Skin@Bath 2024

In 2024, we had over 150 attendees (both in person and online) from 15 countries, including the United Kingdom, China, Brazil, the USA, Spain, Germany, Singapore, France, Ireland, Jordan, Malaysia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Greece, and Portugal, representing 41 different institutions worldwide. Over 61 talks will be given over two days by prestigious national and international clinicians, healthcare professionals, and scientists, as well as early career researchers, medical trainees, and postgraduate students (program attached). Additionally, 16 abstracts have been accepted as poster presentations for 2024’s event.

We were very pleased to continue our partnership with RUH and the Bath Institute for Rheumatic Diseases (BIRD). One of the highlights of the Skin@Bath organising committee has been the addition of Dr. Will Tillet, a well-known consultant rheumatologist from BIRD and a senior academic from the Department of Life Sciences at the University of Bath. Dr. Tillet has actively contributed to this year’s scientific program with his usual enthusiasm. We are also privileged to team up with Prof. Tian Cui, a distinguished McKnight University Professor at the University of Minnesota and a Global Chair at the University of Bath. Prof. Cui’s involvement has allowed us to bridge state-of-the-art biomedical engineering with skin research and medicine, bringing a very innovative angle to our program.

Additionally, we are continuing our fruitful partnership with the China-UK Skin Consortium as an extension of the Skin@Bath Network. This year, the consortium is co-led by Prof. Fudi Wang, a Qiushi Chair Professor at Zhejiang University, President of Xinxiang Medical University, and Vice-President of the University of South China, along with my long-term partner Prof. Dr. Julia Li Zhong, a distinguished dermatologist and reputable photobiology scientist.

In 2024, with support from BIRD, we have been able to provide 4 bursaries to young investigators as part of the Dr. Nick Hall Memorial Bursary which we launched in Skin@Bath 2022. Dr. Nick Hall is fondly remembered as a distinguished academic reader and a highly supportive Director of Studies at the former Department of Pharmacy and Pharmacology at the University of Bath before his retirement in 2013. He was also a dedicated mentor for early career researchers and junior academic lecturers, providing many opportunities for research within the field of rheumatic disease as the Chair of the Bath Institute for Rheumatic Diseases (BIRD), which he co-founded in 1975 as part of the University of Bath with the Royal National Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases. Dr. Nick Hall helped initiate BIRD’s role as the partner to Skin@Bath from its beginning. In recognition of his contribution to supporting young research investigators and early career researchers throughout his career, the Nick Hall Memorial Bursary will continue his legacy by financially supporting the participation of young researchers and medical trainees at postgraduate or early career stages of their careers at the Skin@Bath Network Symposium. Applicants are restricted to Ph.D. students, postdoctoral researchers, and medical trainees, with applications from less privileged countries prioritised in the selection stage.

The next Skin@Bath event will be in December 2026.

Positive Comments on Skin@Bath 2024:

Prof Stuart Jones from King’s College London wrote: ‘The Skin@Bath was another wonderful event. I think the best one yet. As always the diversity of the talks were amazing. Many thanks for all you hard work pulling it together. I think it makes a big different for the whole skin community. Without such events skin research in the UK would be weakened.

Sarah Hainsworth Pro-vice Chancellor of Research wrote: ‘It was a pleasure to welcome the participats of the Skin@Bath symposium to the reception in the beautiful Bath Guildhall. Thank you Charareh Pourzand and team for organisig a fascinating scientific programme which contributes to our Health and Wellbeing research strand of the University of Bath’.

Local MP Wera Hobhouse said: A closing note was also delivered by Local MP Wera Hobhouse also praised the Nature Communication 2014 paper on psoriasis which was executed and published as part the collaborations established between me and other network members after Skin@Bath 2022 network Symposium.

Prof Ian White, the former Vice Chancellor of the University of Bath and the Chair of best talk/posters prizes panel for Skin@Bath 2024 wrote: ‘The conference was such a success and the arrangements were simply outstanding. The original vision has been vindicated as being so important, bringing such an interesting and diverse groups of people together. What impressed me more however was the exceptionally high regard in which you are held. The fact that you are in so many globally leading collaborations, that your group members won so many prizes, and that your work was held in such high regard, was most gratifying. You have built something very special at Bath, and so please accept my sincere congratulations.’