Edel O’Toole

Professor Edel O’Toole (MB, PhD, FRCP) is a clinical academic at Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) and the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, leading the Centre for Cell Biology and Cutaneous Research. With a focus on rare skin diseases, she combines clinical practice as an Honorary Consultant Dermatologist with molecular research and teaching.

Education:

• Medical degree from University College Galway, Ireland
• Clinical training in Dermatology at Royal Free and Barts (2001)
• Research fellowship at Northwestern University, Chicago (1994)
• Howard Hughes Medical Institute Physician-Scientist Fellowship (1994)

Research Interests:Spanning keratinocyte biology, genetic skin diseases (palmoplantar keratodermas, ichthyoses), atopic eczema in Bangladeshi populations, and eczema-pollution interactions. Her group investigates basement membrane regulation, drug repurposing for rare diseases, and skin cancer invasion mechanisms, supported by grants from Wellcome, MRC, and industry partners.

Publications highlight her work on collagen VII in epidermolysis bullosa, hypoxia effects on keratinocytes, and Axl tyrosine kinase in SCC progression. Collaborations include David Kelsell (genetic skin diseases), Judy Breuer (varicella zoster virus), and John Marshall (skin cancer).

Leadership Roles:

• Co-director, Wellcome-funded HARP clinical doctoral training programme
• Chair, British Society for Investigative Dermatology (2009-2011)
• Chair, Medical Advisory Board of Ichthyosis Support Group
• Co-lead, Skin Genomics England Clinical Interpretation Partnership