In his role as independent advisor, Professor Christopher Griffiths OBE, shares his vast knowledge and experience within the field of dermatology to support DEBRA’s research programme and mission to stop the pain of epidermolysis bullosa (EB).

 

 

Chris has extensive experience within dermatology having qualified in Medicine from St. Thomas’ Hospital Medical School, London, and trained in Dermatology at St. Mary’s Hospital, London, and the University of Michigan, USA. He was appointed to the Foundation Chair in Dermatology at the University of Manchester in 1994, a position he held until 2022 when he became Emeritus Professor of Dermatology in Manchester, Adjunct Professor of Dermatology at King’s College London and a Consultant Dermatologist at King’s College Hospital, London. Chris founded the Manchester Dermatopharmacology Unit and the Manchester Psoriasis Service in 1994. In 2015, he received the Sir Archibald Gray Medal, for outstanding service to British Dermatology, and in 2019, the British Society for Investigative Dermatology Medal for contributions to research. In 2018, Chris was awarded Pro Meritis of the European Dermatology Forum and was appointed OBE, for services to dermatology, in the Queen’s New Year Honours. He is an NIHR Emeritus Senior Investigator and a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences. Prof. Griffiths is a previous President of the European Society for Dermatological Research, the British Association of Dermatologists (BAD), and the International Psoriasis Council, which he co-founded in 2004. Chris is the Director of the MRC stratified medicine consortium on psoriasis (Psoriasis Stratification to Optimise Relevant Therapy; PSORT), and the Director of the Global Psoriasis Atlas. He is  Hon. Life Vice-President of the Psoriasis Association. Chris has 783 Pubmed cited articles (h-index 141), and he  is Editor-in-Chief of Rook’s Textbook of Dermatology and Rook’s Dermatology Handbook. Chris has a career-long interest in all aspects of psoriasis and is credited with helping to develop the concept that psoriasis is an immune-mediated disease. His other major  research area is skin ageing; whilst at Michigan Chris was part of the team that developed topical retinoids to manage aged skin. He runs international courses on art appreciation for clinicians and is active in global health initiatives including co-founding the Burma Skincare Initiative charity.

I am delighted and honoured to have been appointed as an independent advisor to DEBRA. The field of dermatology is vast but there are many learnings that one can apply from study of common skin disease that may advance knowledge about EB and thereby enhance care of patients with the condition.