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Professor Dr

Jonathan Barker

Year of election: 2006
Section: Internal Medicine and Dermatology
City: London
Country: Great Britain

Research

Major scientific interests: Dermatology, inflammatory skin diseases, psoriasis, complex disease genetics, translational research

Jonathan Barker primarily conducts research on psoriasis. He makes use of genetic analyses and was one of the first researchers to definitively describe the gene locus PSORS1, which is associated with the disease. Current research aims to complete a genetic map of psoriasis and to identify biomarkers of outcome.

Psoriasis is an inflammatory skin disease. The condition is differentiated into Type 1 and Type 2 psoriasis. Type 1 starts before age 40, and relatives are often also affected; there is a hereditary factor that increases the risk. Type 2 has a later onset, and hereditary factors apparently play no role or only a very small one. Using genetic tests, Barker has been able to detect “psoriasis susceptibility loci” (PSORS), or gene locations that apparently play a role in determining an individual’s susceptibility to the disease. Of these loci, PSORS1 on chromosome 6p21 is the most important. Barker has also been involved in extensive studies that identified additional gene regions associated with psoriasis including methodology such as genome wide association and next generation sequencing. For the first time, an interaction between two regions was observed.

In his research, Barker uses a broad spectrum of methods, always with the goal of improving prevention, diagnosis and treatment. Various clinical research programmes reflect his interest in translational research. His objective is for his research results to benefit patients as quickly as possible.

Career

  • since 2002 Director of the St John’s Institute of Dermatology and co-director at the Skin Therapy Research Unit, London, UK
  • since 2000 Professor for Medical Dermatology at the St John’s Institute of Dermatology, Kings College London, UK
  • 1991 Senior Lecturer in Dermatology and Honorary Consultant at the St John’s Institute of Dermatology, London, UK
  • 1989-1990 Research grant, Department of Dermatology and Pathology, University of Michigan, USA
  • 1985-1991 Work at the Department of Dermatology, Guy’s Hospital, London, UK
  • 1985 Accreditation as medical specialist
  • Studies of Medicine, King’s College London, UK

Functions

Current:

  • Secretary-Treasurer and President-elect of European Society for Dermatological Research
  • Member of the Board of Directors International Psoriasis Council, St. Louis, USA

Past:

  • President of the European Dermatology Forum (EDF), Zurich, Switzerland
  • Secretary General of the European Dermatology Forum (EDF), Zurich, Switzerland
  • Consultant of the British Government for new therapies and technologies at Psoriasis
  • Board Member of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology
  • Member of the Editorial Board of several scientific journals

Honours and Memberships

  • since 2006 Member of the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina
  • Foreign honorary member of the Danish Dermatological Association
  • Foreign honorary member of the American Dermatology Association

CONTACT

Leopoldina

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Emil-Abderhalden-Str. 35
06108 Halle (Saale)

Phone 0345 - 47 239 - 122
Fax 0345 - 47 239 - 149
E-Mail archiv (at)leopoldina.org

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