History

The idea for a Skin Research Group was conceived in 2012 with the realization that there was an unmet need for a skin focus group in Canada. The founding of a skin research group was initiated with the support ($20,000 CAD) of a McGill Collaborative Research Development Fund (MCRDF) for a project entitled “A New Emerging Team: The Montreal Skin Repair and Regeneration Group (MSRG)”. This involved researchers from McGill University and the University of Montreal (U of M) who came together with the goal of creating a dedicated platform for promoting skin research.  The application was spearheaded by Anie Philip, (nominated PI),   Simon Tran (Co-PI), and Dieter Reinhardt (Co-PI) from McGill and Stephane Roy and Mohit Kapoor from the University of Montreal. The group held its first meeting in Montreal in the summer of 2012 with A Philip and S Rory as co-chairs.

This was followed by a successful application for a CIHR Planning Grant ($20,000) with a project entitled “Skin Repair, Regeneration and Restoration Research Group (SR4G)” which involved researchers from across Canada with the active participation of the LOEX group from Quebec City. The principal applicants were Anie Philip (Nominated PI), Stephane Roy (CoPI), Mohit Kapoor (Co-PI), and Simon Tran (Co-PI) with co-applicants and collaborators from McGill University, University of Montreal, Universite Laval, University of Alberta and the University of British Columbia. Enthusiastic support was provided by patient advocacy groups with their leaders, Christine Janus and later Catherine Clay (CSPA), and Louise Bergeron (CAPA), providing letters of support. The SRGC was formally incorporated as a society in 2017 with Ivan Litvinov, A Philip, S Roy, and D Gratton as the directors.

Since its inception, the SRGC has organized annual meetings, providing a platform for knowledge exchange, collaboration, and networking among skin researchers and stakeholders. These meetings have attracted participants from across Canada, including faculty members, trainees, patient representatives, and industry professionals. Notably, the SRGC has held joint conferences with sister societies such as the Canadian Connective Tissue Conference (CCTC, 2015 in Quebec City, 2016 in Hamilton, 2017 in Quebec City), the Canadian Dermatology Association (CDA, 2018 in Quebec City, 2019 in Calgary), and the DermUpdate 2021 in Montreal, 2022 in Toronto), as well as a highly successful virtual conference in 2020, fostering interdisciplinary interactions and collaborative opportunities.

Over the years, the SRGC has evolved into an influential organization, with a dedicated board of directors leading its activities.  With its diverse participant base and strong involvement of patient representatives and industry professionals, the SRGC effectively promotes knowledge exchange and collaboration. The SRGC's annual meetings provide a platform for researchers to share their findings, engage in mentorship workshops, and forge collaborations. By holding joint conferences with sister societies, the SRGC facilitates interactions and networking opportunities, leading to interdisciplinary initiatives. For example, the SRGC played an important role in the establishment of Skin Canada, a CIHR-funded network that further promotes collaboration and innovation in skin research.

 

 

 

 

 

A MESSAGE FROM THE FIRST PRESIDENT

 

 

Dear Colleagues and Friends,

SRGC's overarching mission is to increase skin research capacity in Canada and identify novel therapeutic strategies for skin disorders and diseases.

Since its inception, the SRGC conference represented a great platform for skin researchers in Canada to come together to advance skin science, promote collaboration, interact with skin disease patients and support the next generation of skin scientists. These annual meetings strived to bring together researchers, industry partners, and patient groups involved in skin research and have served as a platform for sharing scientific advancements, fostering collaborations, and strengthening partnerships. The SRGC annual meeting has evolved to become the premier national conference focused on skin research in Canada. A major focus of the conference is to encourage and motivate the next generation of young Canadian skin scientists by giving them the opportunity to showcase their research, as well as to interact with leading scientists in the field. Promising young basic- and clinician-scientists are recognized by providing the best presentation awards, travel awards, and other engagement awards. The future of SRGC lies in the hands of young faculty, graduate students, and post-doctoral researchers. SRGC emphasizes the importance of their contribution and encourages them to shape the future of SRGC.

The role and objectives of SRGC are to play a pivotal role in the Canadian Skin Research landscape by focusing on five key areas which include (i) facilitating knowledge exchange, (ii) enhancing collaboration and interdisciplinary research, (iii) developing the next generation of skin scientists, (iv) fostering scientist-industry partnerships, and (v) promoting scientist-skin patient group partnerships.

As a member of SRGC, there are many opportunities to become involved, whether it is through committee work, serving on the board or as a co-chair of an annual meeting. Your contributions are invaluable, and I am confident that together we will continue to push the boundaries of skin research and make a meaningful difference in the lives of millions.

Sincerely,

Anie Philip, Ph.D.