Professor Christopher Griffiths

Professor Christopher Griffiths is the Director at the Manchester Centre for Dermatology Research and Head of the Dermatology Theme at the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Manchester Biomedical Research Centre. He currently sees private patients at Devonshire Diagnostic Centre and The Harley Street Clinic.

His academic journey began with a 1st Class Hons BSc in Anatomy from St Thomas’ Hospital Medical School, London in 1976, followed by his medical degree in 1979. After completing junior hospital posts in South London, he pursued specialised training in Dermatology at St Mary’s Hospital, London (1983-87), during which he served as a Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Training Fellow (1985-87). His career then took him to the University of Michigan, USA, where he held a research fellowship in Dermatology from 1987 to 1989, subsequently being appointed as an Assistant Professor until 1993. In 1994, he assumed the Foundation Chair in Dermatology at the University of Manchester and also holds the role of Honorary Consultant Dermatologist at Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust.

Throughout his career, Prof Griffiths has made significant contributions to dermatology research and education. He founded the Manchester Dermatopharmacology Unit and the Manchester Psoriasis Service in 1994. He has held various senior positions at the University of Manchester, including Head of School of Translational Medicine and Faculty Research Dean. His leadership extends to national initiatives, as he leads for precision medicine in the UK Government’s Greater Manchester Devolution initiative.

In recognition of his contributions, Prof Griffiths has received numerous awards and honours, including a lifetime achievement award from the American Skin Association in 2009, the Sir Archibald Gray Medal for outstanding service to British Dermatology in 2015, and an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the Queen’s 2018 New Year’s Honours for services to dermatology.

Prof Griffiths has held several prestigious leadership positions within dermatological societies, including past-President of the British Association of Dermatologists, European Dermatology Forum, British Society for Investigative Dermatology, and International Psoriasis Council, which he co-founded in 2004. He is widely recognised for his research contributions, with over 600 Pubmed cited articles in scientific journals and an h-index of 90. As Editor-in-Chief of Rook’s Textbook of Dermatology, he continues to shape the field's knowledge and practice.

Prof Griffiths’ research interests include all aspects of psoriasis and skin ageing, and he is credited with pioneering the concept that psoriasis is an immune-mediated disease, leading to the development of targeted biologic drugs for the condition. His entrepreneurial spirit is evident in founding a spinout company, “CGSkin,” based on his research findings. Additionally, he champions the integration of arts and medicine, having established a visual literacy course for dermatology trainees in 2016.