1. Identification of genes causing human inherited disorders that disrupt the structure and function of epithelial tissues.

2. Biological functions and genetic diseases of keratinocyte structural proteins.

3. RNA-based gene therapy for dominantly inherited genetic disorders.

4. Drug discovery for keratinizing disorders.

Biosketch:

Education:
Graduated from The Queen's University of Belfast: BSc (Hons) in Microbiology (1985); PhD in Human Genetics “Electrophoretic and immunological analysis of proteins in the muscular dystrophies”, (1988); DSc in Human Genetics “Human keratinizing disorders: defining the function of the keratin intermediate filaments”, (1999) .

Academic appointments:
Research Assistant and Postdoctoral Research Assistant, Department of Medical Genetics, The Queen's University of Belfast (1985-1991). Research Director, Ångstrom Laboratories, Larne, UK (1991-1992). Postdoctoral Research Fellow, CRC Cell Structure Research Group, University of Dundee (1992-1996). Associate Professor, Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, USA (1996-1998). Wellcome Trust Senior Research Fellow in Basic Biomedical Sciences, Department of Molecular and Cellular Pathology, University of Dundee (1998-2005). Senior Lecturer, University of Dundee (1998-2002). Honorary Clinical Scientist, Tayside University Hospitals NHS Trust (1999-present). Personal Chair in Human Genetics, University of Dundee (2002-present).

Editorial appointments:
Section Editor, British Journal of Dermatology, 2000-2003. Editorial Board, Journal of Dermatological Research, 2002-present. Associate Editor, Journal Of Investigative Dermatology, 2003-present.

Honours and awards:
Elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, FRSE (2005).

Winner of the CE.R.I.E.S Dermatology Research Award 2006.

Times Higher Research Project of the Year 2006.