About Professor George Andrew Varigosgrploc47504-20160826071112

Professor Varigos trained in Medicine at The University of Melbourne and residency at RMH. He completed his Fellowship in Dermatology in 1978 and PhD at the WEHI Melbourne University in 1988. Honorary Clinical Professor by the University of Melbourne in January 2013.

Through-out his career, George has continually been involved in public hospital dermatology, research and academic medicine, as well he presently continues his small private practice.

He was previous Head of Dermatology at the Royal Melbourne Hospital (1984 to 2022) and was also Head at the Royal Children’s Hospital from 1987 to 2012. He has been involved with health care delivery, administration, risk management and quality initiatives, as well as embracing the changes in medical practice in the public hospitals of Victoria. His interest in eczema changed the way care is delivered to eczema in children and established the first Australian Nurse Practitioner model in dermatology for eczema, and instigated the RCH eczema workshops with nurse led education clinics.

The Royal Melbourne Hospital Dermatology Department have the largest cohort of psoriasis patients on biologics in Australia and Prof Varigos has served as principal investigator in 5 clinical phase three trials with biologics in psoriasis.

George’s research interests range from basic science to clinical research. His PhD was on bullous pemphigoid, and was an original study demonstrating an eosinophil growth factor was involved. Since this time he has maintained a strong interest in immunological skin diseases, including psoriasis eczema lupus and pemphigus pemphigoid, and as well porphyria and epidermolysis bullosa. During a 2001 sabbatical George worked in London and at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre where he was in the stem cell epithelial laboratory. He has worked at Walter and Eliza Hall for his PhD and he continues a interest at WEHI as well in the University of Melbourne immunology department.

George has supervised endless research projects, including supervised Masters students, science graduates, MDs, PhDs, AMS students (BMedSci), and Dermatology Fellows. Recent research interests include cytokines in atopic disease, the effect of a low GI diet on eczema, digitalized dermoscopic tools for moles and melanoma, hair follicle immunology, vitamin D, the psychology of itch in eczema, coeliac disease and psoriasis, and the use of alpha MSH analogs in patients with EPP.

Qualifications

  • Fellow of the Australasian College of Dermatologists F.A.C.D.
  • BS., Ph.D. from University of Melbourne
  • Honorary Clinical Professor of Medicine (Dermatology) University of Melbourne
  • Head of The Dermatology Department at The Royal Melbourne Hospital 1984-
  • Past Head of Department Dermatology at The Royal Childrens’ Hospital (1987-2012).
  • Honorary Research Scientist at Walter and Eliza Hall Institute
  • Sabbatical Fellow at WEHI 2016
  • Clinical Lead in Non Melanoma Skin Cancer Complex patients at Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre VCCC

Awards

  • 2015 Australian College of Dermatology Award for Meritorious Service for Dermatology in Australia.
  • 2015 The Hellenic Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry award for Professional Excellence.

Save