International delegates give high praise to skin health research conference
A conference on skin health recently hosted by the University of Southampton’s Health Sciences attracted over one hundred experts from around the world and provided local colleagues the opportunity to present their multidisciplinary activities to a captive commercial audience.
The three day European Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel (EPUAP) focus meeting on skin health and the microclimate aimed to exchange knowledge between scientists, clinicians, and researchers and marketers in the healthcare industry.
Specific reference to the latest technologies associated with both the prevention and treatment of skin damage caused by mechanical factors and moisture was a key focus for delegates.
The conference also intended to identify technological gaps and clinical needs, and further consolidated a long-lasting, supported academia-industry network in the pressure ulcer field.
Health Sciences Professor of Bioengineering and Tissue Health, Dan Bader, who organised the conference, said: "These three days provided an ideal platform to showcase our emerging research team along with our new facilities based at Southampton General Hospital.
"In addition we knew that our local colleagues would benefit from the opportunity to engage with a captive audience including academic and industry peers."
Professor Bader opened and closed the conference and contributed to a session on risk assessment and early detection of vulnerable skin, highlighting his work with biomarker indication.
Health Sciences' Associate Dean of Research and Professor of Continence Technology, Mandy Fader, contributed to a session on management of vulnerable skin and highlighted her work on the measurement of wet skin.
Professor Fader added: "We were delighted that so many leading international researchers attended the conference and shared their knowledge and experiences in this increasingly important topic area. We are grateful to all of those who allocated time from their busy academic lives to discuss their ideas with us."
Feedback from the conference was extremely positive with delegates describing their experiences as ‘excellent' and ‘thought-provoking'. One attendee commented that it was "Possibly the best conference I've attended for quite some time."
The 3rd EPUAP focus conference is scheduled to be held in Berlin in 2016.