1. 1
CURRICULUM VITAE
BIGLIARDI PAUL LORENZ
Personal Data
Swiss citizen, Singapore Permanent Resident
Academic/Medical Certifications
2013 Full Medical licence to practice in Singapore (SMC/SAB)
2011 Associate Professor on Clinical Investigator track, NUS, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine (rank
24th in world university ranking 2013);Invited Professor at University of Lausanne, Switzerland
2005 Privatdocent and MER (maître d’enseignement et de recherche, type 1) at the University of
Lausanne, Dept. of Dermatology
2003 Privatdozent at the University of Basel, Dept. of Dermatology. Thesis: Role of the -opiate receptor
system in skin physiology and pathology. Title of oral defense: Pruritus – an unsolved Problem?
2002 Honorary Professor of Institute of Dermatology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking
Union Medical College
1999 Board certified for “Allergology and Clinical Immunology” by the Swiss Medical Association
(FMH)
1998 Board certified for “Dermatology and Venereology” by the Swiss Medical Association (FMH)
1991 MD Thesis: Das maligne Melanom im Kanton Thurgau von 1970 bis 1989; University of Zürich,
Switzerland. Adviser: Prof Th. Hardmeier, Head Department of Pathology, Münsterlingen
1990 Full Medical licence to practice in Switzerland
1984-1990 Medical School, Universities of Fribourg and Bern, Switzerland
Employments
Period Employer Position Head of Clinic/
Department
2011-now National University of Singapore
National UniversityHealth System
(NUHS)
Institute for Medical Biology
(IMB), A*STAR, Singapore
Senior consultant in Rheumatology / UMC
(Allergy/clinical Immunology)
Director of Academic Dermatology / Allergology in
University Medicine Clinic
Senior PI Experimental Dermatology group
Director of CRUSAR
Law rence Ho Khek
Yu
Tang Ching Lau
Birgit Lane
2005-2011 Department of Dermatology,
University of Lausanne (CHUV)
Médecin adjoint (senior consultant) and Director of
outpatient clinic, day care clinic (wound care) and
dermato-allergology unit, introduction of eHealth
Renato Panizzon
1999-2005 Kantonsspital Schaffhausen,
Department of Internal Medicine
Head of Dermatology and Allergology unit with private
practice in Hospital
Sigi Rüttimann
1996-2005 Department of Dermatology,
University of Basel, Switzerland
Principal investigator ofthe research group Department
of Dermatology
Theo Rufli
1997-1999 Department of Allergology,
University of Basel, Switzerland
Clinical fellowship for the title “Allergology and Clinical
Immunology”
Andreas Bircher
1993-1997 Department of Dermatology,
University of Basel, Switzerland
Clinical fellowship for the title “Dermatology and
Venereology”
Theo Rufli
Stan Büchner
1991-1993 Department of Dermatology,
University of Minnesota,
Minneapolis, USA
Postdoctoral Research Experience
Topics: immunomodulatory activity of yeast cell wall
mannan; Acetylcholine receptors on human
keratinocytes
Mark V. Dahl,
Robert D. Nelson
Sergei A. Grando
Guest lecturer in Pharmacy Institute of ETH Zürich on Dermatology for Pharmacists (2000-2005)
Current Positions
Director of Clinical Research Unit for Skin, Allergy and Regeneration CRUSAR
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Senior PI Experimental Dermatology group, Institute of Medical Biology, Agency for Science and
Technology and Advanced Research (A*STAR)
Senior consultant, NUHS (Rheumatology)
Associate Professor on Clinical Investigator track, NUS, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine
Fully certified physician in Switzerland and Singapore (SAB/SMC)
Director of Academic Dermatology/Allergology, UMC/NUH
PD University of Basel and Invited Professor University of Lausanne, Switzerland
Honorary Professor, Institute of Dermatology, Nanjing, Beijing Union Hospital, Chin Acad Sci
Research Interests and current projects
Clinical and Translational Research: design and execution of clinical trials in skin, allergy and
wound healing and use of novel, non-invasive laser devices (e.g. Raman spectroscopy and
photoacoustics) to study healthy and diseased skin in humans
Bioengineering: biomaterials supporting growth and differentiation of various skin cells, including
stem cells; study of transcutaneous absorption and development of biocompatible, non-toxic and non-
sensitizing materials for topical formulation such as anti-microbial hydrogel; development of novel allo-
and autografts.
Wound healing: biofilm, wound infections; wound disorders; scar formation; novel wound dressings,
allografts; cross-talk between dermal and epidermal cells in wound healing
Skin Toxicology and Transcutaneous Absorption: combine and cross-validate information’s from
in-vitro human 3D skin models (organotypic cultures) on microchips with in-vivo studies using novel
laser devices and evaluate skin toxicology, transcutaneous absorption and metabolism of various
compounds in skin
Allergology and Immunology: drug induced allergies; immunologic interactions with microbiome in
skin; ethnic differences in allergic reactions; effects of pollution on allergens and immune system; role
of skin barrier in skin irritation and sensitization to microbial and contact allergens
Neurodermatology: effect of neuropeptides/neurotransmitters on skin homeostasis, differentiation,
adhesion and migration and role of nerve system and re-innervation in wound healing; interactions
between peripheral nerves endings and skin cells; peripheral pain and itch sensation, effects of
Opioids and its receptors on skin sensation, wound healing/homeostasis and circadian rhythm.
Hair biology: differential expression of genes and proteins in healthy and diseased scalp skin; role of
micro-RNA in hair biology
Photobiology: study immediate and delayed effects of various light qualities (from UV to Infrared) on
various skin cells in-vitro (including Opsin receptors); design novel targeted photosensitizers for
photodynamic therapy; develop novel devices to study standardized and reproducible the effects of
defined wave lengths on skin cells in-vitro and human skin in-vivo
Awards and Grants
2014 National Medical Research Council Bench to Bedside grant: Human umbilical cord Wharton's jelly
stem cells for the treatment of non-healing wounds.
2013 Co-PI for Joint Council Office (JCO) Grant, A*STAR: “Skin-on-a-chip for Standardized, Reliable
and High-throughput Skin Absorption and Irritation Evaluation”
2012 Lead PI for Strategic Positioning Fund (SPF), A*STAR for creation of: Clinical Research Unit for
Skin, Allergy and Regeneration (CRUSAR)
2012 PI for Joint Council Office (JCO) Grant, A*STAR: Effects of different light qualities on skin and their
use in photodynamic therapy in cosmetics and skin disorders
2009 Grant from Beiersdorf, Hamburg for 2 years together with Pharmacology UNIL : « Sensitive Skin »,
2007 Research grant from University of Lausanne for 3 years together with Prof Christian Widmann,
DBCM: « Stress-induced survivin expression: a protective mechanism in the skin against UV-
mediated damages?”
2007 Swiss National Science Foundation Research grant (grant n° 3100A0-116811): Role of delta-
(DOR) and mu- (MOR) opioid receptors in skin homeostasis and wound healing
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2005 Research funding for 2 years from LVMH, France: Role of opioid receptors in skin aging of sun- and
not-sun-exposed skin in Chinese population
2003 Roche Prize 2003 of the Swiss Dermatology Society; Annual Meeting, Lausanne
2002 UPSA Pain Institute Switzerland 2002 Pain Award: 70th Annual Meeting of the Swiss Society for
Internal Medicine, Geneva
2000 Research funding for 5 years from Spirig AG, Egerkingen for basic and clinical research on skin
opiate receptors and its relationship to pruritus
1997 Grant from Novartis Research Foundation
1996 Swiss National Foundation grant with the title “opiate receptor expression in keratinocytes and in
situ studies of opiate receptors in different human skin diseases”.
1995: "Wilhelm Lutz Award 1995" of the "Alfred Marchionini Stiftung" for the research done in the USA.
Collaborations
Engineers (Prof Soo Chin Chua, IMRE and Dr. Wang Zhiping, SimTech), Chemists (Dr. Brendan
Burkett, ICES) and Physicists specialized in imaging (Prof. Malini Olivo, SBIC) from A*STAR with
various joint industry and public grants
Prof. Walter Wahli, UNIL and NTU on circadian rhythm
Prof. Eugene Stulz, University of Southampton, UK; joint PhD program with A*STAR (Chemically
Tagged DNA probes for sensing of DNA biomarkers using Lab-on-a-chip technology
Prof. Wang Xue Ming, Shanghai Skin Hospital; exchange of physicians, collaboration in clinical
research and joint grant submitted on effects of pollution in allergies
Prof. Alex Eberle, Switzerland on development of targeted photosensitizers for photodynamic therapy
Prof. Axel Hillmer, GIS/A*STAR and Dr. Markus Wenk, Lipidomics group NUS on hair biology
Prof. Venkatesan Thirumalai, NUS-NNI on effects of bio-inorganic adaptive interfaces on skin cells
Prof. Christian Surber, Galderma/UniBas and Prof. Giorgia Pastorin, NUS Pharmacy on skin
formulation
Functions in Societies and Meeting organisations
Director of Swiss Contact Dermatitis Research Group SGDV from 2005-2010
Organizational and Scientific Director of 90th Annual Meeting of SGDV, Lausanne; 2008
Organizer of bi-annual Dermato-Allergology Workshop of SGDV; 2009
Board member of the International Narcotics Research Conference INRC since 2014
Industrial Experience
Scientific collaborations, joint projects and scientific advisor with:
- Spirig AG, Switzerland
- Knorr/Unilever, Switzerland
- LVMH, France
- DSM, Switzerland
- Beiersdorf, Germany
- Organogenesis, USA
- Biomed Inc., Singapore and Thermo Fischer, USA
- L’Oréal, France
- Procter & Gamble (P&G), USA
- Mundipharma Gmbh, Switzerland, Germany and USA
Memberships
Schweizerische Gesellschaft für Dermatologie und Venereologie SGDV (since 1990)
Schweizerische Gesellschaft für Allergologie und klinische Immunologie SGAI (since 1994)
American Academy of Dermatology (since 1991)
European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (since1999)
European Tissue Repair Society (since 2004)
International Narcotics Research Conf INRC (since 2005)
Singapore Academy of Medical Sciences (since 2012)
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References
Professor Mark V. Dahl Professor R. Panizzon
Chairman of Dept. of Dermatology Dept. of Dermatology
Mayo Clinic University of Lausanne, CHUV
Scottsdale, AZ 85259 Hôpital Beaumont
USA CH-1011 Lausanne
Dahl.MarkV@mayo.edu renato.panizzon@chuv.ch
Prof. Yann Barrandon Prof. Stan Buechner
Head of Laboratory of Stem Cell Dynamics Blumenrain 20
Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL) Basel
EPFL SV IBI LDCS stanislaw.buechner@hin.ch
CH-1015 Lausanne
yann.barrandon@epfl.ch
Military rank and function
Major; organizing officer International Committee of Military Medicine (ICMM), Swiss Armed Forces)
Contact information’s
phone : ++65 9137 2324
E-mail : paul_bigliardi@nuhs.edu.sg or paul.bigliardi@yahoo.com
Private address: 222A Ocean Drive #06-28; Singapore 098619
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List of publications
# Peer-reviewed publications
1 Grando SA, Cabrera R, Hostager BS, Bigliardi PL, Blake JS, Herron MJ, Dahl MV and Nelson RD: Computerized
microassay of keratinocyte cell-plastic attachment and proliferation for assessing net stimulatory, inhibitory and
toxic effects of compounds on nonimmortalized cell lines. Skin Pharmacol 6: 135-47, 1993
2 Bigliardi PL, Herron MJ, Nelson RD and Dahl MV: Effects of detergents on proliferation and metabolism of
human keratinocytes. Exp Dermatol 3: 89-94, 1994
3 Grando SA, Zelickson BD, Kist DA, Weinshenker D, Bigliardi PL, Wendelschafer-Crabb G, Kennedy WR and
Dahl MV: Keratinocyte muscarinic acetylcholine receptors: immunolocalization and partial characterization. J
Invest Dermatol 104: 95-100, 1995
4 Bigliardi PL, Bigliardi-Qi M, Büchner S and Rufli T: Expression of mu-opiate receptor in human epidermis and
keratinocytes. J Invest Dermatol 111: 297-301, 1998
5 Moins-Teisserenc HT, Gadola SD, Cella M, Dunbar PR, Exley A, Blake N, Baykal C, Lambert J, Bigliardi P,
Willemsen M, Jones M, Büchner S, Colonna M, Gross WL, Cerundolo V and Baycal C: Association of a
syndrome resembling Wegener's granulomatosis with low surface expression of HLA class-I molecules. Lancet
354: 1598-603, 1999
6 Bircher AJ, Bigliardi P and Yilmaz B: Anaphylaxis resulting from selective sensitization to Americana grapes. J
Allergy Clin Immunol 104: 1111-3, 1999
7 Bircher AJ, Bigliardi P, Langauer Messmer S and Surber C: Occupational airborne contact dermatitis from
diphencyprone in a pharmacy employee. Contact Dermatitis 41: 52, 1999
8 Bigliardi-Qi M, Bigliardi PL, Büchner S and Rufli T: Characterization of mu-opiate receptor in human epidermis
and keratinocytes. Ann N Y Acad Sci 885: 368-71., 1999
9 Bircher AJ, Bigliardi P, Zaugg T and Makinen-Kiljunen S: Delayed generalized allergic reactions to
corticosteroids. Dermatology 200: 349-51, 2000
10 Bigliardi-Qi M, Bigliardi PL, Eberle AN, Büchner S and Rufli T: beta-endorphin stimulates cytokeratin 16
expression and downregulates mu-opiate receptor expression in human epidermis. J Invest Dermatol 114: 527-32,
2000
11 Bigliardi PL, Büchner S, Rufli T and Bigliardi-Qi M: Specific stimulation of migration of human keratinocytes by
-opiate receptor agonists. J Recept Signal Transduct Res 22: 191-199, 2002
12 Bigliardi PL, Sumanovski LT, Büchner S, Eberle AN, Rufli T and Bigliardi-Qi M: Different expression of -
opiate receptor in chronic and acute wounds and the effect of -endorphin on TGF- type II receptor and
cytokeratin 16 expression. J Invest Dermatol 120: 145-152, 2003
13 Bigliardi PL, Izakovic J, Weber JM and Bircher AJ: Anaphylaxis to the carbohydrate carboxymethylcellulose in
parenteral corticosteroid preparations. Dermatology 207: 100-103, 2003
14 Bigliardi PL, Braschler C, Kuhn P, Sigrist J, Büchner S and Rufli T: Unilateral aplasia cutis congenita on the leg.
Pediatric Dermatol 21: 454 –457, 2004
15 Bigliardi-Qi M, Sumanovski L, Büchner S, Rufli T and Bigliardi PL: -opiate receptor and -endorphin
expression in nerve endings and keratinocytes in human skin. Dermatology 209:183-189,2004
16 Bigliardi-Qi M, Lipp B, Sumanovski LT, Büchner S and Bigliardi PL: Changes of epidermal mu-opiate receptor
expression and nerve endings in chronic atopic dermatitits. Dermatology 210: 91-99, 2005
17 Bigliardi PL and Bigliardi-Qi M: Controversies in Experimental Dermatology: How best to treat that nasty itch –
From new insights into the neuroimmunology, neuroendocrinology and neurophysiology of pruritus to novel
therapeutic approaches. Exp Dermatol 14: 236-237, 2005
18 Bigliardi PL: PRURIT: causes, diagnostic et traitement. Revue Medicale Suisse 2: 1115-21, 2006
19 Bigliardi-Qi M, Gaveriaux-Ruff C, Zhou H, Hell C, Bady P, Rufli T, Kieffer B and Bigliardi PL: Deletion of delta
opioid receptor in mice alters skin differentiation and delays wound healing. Differentiation 74: 174-185, 2006
20 Bigliardi PL: Ursachen, Diagnose und Therapie von Pruritus. Aktuelle Dermatologie 32:468-473, 2006
21 Bigliardi-Qi M, Gaveriaux-Ruff C, Pfaltz K, Bady P, Baumann T, Rufli T, Kieffer B and Bigliardi PL: Deletion of
mu- and kappa-opioid receptors in mice changes epidermal hypertrophy, density of peripheral nerve endings and
itch behavior. J Invest Dermatol 127: 1479-88, 2007
22 Bigliardi PL, Stammer H, Jost G, Rufli T, Büchner S and Bigliardi-Qi M: Treatment of chronic pruritus in atopic
dermatitis with topically applied opiate-receptor antagonist Naltrexone: Open pilot study and randomized,
placebo-controlled, cross-over trial. J Am Acad Dermatol 56: 979-88, 2007
23 Bigliardi PL, Raffoul W and Berger MM: Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis. Revue Medicale Suisse 3: 1112-8, 2007
24 Bigliardi PL: Wenn sich der Patient die Haut vom Leibe kratzen könnte – was hilft? Dermatologie Praxis 2: 24-
26, 2007
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25 Bigliardi PL: Pruritus – Therapie bei verschiedenen Grunderkrankungen Dermatologie Praxis 32: 20-22, 2007
26
Bigliardi PL, Gabard B and Vogel-Kahmann I: Update – Kortikosteroide zur lokalen Anwendung auf der Haut.
Pharmakritik 30 : 29-36, 8/9/2008.
27
Bigliardi-Qi M, Noblesse E, Chen ZQ, Gao FL, Bigliardi PL and Bonte F: Role of Opioid Receptors in Skin.
Chinese Journal of Dermatology 41:8; 6-8, 2008
28
Bigliardi PL, Gaveriaux-Ruff C, Tobin D and Bigliardi-Qi M: Opioids and the skin – where do we
stand?.Viewpoint-article. Experimental Dermatology 18:424-430, 2009
29 Grasset N, Raffoul W and Bigliardi PL: Pansements Bioactifs (nouveautés en medecine 2009). Revue Medicale
Suisse 6:354-7, 2010
30 Grouzmann E, Bigliardi PL, Appenzeller M, Pannatier A, Buclin T: Substance P induced skin inflammation is not
modulated by a single dose of Sitagliptin in human volunteers; J Biol Chem 392:217-21, 2011
31 Spring P and Bigliardi P: Chronic hand eczema, conventional and new treatments; Rev Med Suisse 4:8: 736-742,
2012
32 Peltzer N, Bigliardi P and Widmann C: UV-B induces cytoplasmic survivin expression in mouse epidermis; J
Dermatol Sci, 67:3: 196-199, 2012
33 Khalil H, Peltzer N, Walicki J, Yang JY, Dubuis G, Gardiol N, Held W, Bigliardi P, Marsland B, Liaudet L and
Widmann C: Caspase-3 protects stressed organs against cell death; Mol Cell Biol, 32:22: 4523-4533, 2012
34 Spring P, Angelillo-Scherrer A and Bigliardi PL: Chronic Idiopathic Urticaria successfully treated by
anticoagulant drugs. Eur J Dermatol, 22:6:788-90, 2012
35 Bigliardi PL, Neumann C, Teo YL, Pant A and Bigliardi-Qi M: Activation of the delta-opioid receptor promotes
cutaneous wound healing by affecting keratinocyte intercellular adhesion and migration. Br J Pharmacol, ePub
DOI 10.1111/bph.12687, 2014.
36 Bigliardi PL: Pruritus im Alter (Pruritus senilis). Dermatologie Praxis, Vol 24, No2, 2014
37 Thalayasingam M, Allameen NA, Soh JY, Bigliardi PL, Van Bever H and Shek LP: Wheat-Dependent Exercise-
Induced Anaphylaxis: a retrospective case review from a tertiary hospital. Postgraduate Medical Journal, Vol
90/1067, p 488-92, 2014
38 Neumann C, Bigliardi-Qi M, Widmann C and Bigliardi PL: The δ-Opioid Receptor Affects Epidermal
Homeostasis via ERK-Dependent Inhibition of Transcription Factor POU2F3. J Invest Dermatol, DOI
10.1038/jid.2014.370, 2014
39 Cerny D, Shin A, Haniffa M, Bigliardi PL, Tan BK, Lee B, Poidinger M, Tan EY, Ginhoux F and Fink K:
Selective susceptibility of Human Skin Antigen Presenting Cells to Productive Dengue Virus Infection. PLOS
Pathogens, Published: December 04, 2014; DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1004548
40 Bigliardi-Qi M and Bigliardi PL: The role of opioid receptors in migration and wound recovery in-vitro in cultured
human keratinocytes and fibroblasts. Methods Mol Biol, 1230, p273-7, 2015
41 Santosa E, Andiappan A, Rotzschke O, Wong HC, Marti HP, Chang A, Bigliardi-Qi M, Wang DY and Bigliardi
PL: Evaluation of the applicability of the Immuno-solid-phase allergen chip (ISAC) assay in atopic patients in
Singapore. Clinical and Translational Allergy, 2015, 5:9
42 Jing Hui Yik, Sandeep Jacob Sebastin, Lingaraj Krishna, Bigliardi PL: Pyoderma Gangrenosum Mimicking Early
Acute Infection Following Total Knee Arthroplasty. Annals Acad Med Singapore, accepted for publication
10.2014 (publication April 2015).
43 Bigliardi-Qi M and Bigliardi PL: Review article - The role of opioid receptors in wound healing. Submitted to
Receptors and Clinical Investigation, 08.2014
44 Ford S, Sardella T, Urich A, Burton NC, Kacprowicz M, Bigliardi M, Olivo M, Bigliardi PL and Razansky D.
Structural and functional analysis of intact hair follicles and pilosebaceous units by volumetric multispectral
optoacoustic tomography. Submitted to J Invest Dermatol, 11. 2014 (JID-2014-1036)
45 Dancik Y, Bigliardi PL, Bigliardi-Qi M and Jaworska J: Integrating dermal exposure scenarios in developmental
and reproductive toxicity studies. Submitted to Reproductive Toxicology 11.2014
46 Gopu S, Bigliardi PL & Bigliardi-Qi M:Fibroblast heterogeneity and its implications for engineering organotypic
skin models in vitro. Submitted to European J Cell Biol, 04. 2015
Book chapters
1 Itch: Basic Mechanisms and Therapy. Edited by Yosipovitch G, Greaves MV, Fleischer AB, McGlone F. Chapter
10 “Peripheral Opiate Receptor System in Human Epidermis and Itch “ by Bigliardi-Qi M and Bigliardi PL; pages
97-107 in Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York, Basel, January, 2004
2 Itch: Mechanisms and Treatment. Edited by Carstens E and Akiyama T:Chapter “Peripheral Opioids“ by Bigliardi
PL and Bigliardi-Qi M. Series title “Frontiers in Neuroscience”, Taylor & Francis Group, London, 2014
Patent filings
7. 7
1 USE OF SELECTIVE DELTA-OPIOID RECEPTOR MODIFIERS AND SPECIFIC SENSORY RECEPTOR
LIGANDS. Inventors: Bigliardi-Qi M and Bigliardi PL. Pending patent (PCP filed 02.2014; No
PCT/SG2014/000025)
2 Multi-spectral calibrated light source for long term cell culture study. Inventors: Paul Lorenz BIGLIARDI (IMB);
CHUA Soo Jin (NUS; IMRE); TAY Chuan Beng (NUS); WANG Ben Zhong (IMRE); Mei BIGLIARDI-QI
(IMB); Institutions: IMB, IMRE, NUS, Provisional SG Patent application filed 6.3.2015; Application No:
10201501747P
3 SUBMITTED: Co-Culture Device With Self-Refilling Of Culture Media
Inventors: Wu Ruige; Seah Yen Peng Daphne; Wang Zhiping; Paul Lorenz Bigliardi (IMB); Mei Bigliardi-Qi
(IMB); Viknish Krishnan Kutty (IMB). ETPL Ref: SIM/Z/08863; SIMTech Ref: rgwu-688
4 SUBMITTED: Thin Film Deposited Inorganic Metal Oxide as a Selective Substrate for Mammalian Cell Culture
Inventors: Dykas Michal Marcin, Poddar Kingshuk, Thirumalai Venky Venkatesan, Krishnan Kutty Viknish,
Bigliardi Paul, Bigliardi Mei. NUS Ref.