Acquired & Inherited Bullous Disorders

BIOGRAPHY

Masayuki Amagai Academic positions: - Professor and Chair of the Department of Dermatology, Keio University School of Medicine Any industry positions (last five years): None declared Research interests: Dr Amagai researches the pathophysiological mechanisms of autoimmune skin diseases, pemphigus. His group have developed an active disease mouse model for pemphigus by a unique approach using adoptive transfer of splenocytes from autoantigen-knockout mice. They are currently investigating peripheral tolerance against pemphigus antigen, desmoglein 3 (Dsg3), at level of B cells as well as T cells. Their goal is to develop antigen- or disease-specific therapeutic strategies for tissue-specific autoimmune diseases. Any other information: - Section editor, Journal of Investigative Dermatology (2002-) - Editorial Board, Experimental Dermatology (2003-) - Section editor, Journal of Autoimmune diseases (2004) - The Journal of Clinical Investigation (Consulating Editor, 2007-) - The Journal of Dermatological Science (Editorial Board, 2001- 2005; section editor 2006- ) - The Journal of American Academy of Dermatology (Editorial Board, 1998-) - British Journal of Dermatology (Editorial Advisory Board, 2001-) - Der Huatarzt (Editorial Board, 2007- ) Awards and Honors - 2000 The JSID Award from Japanese Society for Investigative Dermatology - 2002 Alfred Marchionini Award at World Congress of Dermatology, Paris - 2003 William Montagna Lectureship Award for "Pemphigus: A simple logic behind a complex disease" - 2005 CE.R.I.E.S Research Award for research on the Peripheral Tolerance Mechanism in Skin - 2006 JSPS Prize from Japan Society for the Promotion of Science - 2006 JSI Award from Japanese Society for Immunology