Welcome to a new era of Biomedical Dermatology

Abstract

On behalf of the entire Editorial Board, we are honoured to write this editorial and announce the launch of the new journal Biomedical Dermatology. This is an open-access, peer-reviewed journal and specialises in all areas of dermatology, cosmetic biology and biotechnology research. Moreover, Biomedical Dermatology is a platform used to showcase the knowledge and achievements in the field of cosmetics and combine the Eastern theory of skin care and modern scientific methods to promote the development of the cosmetic skin industry and integration of Eastern and Western perspectives and technology to provide the industry with a range of possibilities. We cordially invite all of you to participate and submit your research to ensure that everyone can learn and strive towards our common goals.

On behalf of the entire Editorial Board, we are honoured to write this editorial and announce the launch of the new journal Biomedical Dermatology. In addition, the Korea Institute of Dermatological Sciences (KIDS) (Korea Institute of Dermatological Sciences, n.d.) is delighted to commemorate this milestone by entering into a new era in which the journal is published by BioMed Central.

Biomedical Dermatology is the official journal of KIDS and specialises in all areas of dermatology, cosmetic biology and biotechnology research. Moreover, the journal aims to become a high-quality international forum for innovative and exciting advances in dermatology and cosmetology. Topics covered by this journal will range from basic, pre-clinical and clinical research pertaining to skin biology and will include the biomedical aspects of dermatology and cosmetology.

Due to environmental changes and an increasing number of life stressors, skin health has become a growing concern. Most research in the field of skin science has focused on the avoidance of skin diseases and the protection of skin health. Moreover, considering the recent progress in scientific and technological basic research on the skin, the fields of dermatology and cosmetology have substantially advanced. In particular, the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis theory has been pivotal in promoting awareness of the role of the immune system associated with the physiology and pathophysiology of the skin. In addition, a novel area of skin research, involving the application of Metagenomic techniques, is the investigation of skin microecology. Regarding skin pathology, a substantial amount of research has focused on the relationship between tension and skin ageing. Recently, both UV damage and environmental pollution have been shown to accelerate skin-related injury.

In the field of cosmetics, advances in biological technology (e.g. the precise extraction of natural substances, applications for bioengineering technology and the increased number of Chinese herbal medicine cosmetics) have promoted the scientific development of raw materials. Moreover, new technology related to cosmetic products has advanced, including microemulsification and new packaging materials.

Recently, the emergence of relevant professional magazines has had a positive influence in promoting the dissemination of information on dermatology and cosmetics; however, as the cosmetics market matures, increased attention has been paid to research on skin healthcare worldwide. As the East and West have different conceptual characteristics pertaining to skin care, it is important to identify an improved means of integrating Eastern and Western skin care characteristics by combining Chinese perspectives and Western theoretical concepts. The main goal of Biomedical Dermatology is to publish content that discusses the direction of skin health care development, including the study of basic skin conditions; discussion of logical, complete and scientific safety evaluation systems; and discussion of skin healthcare products, raw materials, dosage forms, efficacy and other aspects.

Biomedical Dermatology is a platform used to showcase the knowledge and achievements in the field of cosmetics and combine the Eastern theory of skin care and modern scientific methods to promote the development of the cosmetic skin industry and integration of Eastern and Western perspectives and technology to provide the industry with a range of possibilities. Through the sharing of scientific progress, we can predict trends within the cosmetics industry and simultaneously integrate novel scientific resources to facilitate the rapid development of the industry.

Biomedical Dermatology is an open-access, peer-reviewed, online journal that publishes both original research and review articles. All articles are freely and globally accessible online; hence, an author’s work is available to readers at no cost and without the limitations of their library’s budget. This ensures that all research is disseminated to the widest possible audience. Moreover, open-access journals have the potential to reach a much larger readership than any subscription-based journal, both in print and online (Suber 2005). In addition, the authors of the articles published in Biomedical Dermatology hold the copyright for their work and can grant anyone the right to reproduce and disseminate the article, provided that it is correctly cited and no errors are introduced (Copyright and License, n.d.). Open-access publishing is supported by an article-processing charge paid by the authors, their supporting institution or a funding body. For Biomedical Dermatology, this charge is covered by KIDS; thus, the authors do not need to pay the article-processing charge for submissions until 31 December 2017.

The initial editions in Biomedical Dermatology consist of some original research articles and reviews. The first article provides information regarding the current developments in tissue engineering, with a particular focus on lineage reprogramming (Jang and Jung 2017). Recent advances in direct conversion suggest reprogramming various germ layers via the introduction of transcription factors (Heins et al. 2002; Kulessa et al. 1995; Shen et al. 2000; Xie et al. 2004; Vierbuchen et al. 2010). Moreover, this review reports the recent progress made regarding the direct conversion from fibroblasts to midbrain dopamine neurons (Jang and Jung 2017). The second review article reports a comprehensive understanding of stem cell ageing and related diseases (Bae et al. 2017). Ageing occurs due to an imbalance in tissue homeostasis and the deterioration of organ function, which may induce intractable age-related diseases. Although ageing is an inevitable process caused by inherent or extraneous complex-inducing factors, the typical ageing process is closely linked to a progressive lack of regenerative potential exhibited by tissue-resident stem cells (Pervaiz et al. 2009). Focusing on these aspects, this article discusses the recent findings regarding stem cell ageing and the relationship between stem cell manipulation and age-related pathological changes (Bae et al. 2017).

We expect that the partnership between KIDS and BioMed Central will strengthen the international competitiveness of Biomedical Dermatology and facilitate journal access to both overseas and domestic researchers, thus increasing the number of articles submitted for peer review. We cordially invite all of you to participate and submit your research to ensure that everyone can learn and strive towards our common goals.