#### **HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE** ![](https://assets.reachrx.ai/images/10.1111%E2%98%8Djdv.70063/_page_0_Picture_4.jpeg) # **Pioneers in Dermatology and Venereology: An interview with Professor Dan Lipsker** # **Dan Lipsker** Faculté de Médecine, Université de Strasbourg, and Clinique Dermatologique, Hôpitaux Universitaires, Strasbourg, France #### **Correspondence** Dan Lipsker, Clinique Dermatologique, 1, place de l'hôpital, F-67091 Strasbourg Cedex, France. Email: [dan.lipsker@chru-strasbourg.fr](mailto:dan.lipsker@chru-strasbourg.fr) ![](https://assets.reachrx.ai/images/10.1111%E2%98%8Djdv.70063/_page_0_Picture_10.jpeg) # **CURRICULUM VITAE** Year of birth: 1965 # **ACADEMIC EDUCATION** | 1983–1990 | Training in Medical school: Faculté de
Médecine, Université Louis Pasteur (current
name: Université de Strasbourg), Strasbourg | |-----------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1990–1995 | Internship, CHRU Strasbourg | | 1995 | M.D. (Doctorat d'Etat en Médecine) | | 1995 | Specialization in Dermatology (Diplôme
d'Etude Spécialisées [DES] de Dermatologie
et Vénéréologie, board certification 67/07107) | | 1995–1999 | Attending physician (Chef de Clinique
des Universités-Assistant des Hôpitaux),
CHRU Strasbourg | | 1999–2000 | Laboratory experience: Poste d'accueil
INSERM; EP INSERM 99 08 | |-----------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2002 | Ph.D. in Immunology (Thèse d'Université
de Sciences) | | 2002 | Accreditation
to
supervise
research
(Habilitation à Diriger des Recherches) | # **PROFESSIONAL CAREER** | 2000–2004 | Assistant Professor of Dermatology
(Praticien
Hospitalier
Universitaire);
CHRU Strasbourg | |---------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2004–current | Full
Professor
of
Dermatology
(Professeur des Universités – Praticien
Hospitalier);
Faculty
of
Medicine,
University of Strasbourg, France l | | Since
28/04/2025 | Chairman and Head of Department,
Dermatology Department, Strasbourg
University Hospital | ## **W H AT BROUGHT YOU TO DERMATOLOGY?** During my fifth year of medical school, I carefully considered different medical specialties. I wanted to become an internist with what I thought was a "real job". Dermatology offered me that opportunity, and I have never regretted this choice. This is an open access article under the terms of the [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs](http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/) License, which permits use and distribution in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited, the use is non-commercial and no modifications or adaptations are made. © 2025 The Author(s). *Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology* published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology. #### **W HO W ER E YOU R MOST IMPORTANT TEACHERS?** I was inspired by a few people: Berthold Hamman and Pierre Godeau, internists; Jean-Pierre Bergerat, an oncologist; Edouard Grosshans, Ernest Heid, Camille Francès and Bernard Ackerman, dermatologists and dermatopathologists. Carefully selected textbooks also became some of my greatest teachers. I have devoured medical and dermatological literature with the same passion one devours novels. #### **FROM W HOM DID YOU L E A R N TH E MOST?** From clinical practice, and in a certain way, from the patients I cared for. They transformed knowledge into experience. #### **PL E ASE LIST YOU R 5 BE ST PUBLICATIONS** Among the five top publications I had the pleasure to write, I would include the following two entities that I nosologically delineated: Lipsker D, Rondeau M, Massard G, Grosshans E. The AESOP (adenopathy and extensive skin patch overlying a plasmacytoma) syndrome: report of 4 cases of a new syndrome revealing POEMS (polyneuropathy, organomegaly, endocrinopathy, monoclonal protein, and skin changes) syndrome at a curable stage. Medicine (Baltimore). 2003 Jan;82(1):51–9. Kieffer C, Cribier B, Lipsker D. Neutrophilic urticarial dermatosis: a variant of neutrophilic urticaria strongly associated with systemic disease. Report of 9 new cases and review of the literature. Medicine (Baltimore). 2009 Jan;88(1):23–31. It is also worth mentioning three examples of nosologic concepts that I elaborated: Lipsker D, Saurat JH. Neutrophilic cutaneous lupus erythematosus. At the edge between innate and acquired immunity? Dermatology. 2008;216(4):283–6. Lipsker D. Monoclonal gammopathy of cutaneous significance: review of a relevant concept. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2017 Jan;31(1):45–52. Lipsker D. The need to revisit the nosology of cutaneous lupus erythematosus: the current terminology and morphologic classification of cutaneous LE: difficult, incomplete and not always applicable. Lupus. 2010 Aug;19(9):1047–9. Finally, I consider the book I wrote on how to become a good physician my most important contribution: "Comment devenir un bon médecin. Les clés de l'apprentissage et de l'exercice de la médecine ». Dan Lipsker, Masson Elsevier, Paris, 2023. #### **H AV E YOU EV ER BE E N PR E SIDE N T OR I N A L E A DER SHIP ROL E W ITHI N AN ACADEMIC SOCIETY?** No. I have definitely never sought any official administrative or honorific function. I spent the majority of my time on patient care, teaching and conducting clinical research. #### **W H AT WAS TH E GR E ATE ST ACHIEV E M E N T I N YOU R PROFESSIONAL LIFE?** Providing care and support to a large number of patients and contributing to the education of many excellent dermatologists. #### **W H AT WAS TH E GR E ATE ST DISA PPOI N TM E N T I N YOU R PROFESSIONAL LIFE?** Not being able to provide care for some patients with serious disorders. #### **CA N YOU SH A R E A N Y FU N N Y EPISODE S FROM YOU R PROFESSIONAL LIFE?** The funniest stories I've experienced in medicine are those that cannot be recounted in a journal. #### **W HOM WOU L D YOU LIST A MONG TH E TOP 10 DER M ATOLOGISTS (PL E ASE NA M E ON LY DECE ASED PERSONS)** Of course, it is not possible to determine who the greatest dermatologists are, whether overall or among those still living. Many fortunate individuals have contributed to our discipline by pursuing and expanding upon the work of their predecessors. At the same time, I believe we must play the game, as requested by the editor, and not simply dodge the question. Even so, especially among living dermatologists, for 10 sympathies we risk attracting hundreds of antipathies. Therefore, I should specify that I will not name dermatologists with whom I have close connections or those with whom I have closely collaborated, as otherwise the list would be biased and far too long, even though I am absolutely convinced that some of them would deserve a place here. When I first read this questionnaire, I spontaneously jotted down about a dozen names. Subsequently, many other names came to mind. Rather than making a selection that would inevitably be unfair, I will stick with my initial draft, because in any case it reflects my personal vision of the discipline. - **•** Joseph Plenck - **•** Robert Willam - **•** Moritz Kaposi - **•** Paul Gerson Unna - **•** Alfred Blaschko - **•** Jean Darier - **•** Lucien-Marie Pautrier - **•** Felix Pinkus - **•** Marion Sulzberger - **•** Bernard Ackerman - **•** Steve Katz #### **W HOM WOU L D YOU LIST A MONG TH E TOP 10 LI V I NG DERMATOLOGISTS?** The group is notably extensive: - **•** Robert Baran - **•** Eli Sprecher - **•** Ervin Epstein - **•** Franco Rongioletti - **•** Jean Bolognia - **•** Ilona J. Frieden - **•** Amy S. Paller - **•** Antonio Torrelo - **•** Irwin Braverman ## **A PA RT FROM DER M ATOLOGY, WHAT IS YOUR MAJOR INTEREST?** My major interest outside of Dermatology is history. ## **W HO A R E YOU R W R ITER S , COMPOSERS, AND PAINTERS?** I hesitate to choose among them, but for writers I would mention Isaac Bashevis Singer, Chaim Potok, and Herman Wouk; for composers George Gershwin; and for painters Edward Hopper. # **W H AT WAS YOU R L ATE ST DISCOVERY?** A very nice restaurant with a magnificent sea view in Bretagne, where I'm currently on vacation. # **W H AT DO YOU LIK E BE ST I N YOU R PROFESSION?** What I enjoy most in my profession is that I continue to learn every day. # **HOW WOU L D YOU DEFI N E A PERFECT DAY?** A perfect day is one that brings a pleasant surprise. ## **W H AT W IL L BE TH E GR E ATE ST PROBL E M FOR DER M ATOLOGY I N THE NEXT 10 YEARS?** One of the greatest challenges for Dermatology in the next 10 years will be attracting young, motivated, and brilliant individuals who are willing to devote themselves to clinical dermatology in a teaching hospital. ## **W H AT W IL L BE TH E N E XT BR E A K THROUGHS I N TH E COM I NG YEARS IN DERMATOLOGY?** I expect significant progress in more targeted therapies for inflammatory dermatoses, the development of additional treatments for advanced skin cancers, and the integration of AI-assisted pathological reporting into routine practice. ### **W H AT IS TH E K EY M E SSAGE YOU WA N T TO GI V E YOU R YOU NGER COLLEAGUES?** Nothing great in the world has ever been accomplished without passion (Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel). My advice to younger colleagues is to cultivate and sustain that passion throughout their career. \*Note: *The Pioneers in Dermatology and Venereology* interview was conceived and conducted by Johannes Ring. **CONFLICT OF INTEREST STATEMENT** None declared. **How to cite this article:** Lipsker D. Pioneers in Dermatology and Venereology: An interview with Professor Dan Lipsker. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2025;39:1878–1880.