The Department has been combining standard and maximum dermatological care with basic research and clinical, patient-related research for over 95 years. This was celebrated in a ceremony in 2019. Various working groups in our department research the interactions between the skin and (bio) materials, the identification of new antimicrobial and skin care substances and the effectiveness of new, innovative technologies in infectious skin diseases. In addition, special attention is paid to the development of new, innovative optical methods for the diagnosis of skin diseases, especially skin cancer, and the prevention of occupational skin diseases. Further research focuses are dermatological epidemiology, dermatological health care research and the evidence-based diagnosis and therapy of rare inflammatory dermatoses.

Prof. Dr. med. Peter Elsner
Erfurter Str. 35, 07743 Jena

Dermatology

Research projects

Evaluation of the skin reaction after cumulative irritation with alcoholic irritants

Principal investigators: PD Dr. Sibylle Schliemann, Prof. Dr. Peter Elsner
BGN -2018 - 2019

Hand disinfectants are important in hand hygiene to prevent transmission of germs. Nevertheless, their acceptance and use is often limited due to subjective intolerance symptoms. However, previous studies concluded in the majority that hand disinfectants are mild and non-irritating by using various models and methods, such as non-invasive bioengineering. In the current study new methods, namely extraction of various biomarkers from the stratum corneum, which are potentially relevant in the inflammatory cascade of the irritant contact eczema, will be investigated. Differently composed alcoholic irritants will be compared and the evolution of irritant contact dermatitis will be experimentally induced in a repetitive irritation skin model in healthy volunteers, while extraction will be performed sequentially at different time points.

Evidence-based management of rare inflammatory and metabolic dermatoses in adults

Principal investigator: Prof. Dr. Peter Elsner
BMBF 2017-2022

Dermatology is characterized by many rare diseases, be they genetic disorders or acquired conditions. The knowledge base of diagnosing and managing these conditions is often split into case reports or small case serious; large diagnostic and therapeutic studies are frequently missing. In this project, we try to improve the management of rare inflammatory and metabolic dermatoses in adults by developing systematic reviews, creating networks and registries and starting multicenter diagnostic and therapeutic studies.

Development of innovative biocidal nanoparticles for use in plastics technology

Principal investigator: PD Dr. Uta-Christina Hipler
BMBF 2018 - 2021

Plastics are processed for packaging, technical components or medical applications in very large quantities. In order to suppress a microbial contamination or to exclude it in clinical applications, novel biocidal particles shall be added to the plastics, which act near the surface. Suitable materials for this purpose are e.g. nanoparticles based on transition metal oxides (e.g. tungsten), which can either be compounded in the plastic or applied by painting. The use of novel nanoscale active substances should thereby cause a significantly prolonged antibacterial effect on plastic surfaces.

InVitroWund - Development of a practical, standardized in vitro test method for evaluating the effectiveness of wound healing products on artificial human skin

Principal investigator: PD Dr. Cornelia Wiegand
BMWi 2020 - 2023

There is currently a lack of comparable clinical data to test the effectiveness of wound healing products with antimicrobial components. At the moment, in vitro efficacy data in suspension tests, e.g. according to DIN EN 13727 and DIN EN 13624, are usually collected for liquid wound treatment products in order to prove efficacy and then animal experiments (pigs or mice) are carried out. However, there is no recognized, commercially available, practical in vitro test method that can evaluate both the antimicrobial effectiveness and the influence of wound healing preparations on the wound healing process. As part of the planned cooperation project, a standardized in vitro model is therefore to be developed on artificial human skin that can be used worldwide for testing these products and thus offers an effective and cost-effective alternative to animal experiments in clinical studies.

nanoCARE4skin - Innovative nanomaterials for the application of pharmacologically active natural products and derivatives for the treatment of dermatitis

Principal investigator: PD Dr. Cornelia Wiegand
TMWWDG 2020 - 2022

The interdisciplinary junior research group focuses on the use of innovatively packaged natural products and their derivatives for the treatment of inflammatory skin diseases such as atopic dermatitis or psoriasis and their treatment. The natural substances are characterized with regard to their anti-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory mechanisms of action and packaged in nanomaterials according to their physicochemical properties. Pharmaceutical testing is carried out as part of the 3R concept (reduction, replacement, refinement) first on newly developed in-vitro tissue models and only then in animal models. The project "nanoCARE4skin" should use sustainable manufacturing concepts and methods to contribute to a better understanding of the effects of natural products and to deliver a new therapeutic approach for the treatment of inflammatory skin diseases.

Medical procedure for the minimally invasive removal of tattoos

Principal investigator: PD Dr. Cornelia Wiegand
BMWi 2018 - 2020

Tattoo removal with a high energy laser is time consuming, costly and often extremely painful. In addition, there are health problems, as the colors in the lymph nodes can accumulate and cause cancer and / or autoimmune diseases. In addition, burns can also occur due to the laser treatment. The aim of the project is therefore to develop a medical device that enables the removal of tattoos by means of high-frequency (HF) technology. This should increase the effectiveness of tattoo removal and support the subsequent treatment.

Proof of the tattoo color in a histological section (HE staining)

Treatment of the 3D skin model by HF device

Further projects

Efficacy of skin protection products used in the food processing industry and service sector

Principal investigators: PD Dr. Sibylle Schliemann, Prof. Dr. Peter Elsner

BGN 2017 – 2021
Patch testing with new hair dyes as potential contact allergens
Epidemiological investigation to determine the frequency of sensitization in exposed persons

Principal investigator: PD Dr. Sibylle Schliemann

Informationsbund Dermatologischer Kliniken IVDK 2018-2022
AD-HERE: Randomized single-blind study on the adherence to treatment with topical methylprednisolone aceponate (Advantan®) in different vehicles

Principal investigator: Prof. Dr. Peter Elsner

Bayer Consumer Care AG 2020 - 2022
Preparation of an R&D project: Development of a medical cold atmospheric pressure plasma system (CAP) for the application of dermatologically active ingredients

Principal investigator: PD Dr. Uta-Christina Hipler

TAB 3/2020 - 12/2020

Selected publications

Tasar R, Wiegand C, Elsner P. How irritant are n-propanol and isopropanol? - A systematic review. Contact Dermatitis. 2021; 84(1):1-14.
Burmester A, Hipler UC, Uhrlaß S, Nenoff P, Singal A, Verma SB, Elsner P, Wiegand C. Indian Trichophyton mentagrophytes squalene epoxidase erg1 double mutants show high proportion of combined fluconazole and terbinafine resistance. Mycoses. 2020 doi: 10.1111/myc.13150. Online ahead of print.
Fink S, Reddersen K, Wiegand C, Elsner P, Hipler UC. Evaluation of cell and hemocompatibility of Cucurbiturils. Eur J Pharm Sci. 2020; 146:105271.
Hesse-Macabata J, Morgner B, Elsner P, Hipler UC, Wiegand C. Tryptanthrin promotes keratinocyte and fibroblast responses in vitro after infection with Trichophyton benhamiae DSM6916. Sci Rep. 2020; 10(1):1863
Elsner P. Teledermatology in the times of COVID-19 - a systematic review. J Dtsch Dermatol Ges. 2020; 18(8):841-845.

Outstanding achievements

The department hosted several courses and symposia:

18.05.2019 - XXXV. Jena Colloquium allergologicum
22.05.2019 – Dermatology Open House
26.10.2019 – 95 Years Dermatology Department / 14th Jena Mycology Symposium & 23rd Dermatooncological Day 2019
25.04.2020 - XXXVI. Jena Colloquium allergologicum