About - Leiden Skin Initiative
LSI is a strategic partnership between TNO, LUMC, LACDR, and CHDR, uniting complementary scientific and clinical strengths into a single integrated innovation platform.
Leveraging the deep expertise of each partner, LSI brings together scientists, clinicians, and engineers to drive high‑impact, interdisciplinary skin research. This collaborative ecosystem accelerates the translation of advanced skin science into measurable improvements in patient care and personalized health solutions.
Our vision is to be the global leader in skin research and (pre)clinical skin analyses, and the European champion in translational skin innovation. We aim to set the standard for transforming scientific insights into practical solutions that advance human health. By combining cutting‑edge technologies with multidisciplinary expertise, we accelerate the development of skin‑focused therapies, diagnostics, and personalized healthcare.
TNO
SkinTech Innovation Portfolio
- in silico toxicity profiling
- Skin microbiome collection and characterization (16S/ITS/metagenomic sequencing)
- in vitro host-microbe co-culture models
- Multi-omics data integration (spatial transcriptomics, mass spec imaging)
- Skin smart wearable technology
LUMC
Disease models and patients
- Organotypic 3D-skin models
- Clinical assessments of patients
- Immunohistochemistry
- Luminex (Bio-plex)
- CRISPR Cas9 editing
Leiden University
Barrier function analysis
- Biophysical methods / lipid organization
- LC/MS
- Lipid model membranes
- Penetration studies
- Ex vivo human skin
CHDR
Clinical study and design
- Clinical trials in patients with skin disease (phase 0, 1 and 2)
- Imaging (2D,3D, body mapping)
- Biophysical methods (LSCI, OCT)
- Sample collection (swabs, skin punch-biopsies, blisters)
- Multimodal evaluation and deep-phenotyping
Bridging discovery and clinical impact
We envision a future where discoveries move seamlessly into clinical application, improving prevention, treatment, and patient outcomes. Through strong partnerships across industry, academia, and healthcare, we build an ecosystem that drives innovation, reduces development risks, and delivers meaningful societal impact.