5th Galenus Workshop on the Advanced Use of Nanocarriers in Future Skin Drug Delivery (November 16th–18th)

The 5th in the series of Galenus Workshops, this time on the Advanced Use of Nanocarriers in Future Skin Drug Delivery, took place at the Charité Berlin on November 16th–18th, 2016. It was hosted and organized by Dr Alexa Patzelt and Prof. Jürgen Lademann (of the Center for Experimental and Applied Cutaneous Physiology (CCP), Charité Berlin, Germany). This workshop used the “Hörsaalruine” as an extraordinary lecture theatre; a thought-provoking and unforgettable venue for the meeting. The workshop was divided into four themed sessions with a plethora of well-mixed topics, each dealing with one particular aspect of SDD. Aditionally, the 4th session was accompanied by young researchers giving short oral presentations on their current research findings. The initial session, on the role of the hair follicle in the skin penetration process, was opened by one of the organizers, Dr Alexa Patzelt, who pointed out promising aspects of SDD to and via hair follicles. In contrast, the second session turned its attention to new insights into the complex structure of the skin barrier. This was followed by the third, late-afternoon, session which focused on in-silico modelling of the skin barrier, describing the cuticular hair structure as a periodic asymmetric ratchet-shaped surface. 

During the breaks in the proceedings all attendees of the workshop availed themselves of the opportunity to peruse the 24 poster contributions submitted for the 3rd Galenus Poster Award. This saw Eugenius Sontak (of the Goethe Center for Scientific Computing, Goethe University Frankfurt a.M., Germany) become the worthy winner of the prize for his presentation on “Steps towards microscopic simulations of skin penetration”.

The second day of the Galenus Workshop started with the 4th session on Nanocarriers and Skin: Advantages, Interactions and Challenges. As the oral presentations approached their end, four young researchers  used the late–afternoon session to  present their current findings. After a series of fascinating  talks and a final discussion, Dr. Alexa Patzelt and Prof. Lademann closed the successful Fifth Galenus International Workshop at the Charité, lauded by the audience who gave them a highly-deserved round of applause for organizing the event so beautifully. During the extremely well-received event all attendees had the opportunity to update their knowledge of recent international research in the field of drug delivery  to human skin. At the same time this  promoted awareness of the dynamic and supportive activities of the Galenus Foundation (Vienna, Austria) that will be continued at the Galenus Symposium in Geneva (February 2nd–3rd, 2017), hosted by Prof. Gerrit Borchard, this time on Nanomedicine in Cancer Therapy. As an adjunct to the oral presentations, the attendees of the workshop were given further insights into the lab techniques that lie behind research into skin drug delivery. Bringing the proceedings to a close, all those attending were invited to a guided tour through the Museum of Medical History.

For detailed information please refer to www.ccp-berlin.org/5th Galenus Workshop 2016.html