Volume 30 Number 1

New paradigms and advances in medical and translational science are often found at the boundaries of knowledge where multiple disciplines overlap. The ability to examine an issue or problem from a novel perspective may lead to insights and solutions not previously considered. Inflammation, both its mechanism and treatment, is a core tenet of wound research and is also central to a variety of dermatological conditions which are often encountered in the wound care setting.

This edition of WPR presents manuscripts from the dermatology field pertaining to conditions such as Pyoderma gangrenousm, Necrobiosis lipoidica and Hidradenitis suppurativa. Each of these conditions are characterised by aberrations in cutaneous healing relevant to the mechanistic understanding of chronic wounds, and in which ongoing translational research is identifying mechanistic pathways and novel therapeutic targets – some of which have already reached the clinic.

While the nuances of molecular pathways may seem irrelevant to the practising clinician, the identification and implementation of novel therapies for inflammatory skin disease and wounds can only be achieved through the translation (and validation) of molecular and immunological discoveries in the clinical setting. This is where it is essential that both dermatology and wound research acknowledge the emerging role of the ‘clinician scientist’ in holding translational medicine front and centre in future endeavours. The ongoing infiltration of molecular immunology into many aspects of clinical practice requires us to embrace the need for high quality, reproducible translational science to bring new discoveries from the bench to the bedside.

There is great potential for collaboration, cooperation and cross-pollination in skills and knowledge between wound research and dermatology in Australia, particularly in the translational medicine space. We hope that the future holds greater opportunities for collaborations to improve outcomes for patients not only in Australia but globally.

Author(s)

John W Frew
Staff Specialist Dermatologist, Liverpool Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia
Head, Laboratory of Translational Cutaneous Medicine, Ingham Institute of Applied Medical Research, Sydney, NSW, Australia
Conjoint Senior Lecturer, UNSW, Sydney, NSW, Australia