The Skin and Cancer Foundation's research arm makes a vital contribution to the study of skin disease in Australia. The research department has been responsible for many clinical trials over the years as well as financially supporting projects co-ordinated through St. Vincent's Hospital Melbourne's Department of Dermatology.

The research activities of the clinical trial department are supervised and coordinated by specialist dermatologist Associate Professor Peter Foley, assisted by Associate Professor Christopher Baker and staffed by Dr Stephanie Tan, along with Study Nurses/Trial Coordinators Christine Veljanoski, Mary Pym, Anne Williams, Sheri Cloutier, Sue Anderson and Barbara Radulski.

The Skin and Cancer Foundation has recently expanded its activities and signed on as a collaborator with Probity Medical Research (http://www.researchtrials.org), a Canadian based clinical trials consortium, presided over by Dr Kim Papp, a world authority on conducting clinical trials.

How do I become involved in a clinical trial at the Skin and Cancer Foundation?

Anyone wishing to participate in a clinical trial may potentially be eligible and referral from a clinician is not necessary. It is possible to contact the trial department directly to enquire about current research projects to determine suitability - 9623 9406 or 9623 9416. Interest for many of the trials at Skin and Cancer Foundation can also be confidentially expressed online via Clinical Trials Connect (CTC) at www.ctc.asn.au. CTC is an online patient recruitment portal developed by trial nurses in the department at the Skin and Cancer Foundation to help unite members of the community to research opportunities.

Research into treatment modalities conducted at the Foundation have included:

• Biological Therapies for Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis
• Systemic small molecule therapies for Psoriasis
• Immunomodulators for Superficial Basal Cell Carcinoma (sBCC), Nodular Basal Cell Carcinoma (nBCC) and Actinic Keratosis
• Topical gel for the treatment of Actinic Keratosis, sBCC, and nBCC
• Photodynamic Therapy for sBCC, nBCC and Actinic Keratosis
• Antipruritic cream therapy for itch in Atopic Dermatitis
• Topical therapies for facial dermatitis
• Topical therapy for Herpes Simplex Labialis
• Topical and systemic therapies for Acne
• Topical therapy and Botulinum Toxin injections for Axillary Hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating)
• Grenz Ray Therapy for Hand and Foot Psoriasis and Dermatitis
• Systemic Therapy for Toenail Onychomycosis (toenail fungus infection)
• PUVA therapy for oral Lichen Planus
• Excimer laser for Psoriasis, Vitiligo and Cutaneous T Cell Lymphoma

The Trials brochure can be viewed and downloaded from the Media & Publications page.

For more information on how to volunteer yourself or a patient for a clinical trial see Clinical Trials Connect - CTC (http://www.ctc.asn.au/). You can also follow Clinical Trials Connect – CTC on Facebook and Twitter.