Dermatology Research

The Dermatology team at the NNUH are dedicated to continuing our research studies and seeking out new ways to benefit our patients. We are always looking for new areas of research to find the best or most efficient treatments for our patients.

The NHS gets most of its research funding from the National Institute of Health Research, Clinical Research Network. This funding enables us to carry out these trials and support the team in dermatology, which includes two dedicated research nurses.

The studies that we are currently undertaking at the NNUH are:

ALPHA:  is a study aims to find out which of two current NHS treatments for severe hand eczema is better.

APRICOT: is a study is a UK based clinical trial which is testing a new drug treatment, anakinra (Kineret), for palmoplantar pustulosis (pustular psoriasis of the palms and soles).

PLUM is a Genetic study for Pustular Psoriasis is studying which genes and changes to the DNA may be responsible for this rare type of psoriasis. This study is run by Cathy Haughton and David Tomlinson.

BADBIR was established to assess the long-term safety and efficacy of new biologics treatments by following a real world population of people with psoriasis from all areas of the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland. This is a nationwide study involving 156 centres in the UK with 14,675 patients on the register.

B-STOP is a study which works in conjunction with BADBIR by utilising data captured on the BABIR database at each patient follow up. The study uses blood or saliva samples.  It aims to discover which genes and also other so called biomarkers are important in determining good or poor responses to the drugs used to treat psoriasis. Once discovered, it would be possible to use the genetic and biological blueprint of each patient to identify which treatments are most likely to work (and be the safest and least likely to cause side effects).

Molecular Genetics of Adverse Drug Reactions identifies patients with different types of adverse drug reactions using DNA obtained from blood or saliva samples collected from these patients and to identify genetic factors which predispose to adverse reactions. The net effect of the research will be the development of genetic tests which can help in predicting individual susceptibility to adverse reactions, and thereby prevent through testing before drug intake.