Pablo Fernández-Peñas
Prof
MD/PhD/FACD
pablo.fernandezpenas@sydney.edu.au
Melanoma and Skin Cancer Research Group
Currently open to PHD and Honours students in the topic areas of:
Proteomic analysis of skin conditions
including skin cancers and inflammatory skin diseases
Genomic analysis of skin cancers
Non-invasive diagnosis of skin conditions using imaging and proteomic data
CAR-T Cells: Identification of Targets for (CAR)-T cell Therapy in Skin Cancers

Biography
Professor Pablo Fernández-Peñas, leads the Melanoma and Skin Cancer Group, is a Professor at the University of Sydney, Head of Dermatology at Westmead Hospital, and Director of the Centre for Translational Skin Research. As NSW Lead for the ACRF Centre, he co-heads the Discipline of Dermatology. He established the Dermatology Comprehensive Clinical Centre, addressing severe skin conditions. He Initiated the Dermatology Clinical Trials and Research Unit and is actively engaged in over 50 trials covering melanoma, skin cancer, lymphoma, hidradenitis, and psoriasis. His diverse interests span oncodermatology, immunology, quality of life, and information technologies, A devoted teacher and researcher, Professor Fernández-Peñas is committed to advancing the field of dermatology.
Research interests
Proteomics as a source of biomarkers for diagnosis and classification, Melanoma and Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer: clinical and translational research, Cutaneous Lymphoma: clinical and translational research, Oncodematology, Graft Versus Host Disease: clinical research, Quality of Life and Utilities in Dermatology: clinical research, Information Technology in Dermatology: teledermatology, digital imaging, internet services, Identification of Targets for (CAR)-T cell Therapy in Skin Cancers, 3D Full Body Photography
Adjunct roles
Lead | Melanoma and Skin Cancer Group Centre for Cancer Research. Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Westmead, Australia (2020-present) |
Joint-Head Specialty of Dermatology | Speciality of Dermatology Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Australia (2019-present) |
NSW Lead | ACRF ACEMID (Australian Centre of Excellence in Melanoma Imaging and Diagnosis), NSW, Australia (2019-present) |
Faculty Member | Westmead Institute for Medical Research (WIMR), Westmead, Australia (2019-present) |
Professor in Dermatology | Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Australia (2018-present) |
Director | Centre for Translational Skin Research, Sydney, Australia (2018-present) |
Head | Department of Dermatology, Western Sydney Local Health District, NSW, Australia (2009-present) |
Senior Medical Practitioner (Academic) | Westmead Hospital, Western Sydney Local Health District, NSW, Australia (2007-present) |
Additional information
ResearchGate:
Pablo-Fernandez-Penas: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Pablo-Fernandez-Penas
ORCID Account:
Pablo Fernandez-Peñas https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4882-1564
Google Scholar:
https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=pPzku8QAAAAJ
USYD link – https://www.sydney.edu.au/medicine-health/about/our-people/academic-staff/pablo-fernandezpenas.html
Current grants
NHMRC Development Grant | 2024-2026 | Development of an immune-modulating human peptide as a next generation topical therapy for inflammatory skin diseases |
Welcome Leap - Quantum for Bio | 2024-2028 | Analog Quantum Computing for Photoactive Drug Design |
Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) | 2023-2027 | Augmented versus face-to-face services for skin cancer diagnosis – Costs, benefits, and stakeholder preferences |
Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) | 2023-2026 | AIS-SHIELDS: Securing Health Intelligence Efforts & Linking Data Silos |
Biospecimen Collection Grant Round 3 for NSW Health Statewide Biobank (NSWHSB), and NSW Health data by Centre for Health Record Linkage (CHeReL). NSW Health | 2022-2026 | Nonsurgical Molecular Profiling in Skin Conditions |
Westmead Applied Research Centre, The University of Sydney | 2022-2023 | AI-guided early detection of melanoma using sequential digital dermoscopic imaging. Project Seed Grant |
NHMRC Centers of Excellence | 2021-2026 | Centre of Excellence in Skin Imaging and Precision Diagnosis |
Eczema Association of Australasia Inc Grant | 2022-2024 | Atopic Dermatitis endotypes: Relationships and correlations of IgE serum levels and protein biomarkers |
Pfizer Competitive Research Grant Program | 2022-2025 | Personalised medicine: molecular pathways to explain the differences between atopic dermatitis phenotypes |
National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Clinical Trials and Cohort Studies (CTCS) APP2001517 | 2021-2026 | Reconceiving early detection of melanoma. |
NHMRC 2021 Synergy Grants | 2021-2026 | Roadmap Options for Melanoma Screening in Australia (Melanoma-ROSA) |
NHMRC 2020 Ideas Grant | 2021-2023 | Targeting inflammatory skin disease using an immune-modulatory human signal peptide |
Affiliations
The Department of Dermatology at Westmead Hospital, The Skin Hospital (Skin and Cancer Foundation Australia), The Department of Dermatology at the Children’s Hospital, Discipline of Dermatology, The University of Sydney, ACRF Australian Centre of Excellence in Melanoma Imaging and Diagnosis, The Sydney Southeast Asia Centre, Melanoma Institute, Australasian College of Dermatologists (ACD)
Professional Associations and Organisations
2022-present | Australasian College of Dermatologists (ACD) | Member of the Taskforce for Certificate in Skin Imaging Course (Dermatology Australasia) |
2010-present | Australasian College of Dermatologists (ACD) | Member of the MBS Schedule Review Taskforce |
2022-present | Australasian Society for Dermatology Research | Member of the Board |
2022-present | Australasian Society for Dermatology Research | Chair Membership Committee |
2020-present | Cancer Institute NSW | Melanoma Clinical Advisory Group of the Reporting for Better Cancer Outcomes (RBCO) Program |
2019-present | Melanoma and Skin Cancer (MASC) Trials Limited (previously ANZMTG) | Member |
2023-present | Australasian Dermatology Registry | Member of the Steering Committee Meeting |
2008-present | WHOICD11-Dermatology Topic Advisory Group | Member |
2004-present | Spanish Committee for the standard EU 60335-2-27 AENOR-CENELEC. | Member |
Awards and recognition
2022 Belisario Award for Academic Dermatology. Australasian College of Dermatologists |
2021 Presidential Citation. Australasian College of Dermatologists |
2021 Rotary Parramatta Vocational Excellence Awards. Nomination Medical Academics |
2018 Presidential Citation. Australasian College of Dermatologists |
2016 Order of Civil Merit (Officer’s Cross). High Distinction awarded by the King of Spain. |
2016 Nomination as Supervisor of the Year 2016 (AMA NSW) |
2015 Best Clinical Research Poster. Are Australian women SunSmart? (AUD 1,500). |
2015 Nomination for the 2015 Geoff Marel Award (HETI Award to Medical Educators) |
2014 Best Communication. Adverse events of BRAF inhibitors as a single agent or in combination, and what happened after one year of treatment. Central Section of the Spanish Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (300€). |
2013 Best Clinical Research Poster. Panniculitis in BRAF inhibitors. Australasian College of Dermatologists (AUD 1,500). |
2011 Westmead Association Award for Excellence in Teaching in Medicine (AUD 500) |
2010 Nomination as Supervisor of the Year 2010 (AMA NSW) |
2010 Best Clinical Research Poster. Mycophenolate in Dermatology. Australasian College of Dermatologists (AUD 1,500). |
2009 Best Clinical Research Poster. Mohs Micrographic Surgery at the Skin and Cancer Foundation Australia Ten Years later (1997 vs 2007). Australasian College of Dermatologists (AUD 1,500). |
2005 Grant Of The Mutua Madrileña Automovilistica for International Studies (6000€). |
2004 3M Grant to attend the International Training Program in Dermatology at Harvard Medical School (US$ 12000). |
2003 Prize “Juan De Azua” of the Spanish Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (3500€) for the work titled: Solar radiation in the dermatology laboratory: light source, filters and spectrometry. A model in keratinocyte cultures. |
2002 Doctorate Prize of the NATIONAL ROYAL ACADEMY OF MEDICINE. |
2000 Best Dermatological Thesis. Spanish Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (3000€). |
1999 Actas Prize. Clinical and Laboratory Studies: Pathogenic role of hepatitis C virus in lichenoid dermatosis. Actas Dermosifiliogr 90: 300-304; 1999 |
1997 Best Poster In Dermatological Research. XXVI Congress of the Spanish Academy of Dermatology and Venereology: β1 integrins and psoriasis. |
1997 Actas Prize. Clinical and Laboratory Studies: Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. Study of 16 patients from 9 families. Actas Dermosifiliogr 88: 7-12; 1997. |
1997 Actas Prize. Clinical Cases: MHC and lupus erythematosus. Three MHC-identical sisters Actas Dermosifiliogr 88; 104-107; 1997. |
1996 Actas Prize. Clinical and Laboratory Studies: Follicular mucinosis and mycosis fungoides. Study of 5 cases and review of the literature. Actas Dermosifilogr 87: 450-458; 1996 |
1994 Actas Prize. Clinical and Laboratory Studies: Anti-phospholipid antibodies in lupus erythematosus. Actas Dermosifilogr 85: 295-300; 1994. |