Welcome to ESDR 2011

On behalf of the ESDR Board and the organising committee I would like to invite you to the 41st Annual Meeting of the European Society for Dermatological Research which will take place in Barcelona, from 7-10 September 2011.

It is the first time the ESDR meeting will take place in Barcelona, and indeed in Spain. Our colleagues in Spain have promised to make this event a unique meeting by adding a Mediterranean atmosphere to the high quality science. The main venue for this event is the The Barcelona International Convention Center which is facing the sea and located in a new architectural area of Barcelona closely connected to the centre of the city.

As a non-profit society, the ESDR aims to disseminate knowledge in the field of dermatology research as well as skin biology. The ESDR's view is that major advances in clinical care for patients with skin disorders result from a combination of advances in the understanding of genetic, epidemiological and molecular processes in normal and diseased skin. As a global approach to skin diseases the ESDR looks into the future of therapeutics and aims to disseminate information pertaining to novel mechanisms of disease, leading to the development of new biomarkers and therapeutic agents. In addition, several sister societies are hosted at the ESDR meeting providing updates in immunology, epidemiology and pathology of skin diseases to cite only a few. The ESDR offers a platform for high-quality interactions between clinicians, scientists and members of the pharmaceutical / biotechnological industries.

Finally, the ESDR takes very seriously the task of mentoring younger scientists and clinicians in their career development via collegiality programmes, special sessions and several prizes that offer greater visibility to the talented individuals who are selected for these awards.

Over one thousand delegates from academic, clinical and industry are expected to attend the ESDR meeting this year. Through the active participation at the ESDR of our sister societies in the USA (Society for Investigative Dermatology (SID)) and in Japan (the Japanese Society for Investigative Dermatology (JSID)) the ESDR meeting is not only a European meeting but has a truly international stature.

We aim to propose an outstanding program to our delegates which will include invited lecturers, original research presentations, symposia and workshops. Additionally, we will have many features to increase interactivity between participants and also implement new technologies that facilitate dissemination of information. For instance, following last year's success using innovative technologies such as e-posters we will continue to improve the visibility and impact of posters presented at the meeting.

In conclusion, we need you at the ESDR to present your latest research in skin biology and skin diseases to an international audience.

We look forward to seeing you in Barcelona.

Professor Vincent Piguet, MD, PhD
President, ESDR