Newsletter - December 2004
Recent BPG Meetings and Workshops
Workshops
Reports on the BPG / UK Skin Lymphoma Group workshop on Photopheresis (Belfast, December 2001) is under review and the BPG workshop on TL01 Phototherapy (Dundee, November 2002) has been to published in the British Journal of Dermatology.
The BPG meeting at the BAD in Belfast on 08 July 2004.
The BPG AGM was held just prior to the BPG symposium during the BAD conference in Belfast. Notes of this meeting and the Chairman and Secretary’s reports are available on request from the secretary. The committee proposed that the size of the committee be increased form 5 to 6 members and this was accepted by the membership present.
The BPG symposium was held on the afternoon of the 8th July. The guest speakers were Dr Helger Stege, who gave a thorough overview of therapy using UVA1 and Professor Peter Farr who gave an informative and entertaining presentation on Sunbeds.
There were 10 proffered papers all of good quality and the prize (£200) for the best presentation was awarded to Mr N Morley from the Cornwall Dermatology research Project for his presentation on the photoprotective effects of Green tea.. Abstracts for all proffered papers are published in BJD Vol 151, supplement 68, July 2004.
BPG at BSID, Sheffield, 14-16 April 2004. The BPG invited Professor Gary Halliday from Sydney to speak on “The UVA waveband in sunlight contributes to immuno-suppression and gene mutation in humans”. A very stimulating and thought provocation presentation was enjoyed by all.
Future BPG Meetings and Workshops
Workshop on photoprotection
This is being organised by Lesley Rhodes and will be held in Manchester in Autumn 2005.
Imaging the skin meeting
Discussions are underway with the non-ionising radiations special interest group of the IPEM (Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine) to hold a joint one day meeting on optical methods of imaging the skin.
Several topics for future workshops are being considered:
- Sunscreens
- PUVA
- Sunbeds
BPG Website
The BPG website is now up and running it can be accessed at http://www.bpg.org.uk/ or by following a link from the BAD website. Any feedback from members would be welcome. The committee has decided to have one member who keeps an eye on the web site content. So any suggestions for the website please send to Tony Pearse (pearsead@cardiff.ac.uk)
PPP journal
The Photodermatology, Photoimmunology and Photomedicine Journal has now been adopted as the official journal of the BPG. PPP is a forum for new information on the effects of ultraviolet, visible and infrared radiation mediated through the skin. Submission of original work would be welcomed from BPG members. PPP is published every two months (Feb, April, June, August, October and December). All full members of the BPG receive PPP at a very favourable cost. Anyone full member who is not receiving the journal, please let the secretary know.
Membership
We have 85 Full members and 18 Affiliates. We would like to encourage affiliates to become full members. We would also like to increase the size of the membership and would be grateful if members could encourage colleagues to join.
Collection of subscriptions
The BAD will collect subscriptions on behalf on the BPG in future (please see separate letter enclosed).
Committee
Sally Ibbotson is currently on Maternity leave and David Bilsland has taken over as chairman. The size of the committee has increased from 5 to 6. We welcome Dr Alex Anstey and Dr Azija Wooloons to the commiteee.
The current BPG committee membership and terms of office are shown in the table below.
| Post | Name | Designation | City | Term |
| Chairman | Dr David Bilsland | Consultant Dermatologist | Glasgow | 2004-2006 |
| Hon Secretary/Treasurer | Dr Jim Lloyd | Consultant Physicist | Newcastle | 2003-2005 |
| Committee Members | Mr David Taylor | Physicist | Gloucester | 2003-2005 |
| Dr Tony Pearse (website editor) | Clinical scientist | Cardiff | 2003-2005 | |
| Dr Alex Anstey | Consultant Dermatologist | Newport | 2004-2006 | |
| Dr Arjida Woollons | Consultant Dermatologist | Worthing | 2004-2006 | |
| Ex-officio | Dr Lesley Rhodes | Co-editor PPP | Manchester | |
| Ex-officio | Dr Warwick Morrison | Editor, PPP | Lutherville, USA |
New Members
The following have been accepted as new members of the BPG
Dr Theresa Gallagher, Hill top Research Ltd, Manchester.
Fran Curtis and Joanne Whitehead, from the Blackrock Clinic in Dublin
Applications for membership can be made to the secretary at any time using a form that can be downloaded from the website.