Recent advances in the refinement of human skin model systems and their possible applications in various fields of biomedicine: this is the hot topic that brought together more than 100 scientists from 28 countries, including the UK, France, Germany, Belgium, Austria, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Finland and Türkiye. For three days, from 26 to 28 February 2025, the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences hosted the fifth meeting of the participants in Action CA 21108 of the European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) on the theme: “European Network for Skin Engineering and Modeling (NETSKINMODELS)” involving specialists from 44 countries, including Bulgaria.
The skin is not just the largest organ in the human body; it plays a key role in our overall health and well-being. It is the body’s first physical barrier against the external environment; it helps us react to signals the world gives us; it is involved in regulating body temperature and vitamin D production; and it performs important immunological functions. The creation and validation of appropriate model systems of healthy skin as well as of related diseases, are indispensable tools for the in-depth elucidation of ongoing normal and pathological processes and the discovery of approaches to influence them in the direction we desire.
Inspiring professionals from different generations, nationalities and specialties, the CA21108 “NETSKINMODELS” Action paves the way to achieving this ambitious goal. The meeting in Sofia marked impressive progress in the implementation of the set tasks. It goes through the usual cell cultures and complex 3D constructions, reaching virtual systems and active collaboration with artificial intelligence. It is looking for the best helpers in the fight against skin ageing; how to facilitate skin repair after damage; the changes that occur in different diseases and their impact on diagnosis and treatment; the place of gene editing in science and clinical practice.
Key note speaker at the conference was Prof. Dr. Milen Georgiev, Head of the Laboratory of Metabolomics at the Institute of Microbiology of BAS and the only Bulgarian scientist who had won the Pythagoras Prize of the Ministry of Education and Science four times.
The meeting was organized by the representatives of Bulgaria in the Management Board of the CA21108 “NETSKINMODELS” Action, Pof. Radostina Alexandrova from the Institute of Experimental Morphology, Pathology and Anthropology with Museum and Prof. Dr. Razvigor Darlenski from Tokuda Hospital.
