The Chair in Dermatology and Toxicology is dedicated to building scientific expertise in the biology of skin and hair, in neglected conditions that predominantly affect people of African ancestry. Located within the Division of Dermatology, the Chair has established the Hair and Skin Research (HSR) Laboratory, a specialised platform for research, training and innovation in dermatology and toxicology. Through focused work on skin fibrosis, keloid scarring and hair biology, the Chair is strengthening institutional capacity and visibility in this niche field while generating knowledge relevant to African populations.

The Chair has developed collaborations for research programmes that include new research models for skin fibrosis, wound healing, hair as a substrate for testing in Medicine and multi-omics work to identify clinically relevant therapeutic targets. The HSR Laboratory has grown into a hub for specialised expertise, with refinements to experimental platforms that now support drug discovery and translational applications. The Chair’s research contributes to intellectual property generation and product development opportunities, embedding the work within UCT’s broader innovation ecosystem.