At the Royal North Shore Hospital Department of Dermatology Clinical and Translational Laboratory, our projects span the breadth and depth of dermatology, from skin cancers to inflammatory dermatoses, from children to adulthood, we explore them all. To do this, we conduct clinical trials, and clinical and translational research projects.
It can take more than 30 years from the discovery of a new medicine in the laboratory to the approved use of that compound with a patient in a clinic. It can then be another decade before that therapeutic is widely adopted by the medical community.
Our research team accelerates this discovery and implementation process in three important ways. Firstly, by being actively involved in clinical trials, we can offer our patients immediate access to the latest and most advanced medicines.
Secondly, we conduct clinical studies to improve our understanding of the use of existing and new medicines, alongside projects to improve the early diagnosis and recognition of diseases.
And lastly, we carry out laboratory experiments, with a focus on clinical observation and human tissues to better understand the causes of these conditions.
Ultimately, this means we are able to contribute to the discovery of new and targeted therapies for dermatological conditions.
Team Lead
A/Prof Gayle Fischer OAM
Associate Professor
Dermatology, Northern Clinical School
Head of Department
Professor Gayle Fischer is the Royal North Shore Hospital Head of Department of Dermatology, and an Associate Professor at the University of Sydney, Discipline of Dermatology. Her research interests are vulval disease, paediatric dermatology and medical education. She runs a vulval disease and paediatric dermatology service at Royal North Shore Hospital. She has a 20-year career in researching and publishing on the subject of paediatric and vulval disease.
Team Members
Dr Emma Smith PhD
Clinical Trials Coordinator
Erin Mewton
Transitional Nurse Practitioner
Helen Sun
Dermatology Research Fellow
Haley Young
Clinical Nurse Consultant
Translational Laboratory:
A key purpose of the Royal North Shore Hospital Department of Dermatology Clinical and Translational Laboratory is to discover and refine better therapies through clinically relevant laboratory studies. We aim to be the premier laboratory for dermatology translational studies and for dermatologist clinician-scientists to work globally.
We hope that within our lifetimes we will see targeted therapies for all dermatological conditions. We are well placed to achieve this given our talented team, our access to state-of-art equipment within the Kolling Institute and the University of Sydney, and our emphasis on human clinical observation and primary human tissue.
Current Translational Projects:
- Cellular and Molecular Pathophysiology of Chronic Vulvovaginal Candidiasis (CVVC).
- Targeting EGFR Inhibition for Palmoplantar Keratoderma, Pachyonychia Congenita and Ichthyoses
- Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Biopsy-Induced Regression of Skin Cancers
- Understanding and Targeting the Mucinous and Sclerotic Stroma of Basal Cell Carcinomas with a Novel Laser Wavelength
- Optimising Ex-Vivo Confocal Assessment of Tumours for Margin Control
- Targeting FGFR3 for Actinic and Seborrhoeic Keratoses
- Targeting IGF1R for Acne Conglobata and Fulminans
- Improving the Safety and Efficacy of Systemic Acne Therapy through a Novel Sebocyte-Specific Biologic Conjugated Retinoid
- Understanding the Immunogenicity of Advanced Therapeutics to Improve their Efficacy and Survival
- Utilising Insights from the Endogenous Nuclear Envelope to Develop a Sacrificial Biologics Cellular Sunshield
To enquire about any of our existing or upcoming translational research, please contact our Dermatology Research Fellow: nslhd-dermatologyresearch@health.nsw.gov.au
Clinical trials conducted at our Royal North Shore Hospital (RNSH) site are part of international multi-centre industry sponsored clinical trials. All the trials aim to bring the latest and most advanced therapies to our patients. We mainly conduct phase 2b and phase 3 clinical trials as we believe these therapies are at a stage that is most beneficial for our patient cohort. To enquire about any of our current or upcoming clinical trials, please contact our Clinical Trials Manager, Dr Emma Smith, PhD: nslhd-dermatologyresearch@health.nsw.gov.au
- A Phase 3, Randomized, Double-Blind, Parallel-Group, Placebo-Controlled Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of NKTR-358 (Rezpegaldesleukin) Monotherapy in the Treatment of Patients ≥ 12 Years of Age with Moderate-to-Severe Atopic Dermatitis
- A Phase 3, Multicenter, Double-blind Maintenance Study to Assess Long-term Safety, Tolerability, and Efficacy of Rocatinlimab in Adult and Adolescent Subjects With Moderate-to-severe Atopic Dermatitis (AD) (ROCKET-ASCEND)
- A phase 3 randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study to evaluate upadacitinib in combination with topical corticosteroids in adolescent and adult subjects with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis
A multi-centre, randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blind, parallel-group trial to evaluate safety and efficacy of spesolimab (BI 655130) in adult patients with ulcerative pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) who require systemic therapy
A Phase 3, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Parallel Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of Enpatoran in Participants with Active Cutaneous Manifestations of Lupus Erythematosus With or Without Systemic Disease Receiving Standard of Care
A Phase 3 Randomized, Double-Blind, 52-Week Placebo-Controlled Multi-Center Study with A Double-Blind 52-Week Extension Period with Randomized Dose Up/Dose Down Titration Investigating the Efficacy, Safety, and Tolerability of Ritlecitinib in Adult Vitiligo.
Our collaborators and research partners are through the industry sponsored clinical trials and the care provided to our patients in the public clinics at Royal North Shore Hospital. To date, we have worked with various sponsors such as:
- AbbVie Pty Ltd
- Amgen Australia Pty Ltd
- Boehringer Ingelheim
- Ego Pharmaceuticals
- La Roche-Posay Australia
- Lilly Australia – Eli Lilly
- Merck Healthcare Pty Ltd
- Nektar Therapeutics
- Pfizer Australia
- Sanofi and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals
- UCB Australia
