April 2024
SkIN Canada Skin Investigation Network of Canada
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Funded by
Institute of Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis
June 25-27, 2024 in Ottawa
Registration Open – Deadline Monday May 20, 2024
Dr. Sarah Hedtrich
Dr. Sarah Hedtrich obtained her PhD in Pharmacology & Toxicology from the Freie Universität Berlin in Germany in 2009. During her postdoc, she moved to the Ludwig-Maximilians-University in Munich and Tufts University in Boston, USA. She was appointed as an Assistant Professor at the Freie University of Berlin, Germany, in 2015 and relocated her lab to the University of British Columbia in 2019. Currently, she holds one of the prestigious Johanna-Quandt-Professorships at the Berlin Institute of Health @ Charité in Berlin, Germany, and is an Affiliate Professor at UBC. She co-/authored over 95 peer-reviewed journal articles in high-impact journals including the ACS Nano, Journal of Controlled Release, Small, Nature Reviews Materials, and Theranostics. Her research centers around inflammatory and genetic diseases of human epithelia with a focus on skin and lungs and bioengineering of complex, human disease models which are leveraged to develop personalized next-generation therapies.
Team Development Award Project Title: Development of a multi-center research team to explore the potential of antimesothelin 1 gene therapies for fibrotic scleroderma.
Lay Abstract: While the disease scleroderma is rare, it significantly affects people’s lives. Scleroderma means “hard skin” and patients suffer (amongst other symptoms) from tightening and thickening of the skin. Currently, only symptoms are being treated which often is not very effective. With this Team Development Grant, we plan on building a multi-disciplinary and multi-center research team consisting of a clinician with longstanding expertise in scleroderma and scientists with skin delivery expertise and knowledge in disease modeling and novel therapies. Two patient advocates complement our consortium that will provide invaluable insights from their patient perspective related to topics like patient needs, acceptance, potential fears and challenges. This will guide our plan for this funding scheme to develop methods related to human disease modeling and delivery approaches. In the next step, this will form the foundation for applying for larger research funds. With this money, the newly established consortium will then join forces and develop novel and effective treatment options for scleroderma patients.
Scientific Summary: Scleroderma is a rare autoimmune disease characterized by the abnormal growth of connective tissue, thus affecting various organs including the skin. In the skin, fibrosis and collagen deposition result in tightness and reduced flexibility. While the exact cause of scleroderma remains unclear, a combination of genetic, environmental, and immune factors is involved. Current treatment options solely focus on symptom management using moisturizers, immunosuppressants and physical therapy. With this Team Development Grant, we will leverage the complementary expertise from three clinical and basic scientists and two patient advocates to build a lasting multi-center team. During this 1-year funding period, we will conduct foundational preliminary work to develop and validate models and approaches for a multicenter collaboration with the long-term goal to develop a novel treatment option for scleroderma. Considering the objectives of these awards, we have defined the following goals for this Team Development Grant: (1) Develop methods and standard operating procedures (SOPs) for human 3D scleroderma models. (2) Develop methods and protocols for gene silencing of mesothelin-1 in fibrotic fibroblasts. (3) Develop and validate non-viral systems as delivery tools for RNA in scleroderma disease models. The patient advocates will be involved in the development and thinking process to provide insights from their perspective on topics like patient needs, acceptance, potential fears and challenges. With the methods and protocols developed during this 1-year funding period, we will then be able to apply for larger grant funding to work on the development and testing of novel gene therapies for scleroderma patients.
Dr. Brett Thombs
Dr. Brett Thombs completed his Ph.D. in clinical psychology at Fordham University in 2004, including clinical internship training at the Weill Cornell Medical College in New York, then was a postdoctoral fellow and instructor at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He began his career at McGill in 2006, when he was appointed as Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry. He was promoted to Associate Professor with tenure in 2011 and to Full Professor in 2015. In addition to the Department of Psychiatry, he holds Associate Memberships in the Departments of Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Occupational Health; Medicine; Psychology; and the Biomedical Ethics Unit. He is a Senior Investigator at the Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research of the Jewish General Hospital. In 2020, Dr. Thombs was named a Canada Research Chair (Tier 1). Since 2006, Dr. Thombs has published 393 peer-reviewed articles (first, supervising, or senior author on > 70%), including many in the world’s leading general medical journals (e.g., JAMA, BMJ, JAMA Internal Medicine, Lancet Rheumatology), and his h-index per Google Scholar is 83. Dr. Thombs has been awarded $45.6 million in grant funding, including $23.1 million as Principal Investigator and $22.5 million as Co-investigator. He has been awarded 39 CIHR team or operating grants as Principal Investigator. He founded and directs the Scleroderma Patient-Intervention Network (SPIN), a collaboration of over 150 investigators, health care providers, patients, and patient advocates from 9 countries and 50 scleroderma expert centers. He also founded and directs the DEPRESion Screening Data (DEPRESSD) Project, which currently includes more than 350 investigators from > 50 countries, who have contributed > 300 primary datasets for use in a shared database to conduct individual participant data meta-analyses. Dr. Thombs was one of two inaugural recipients of the McGill Principal’s Prize for Outstanding Emerging Researchers in 2013 and has been awarded lifetime research awards from the Association of Rheumatology Health Professionals and the Academy of Psychosomatic Medicine. He is a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences and a member of the College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists of the Royal Society of Canada. Dr. Thombs was Chair of the Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care from 2017 to 2021, the first non-physician ever in this role. His career was profiled in Lancet Rheumatology in 2023.
Team Development Award Project Title: A New Patient-Researcher Partnership for Research on Itch in Systemic Sclerosis.
Lay Abstract: Itch is major problem for many people with scleroderma, a rare skin disease. However, little is known about it. We will form a team of researchers, clinicians, and people with scleroderma to lay the groundwork for large, informative multi-centre studies on itch in scleroderma.Our team includes Canadian and international leaders with expertise in itch and scleroderma, including dermatologists, rheumatologists; a cell biologist, a psychologist, a graduate student, and 3 people with scleroderma and itch. We will develop a questionnaire to map the experience of living with itch in scleroderma. We will get feedback on the questionnaire from people with scleroderma to ensure it captures their experiences. We will also select standardized measures to compare difference aspects of itch in scleroderma to other conditions. We will administer the questionnaire we develop and standardized measures to over 1,500 people with scleroderma in our international cohort. What we learn will support additional research by our team and research by others to better understand itch in scleroderma and improve management options.
Scientific Summary: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a rare autoimmune connective tissue disease that primarily affects the skin. Itch is present in over 40% of people with SSc and is often debilitating, but few studies have been conducted on the topic. The Scleroderma Patient-centered Intervention Network (SPIN) is a patient-researcher partnership that maintains a cohort of over 1,500 people with SSc from 47 centres in 7 countries. SPIN patient partners prioritized SPIN research on itch. Objectives: To (1) form a patient-researcher partnership to study itch in SSc, (2) develop a tool to identify body areas where pruritus is most common in SSc, determine itch patterns from different areas or sources, and understand itch management experiences, and (3) identify standardized itch measures to document epidemiology in SSc. Our proposed team includes Canadian and international leaders and early career investigators with expertise in itch and SSc, including dermatologists, rheumatologists, a cell biologist, a psychologist and methodologist, a trainee, and people with lived experience. To map features of itch in SSc, we will adapt an established tool, the Brest Questionnaire, which includes location, sensations, intensity, disruption of daily activities, and scratching behaviours. Based on patient partner input, we will also include frequency, duration, chronic or episodic nature, intensity fluctuation, and self-management and treatment experiences. We will conduct nominal group technique sessions with SPIN Cohort participants to obtain feedback on the tool and will conduct usability testing. We will also review existing standardized itch measures to identify those most applicable in SSc to support comparisons with other populations with well-established characteristics. Relevance: Tools developed by the proposed team will be administered in our large international SPIN Cohort and will lead to additional focused research and collaborations on itch in SSc. We hope this work will lead to improved patient-clinician communication and care. Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research of the Jewish General Hospital and Department of Psychiatry, McGill University. Project Title: A New Patient-Researcher Partnership for Research on Itch in Systemic Sclerosis.
Can SkIN Canada help?
Request support for your study
SkIN Canada has launched a formal study intake process for investigators requesting support from the Network. Please visit our RESOURCES page for more information on how we can help with funding, patient engagement, database creation, project administration, ethics application, or statistical support.
Skin Canada Travel and Mobility Awards – Application Deadline May 15, 2024
1. Travel Award: The deadline for the next SkIN Canada Trainee Travel Award is Wednesday May 15 (2024) before 11:59 PM ET. SkIN Canada provides partial funding for trainees to attend conferences as part of their training experience. A limited number of awards are available each year on a competitive basis. There are two competition periods per year, one in May and one in October. Applicants who have previously received funding through this program in a fiscal year are not eligible to receive funding until the following fiscal year. The value of the SkIN Canada Travel Award is a maximum of $1,000 CAD.
2. Mobility Award: The deadline for the next SkIN Canada Trainee Mobility Award is Wednesday May 15 (2024) before 11:59 PM ET. The SkIN Canada Trainee Mobility Award provides funding for trainees in the field of skin research to study and conduct research for a brief period in a laboratory other than their own within Canada or abroad as part of their training experience. A limited number of awards are available each year on a competitive basis. There will be two competition periods per year, one in May and one in October. Applicants are eligible for the award only once during a particular training period or level of study (e.g. MSc, PhD, Clinical residency, or Postdoctoral training).
The value of the Skin Canada Trainee Mobility Award is up to $4,000 which can be used for the trainee’s research in a laboratory other than their own, within Canada or abroad for a period ranging from 2 weeks to 6 months.
Skin Canada Training Committee Opening
The Training Committee represents skin research trainees from across Canada. The Committee considers representations from across Canada to be valuable. The committee currently has an opening for a PhD student or a post-doctoral fellow from any of the Western Provinces. If interested in joining this dynamic committee, please send your expression of interest and CV to info@skincanada.org.
Workshops of Interest to Skin Research Trainees
The Annual Skin Canada Workshops will be held at the upcoming Canadian Skin Research Conference in Ottawa (June 25-27, 2024). The workshop topics will include ‘From Graduate School to the Job Market’ and ‘Skin of Color Research’. All trainees are encouraged to participate. There is no registration fee.
Eczema Society of Canada Research Grant Program
The Eczema Society of Canada (ESC) is dedicated to improving the lives of Canadians living with eczema by providing support, education, and raising awareness. ESC’s Research Grant Program provides an opportunity for Canadian researchers to apply for funding for research and/or eczema education projects. Grant amounts range up to $25,000 per grant.
ESC is pleased to invite Canadian researchers to apply today for this funding opportunity. Please help them spread the word! Applications may include research and/or educational projects that will work toward improving the lives of eczema sufferers here in Canada.
The Application Deadline is September 1, 2024.
- Bechard K, Gniadecki R. Use of Baricitinib in a patient with treatment-resistant pyoderma gangrenosum. SAGE Open Med Case Rep. 2024;12:2050313X241235444.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/38524384
- Silverberg JI, Gooderham MJ, Paller AS, Deleuran M, Bunick CG, Gold LFS, Hijnen D, Calimlim BM, Lee WJ, Teixeira HD, Hu X, Zhang S, Yang Y, Grada A, Platt AM, Thaci D. Early and Sustained Improvements in Symptoms and Quality of Life with Upadacitinib in Adults and Adolescents with Moderate-to-Severe Atopic Dermatitis: 52-Week Results from Two Phase III Randomized Clinical Trials (Measure Up 1 and Measure Up 2). Am J Clin Dermatol. Mar 25 2024.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/38528257
- Silverberg JI, Cronin A, Jones EA, Dave SS, McLean RR, Greenberg J, Strober B, Bieber T, Gooderham M, Paller AS, Simpson EL. Characterization of disease burden, treatment and comorbidities in a large, real-world cohort of patients with atopic dermatitis: The CorEvitas Atopic Dermatitis Registry. JAAD Int. Jun 2024;15:127-130.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/38545488
- Stein Gold L, Adam DN, Albrecht L, Alonso-Llamazares J, Ferris LK, Gooderham MJ, Hong HC, Kempers SE, Kircik LH, Lebwohl M, Loo WJ, Nahm WK, Papp KA, Stewart D, Toth DP, Zirwas M, Krupa D, Snyder S, Burnett P, Higham R, Berk DR. Long-term safety and effectiveness of roflumilast cream 0.3% in adults with chronic plaque psoriasis: a 52-week, phase 2, open-label trial. J Am Acad Dermatol. Mar 29 2024.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/38556093
- Park M, Vu D, Alhusayen R. Trimethoprim-Sulfamethoxazole as a Mono-Antibiotic Therapy for Hidradenitis Suppurativa. J Cutan Med Surg. Apr 9 2024.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/38591774
Wound Healing, Fibrosis and Regeneration
- Attiogbe E, Larochelle S, Chaib Y, Mainzer C, Mauroux A, Bordes S, Closs B, Gilbert C, Moulin VJ. An in vitro autologous, vascularized, and immunocompetent Tissue Engineered Skin model obtained by the self-assembled approach. Acta biomaterialia. Sep 15 2023;168:361-371.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/37419164
- Khalaf F, Hutter MF, Jeschke MG. Traversing the blaze: Uncovering the challenges in burn care for older adults. Surgery. Oct 11 2023.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/37833154
- Sanchez-Espino LF, Luca N, Pope E, Laxer RM, Knight AM, Sibbald C. Systematic review of health-related quality of life impact in juvenile localized scleroderma: Health-related quality of life in juvenile localized scleroderma. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). Sep 26 2023.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/37750181
- Sanchez-Espino LF, Sibbald C, Stimec J, Laxer RM, Pope E. Characteristics and onset of presentation of pediatric stiff skin syndrome: A retrospective cohort study of 11 patients in a tertiary care center. Pediatr Dermatol. Oct 20 2023.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/37864376
- Khan L, Derksen T, Redmond D, Storek J, Durand C, Gniadecki R, Korman B, Cohen Tervaert JW, D’Aubeterre A, Osman MS, Willis LM. The cancer-associated glycan polysialic acid is dysregulated in systemic sclerosis and is associated with fibrosis. J Autoimmun. Sep 22 2023;140:103110.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/37742510
Skin Cancer
- Blanchard M, Morren MA, Busschots AM, Hauben E, Alberti-Violetti S, Berti E, Avallone G, Tavoletti G, Panzone M, Quaglino P, Colonna C, Melchers RC, Vermeer MH, Gniadecki R, Mitteldorf C, Gosmann J, Stadler R, Jonak C, Oren-Shabtai M, Hodak E, Friedland R, Gordon E, Geskin LJ, Scarisbrick JJ, Mayo Martinez F, Noguera Morel L, Pehr K, Amarov B, Faouzi M, Nicolay JP, Kempf W, Blanchard G, Guenova E. Paediatric onset lymphomatoid papulosis: results of a multicentre retrospective cohort study, on behalf of the EORTC Cutaneous Lymphoma Tumours Group (CLTG). The British journal of dermatology. Apr 10 2024.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/38595050
- Huang Y, Fleming P, Fung K, Chan AW. Association between dermatology follow-up and melanoma survival: a population-based cohort study. J Am Acad Dermatol. Feb 16 2024.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/38368952
- Venables ZC, Gran S, Levell NJ, Yiu ZZN, Proby CM. International melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer mortality trends – is it time to re-focus our attention? Clin Exp Dermatol. Dec 7 2023.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/38060677
- Seigel K, Croitoru D, Silverberg OM, Miller-Monthrope Y, Laframboise S, Joseph M. Painful plaques in a woman with recurrent squamous cell carcinoma. JAAD Case Rep. Nov 2023;41:116-118.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/38022755
- Pedersen SJ, Paoli J, Gniadecki R, Glud M. Repair of Defects of the Nasal Tip After Mohs Surgery. Dermatol Pract Concept. Oct 1 2023;13(4).https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/37992361
Skin of Colour
- McKenzie S, Wang J, Mora Hurtado AC, Uppal P, Taylor SC, Elbuluk N. Cosmetic injectables in skin of color: A review of uses, safety, and effectiveness of neuromodulators and dermal fillers. J Cosmet Dermatol. Mar 29 2024.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/38553836
- Salmen NL, Menage K, Baumann AN, Curtis DP, Brodell RT. Skin color reporting in squamous cell carcinoma-related randomized controlled trials in top dermatology journals: a systematic review. Arch Dermatol Res. Mar 30 2024;316(4):115.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/38554241
- Gofman J, Shapiro L, Elias MD. Recognizing Flagellate Erythema in Skin of Color: A Case of Shiitake Dermatitis. Cureus. Mar 2024;16(3):e55437.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/38567230
- Williams K, Yaldo M, Olds H, Moossavi M. A large exophytic plaque on the shoulder of a skin of color patient. Int J Dermatol. Apr 4 2024.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/38572509
- Shahin MM, Quach HT, Marathe KS. Pediatric Dermatology for People of Color. Pediatr Ann. Apr 2024;53(4):e146-e151.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/38574070
- Hudek N, Carroll K, Semchishen S, Vanderhout S, Presseau J, Grimshaw J, Fergusson DA, Gillies K, Graham ID, Taljaard M, Brehaut JC. Describing the content of trial recruitment interventions using the TIDieR reporting checklist: a systematic methodology review. BMC Med Res Methodol. Apr 8 2024;24(1):85.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/38589803
- Brijnath B, Muoio R, Feldman P, Ghersi D, Chan AW, Welch V, Treweek S, Green H, Orkin AM, Owusu-Addo E. “We are not invited”: Australian focus group results on how to improve ethnic diversity in trials. J Clin Epidemiol. Apr 15 2024:111366.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/38631530
- Paller AS, Rangel SM, Chamlin SL, Hajek A, Phan S, Hogeling M, Castelo-Soccio L, Lara-Corrales I, Arkin L, Lawley LP, Funk T, Castro Porto Silva Lopes F, Antaya RJ, Ramien ML, Vivar KL, Teng J, Coughlin CC, Rehmus W, Gupta D, Bercovitch L, Stein SL, Boull C, Tom WL, Liang MG, Hunt R, Luu M, Holland KE, Schoch JJ, Cella D, Lai JS, Griffith JW, Pediatric Dermatology Research A. Stigmatization and Mental Health Impact of Chronic Pediatric Skin Disorders. JAMA Dermatol. Apr 24 2024.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/38656377
- Bieerkehazhi S, Barayan D, Khalaf F, de Brito Monteiro L, Aijaz A, Volk C, Matveev A, Saldanha S, Faour S, Jeschke MG. Burns Induce Alterations in the Acyl Proteome of Mice and Humans. Shock. Mar 15 2024.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/38661185
- Martindale APL, Ng B, Ngai V, Kale AU, Ferrante di Ruffano L, Golub RM, Collins GS, Moher D, McCradden MD, Oakden-Rayner L, Rivera SC, Calvert M, Kelly CJ, Lee CS, Yau C, Chan AW, Keane PA, Beam AL, Denniston AK, Liu X. Concordance of randomised controlled trials for artificial intelligence interventions with the CONSORT-AI reporting guidelines. Nature communications. Feb 22 2024;15(1):1619.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/38388497
SkIN Canada Executive Committee
