fellow in one Society—who regularly attends and contributes to that Society’s meetings—to be encouraged to submit an abstract (reporting new data) for presentation at one of the other Society’s meetings. En route to or on the way back from that meeting, the fellow’s own Society would help support a visit to a department or institute at which he or she could present data and enjoy some academic discussions and feedback, as well as some local hospitality. Registration fees for the guest Society meeting would be waived, and some academic recognition and professional respect from sister-Society colleagues would also be part of the package. Initial collegiality awards were established between the ESDR and the SID, but perspectives were broadened at the International Investigative Dermatology (IID) meeting in Kyoto in May 2008. At that conference, the JSID decided to host a collegiality evening for young investigators. The event was a great success, being 10-fold oversubscribed. New friendships were forged, and the real spirit of international young investigator collegiality took off. In 2009, with the JSID changing the language of its annual meetings entirely to English, a platform for a truly tri-Society series of collegiality awards became possible. To date, more than 20 Collegiality Awards have been made, and feedback has been very positive—awardees have cited benefits in terms of personal and professional development, the chance to talk science with both junior and senior investigators, and the opportunity to enjoy and learn from exposure to similarities and differences, both academic and cultural. But perhaps only now is the full infrastructure and tri-Society commitment in place to administer and implement the program, and it is pleasing to report that it has the strong backing of all three Society Boards. Evaluating the success or failure of the program will take time, but for now the opportunities are there, and I urge all young investigators to check their Society websites for full details of the Collegiality Awards. Residents, PhD students, postdoctoral research fellows, lecturers, instructors, and assistant professors are eligible to apply. Broaden your horizons: international collegiality, in every sense, awaits you.

Changes to JSID—From a closed to an open society

My service as Chief of the Scientific Program Committee for the International Investigative Dermatology (IID) meeting in Kyoto in 2008 and for the Japanese Society for Investigative Dermatology (JSID) meetings in 2007 and 2009 has provided me with a unique perspective, and I would like to say a few words regarding the changes that have occurred in JSID over the last 3 years.

Greeting from the President of the Japanese Society for Investigative Dermatology (JSID)

I assumed the office of President of the JSID (http://www.jsid.org/english/index.html). My term is from May 2008 to December 2011. From 2005, I served as the Secretary-General of the JSID under Professor Shinji Shimada, the former President, and I worked to organize the International Investigative Dermatology 2008 (IID2008). We are happy to have successfully completed the IID2008. I believe that the success of that event contributed to firmly establishing the status of the JSID in the arena of international investigative dermatological science.

The Ichthyosis Registry—A Resource Ready for Use

The National Registry for Ichthyosis and Related Disorders was funded by NIAMS in 1994 to improve understanding of the pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment of the ichthyoses. Individuals with ichthyosis enroll in order to obtain and provide information about their disorder. A list of the disorders enrolled in the Registry can be found at www.skinregistry.com Diagnosis is confirmed by strict clinical, histologic, and in the case of recessive X-linked ichthyosis, biochemical criteria. In appropriate cases, mutation detection is offered to individuals in whom known mutations have been shown to underlie their disorder. Extensive identifying, historical, clinical, and quality of life data are obtained during an interview by the Registry coordinator and are entered into a secure database. Over 600 subjects have been enrolled. In most cases (>97%), enrollees ask to be informed of pertinent studies. Thus, a large group of affected individuals with well-characterized disorders interested in participating in studies of their disease is available for industrious investigators. The Registry is available for “mining” at many levels. For example, a recent review of the quality-of-life data of enrollees was presented at the International Investigative Dermatology meeting 1Fleckman P, Hamill G, Weinstock MA: The national registry for ichthyosis and related disorders—Health related quality of life and patient reported outcomes. J Invest Dermatol 121:420, 2003 (abstr)1Fleckman P, Hamill G, Weinstock MA: The national registry for ichthyosis and related disorders—Health related quality of life and patient reported outcomes. J Invest Dermatol 121:420, 2003 (abstr) and has been submitted for publication. Other investigators have used the Registry to identify and inform subjects about studies of specific clinical disorders such as erythrokeratodermia variabilis, X-linked recessive ichthyosis, CIE, and KID Syndrome (Taubenheim, 1999Taubenheim A. Use of the Internet to search for information on arthritis and musculoskeletal and skin diseases.1999Google Scholar;Richard et al., 1998Richard G. Smith L.E. Bailey R.A. et al.Mutations in the human connexin gene GJB3 cause erythrokeratodermia variabilis.Nat Genet. 1998; 20: 366-369Crossref PubMed Scopus (301) Google Scholar;Zettersten et al., 1998Zettersten E. Man M.Q. Sato J. et al.Recessive x-linked ichthyosis: Role of cholesterol–sulfate accumulation in the barrier abnormality.J Invest Dermatol. 1998; 111: 784-790Crossref PubMed Scopus (94) Google Scholar;Fowler et al., 2004Fowler A.J. Moskowitz D.G. Wong A. Cohen S.P. Williams M.L. Heyman M.B. Nutritional status and gastrointestinal structure and function in children with ichthyosis and growth failure.J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2004; 38: 164-169Crossref PubMed Scopus (21) Google Scholar). In addition, a discussion group for investigators with clinical interests is maintained on the Registry web site. Investigators from within or outside of the US interested in pursuing this valuable resource are encouraged to contact the Registry for more complete information.

Emotions of the Disease

“Beauty is only skin deep.” People with skin disease often do not feel beautiful, and the layers of the effects of skin disease reach much deeper than skin. “Emotions of Disease,” a patient art exhibit shown at the International Investigative Dermatology meeting in Miami Beach, Florida, April 30 through May 4, 2003, was organized by the Coalition of Skin Diseases (CSD). The exhibit offered physicians and scientists a personal perspective of patients' experience through artwork presented in a variety of media. Artists ranged from adult patients who have struggled with the burden of skin disease throughout their lives to youth who are just beginning that painful journey.Isolation … often worse than the disease. Ryan Garrington, acrylic on canvas. With permission of the artist.View Large Image Figure ViewerDownload (PPT) The CSD is a voluntary coalition of national lay skin organizations representing people with skin diseases throughout the world. The Society for Investigative Dermatology is proud of its long and fruitful partnership with these patient advocate groups and is honored to have been the host of this patient art exhibit. Thank you to all of the patients who had the courage to submit their work, and especially to LaDonna Williams of the Inflammatory Skin Disease Institute, who was instrumental in developing the exhibit.

An overview of infliximab, etanercept, efalizumab, and alefacept as biologic therapy for psoriasis

Background: Psoriasis is a chronic skin disorder that affects ∼2% of the US and European populations. One of the major focuses in psoriasis research has been the development of biologic therapies that provide selective, immunologically directed intervention with fewer adverse effects than traditional therapies. Objective: The aim of this review was to summarize the progress of 4 biologic agents available or under investigation for clinical use: infliximab, etanercept, efalizumab, and alefacept. Methods: Relevant information was identified through a MEDLINE search of the literature (1966 to May 2003) using the terms biologic therapy, psoriasis, infliximab, etanercept, efalizumab, and alefacept. In addition, meeting posters from the American Academy of Dermatology (2003) and International Investigative Dermatology (2003) were reviewed and included if perceived to be reliable and relevant. Results: In a Phase II trial of infliximab, the percentages of patients reaching ≥75% improvement from baseline in the psoriasis area and severity index (PASI 75) at week 10 were as follows: 6% with placebo ( 3 51 ), 72% with infliximab 3 mg/kg ( 71 98 ), and 88% with infliximab 5 mg/kg ( 87 99 ). In a Phase III study, 34% of patients receiving etanercept 25 mg SC twice weekly ( 55 162 ) achieved PASI 75 at 12 weeks and 44% ( 71 162 ) at 24 weeks. Also, 49% of those receiving etanercept 50 mg ( 81 164 ) achieved PASI 75 at 12 weeks, and 59% ( 97 164 ) at 24 weeks. In 2 Phase III trials with SC efalizumab 1.0 mg/kg or 2.0 mg/kg or placebo, 30% in the 1.0-mg/kg per week group ( 117 394 ) achieved PASI 75; in the 2.0-mg/kg per week group, 28% ( 113 409 ) did. In the placebo, 3.4% ( 10 292 ) achieved PASI 75.

New perspectives on immunobiology and immunotherapy of melanoma

Melanoma is a malignant skin tumor of melanocytic origin. A recent meeting**The Alpine Melanoma Meeting was a satellite symposium of the International Investigative Dermatology Society Meeting at Davos, Switzerland, on 4–6 May 1998. discussed the mechanisms of immune activation and immune escape during an anti-melanoma-specific response, and new concepts for immunotherapeutic intervention.

Minutes of the General Assembly of Members for the 22nd Annual General Meeting of the Japanese Society for Investigative Dermatology (JSID)

Dr Hideoki Ogawa (Chairman of JSID) reported on the current status of the Society. The summary follows: (1) Silent prayer was offered for the recently deceased members (Drs Takuji Takeuchi, Yoshikuni Noguchi). (2) Dr Hideoki Ogawa appealed to all members to attend the International Investigative Dermatology 1998 which will be held from 7 to 10 May 1998, at Cologne in Germany. (3) Dr Hideoki Ogawa wished to express our appreciation to Dr Kunihiko Yoshikawa, Editorin-Chief, who had completed his term and made great contribution to the JDS. (4) The First JSID Forum was successfully held for the purpose of research exchange between dermatologists and non-dermatologists. This forum will continue to be held in the future. (5) For the purpose of preparing for the JSID annual meeting, the Board Meeting proposed that the Councilors elect the president of the annual meeting two years in advance. Several amendments are also mentioned regarding this matter.