Special Interview with Dr. Marc Jeschke

On January 11th, 2024, the Editorial Office of Plastic and Aesthetic Research (PAR) had the honor of interviewing Dr. Marc Jeschke, one of our distinguished Special Issue Guest Editors.

Dr. Marc Jeschke, MD, PhD, is Vice President of Research and Chief Scientific Officer for Hamilton Health Sciences (HHS) in Canada. Graduating with an MD from the Eberhard-Karls-Universitat Tübingen, Germany, in 1994, an MMS in Medical Science from the University of Texas Medical Branch, United States, in 1999, and a PhD in Experimental Surgery - Molecular Biology from the Universität Regensburg, Germany, in 2002, Dr. Jeschke has consistently been at the forefront of medical advancements. He boasts world-renowned expertise in the field of translational research and has demonstrated remarkable leadership in securing funding and grants from various national programs and agencies for innovative medical care in burns. Dr. Jeschke's primary focus lies in translational research, seamlessly integrating basic and clinical research in burns.

In 2010, Dr. Jeschke assumed the role of Director of the Ross Tilley Burn Centre, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, contributing significantly to the Toronto burn unit’s reputation as the largest in Canada. His academic appointments as Professor in the Department of Surgery, Division of Plastic Surgery; Department of Immunology; and the Institute of Medical Science at the University of Toronto, Canada underscore his commitment to academic excellence. In 2022, Dr. Jeschke relocated his lab and team from Toronto to Hamilton to help rebuild the burn program at HHS.

The recording of this interview can be found below:

1. In 2023, you published an article titled 'Scars' in Nature Reviews Disease Primers. This paper is a comprehensive review of scar formation, management, and treatment options. It covers various types of scarring, including hypertrophic scars and keloids, and discusses their impact on patients' quality of life. Could you please explain what are the different treatment options available for managing scars, particularly hypertrophic scars and keloids? And what are the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in scar formation, and how can this knowledge be used to develop new diagnostic approaches and systemic therapies?

2. The Toronto burn unit is a well-known burn centre—the largest in Canada. You were appointed Director of the Ross Tilley Burn Centre at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in 2010. Would you kindly share with us the most challenging aspects of your research at this institution and how you have successfully overcome these challenges to achieve breakthrough progress?

3. Now, as the new role of vice-president, research, at Hamilton Health Sciences’ (HHS) and medical director of its burns unit, would you be able to share with us the latest developments in the field of burn research that you and your research team have been working on?

4. How do you envision the future of burn research, and are there specific areas or trends that you believe will shape the landscape in the coming years?

5. Recently, you lead a valuable Special Issue “Treatment Strategies and Future Directions: Burn Wound Healing” in Plastic and Aesthetic Research (PAR). Could you kindly brief introduce the current special issue and share your expectations for its future development?

6. For aspiring researchers who are interested in pursuing a career in burn research, what advice would you offer to help them navigate this challenging and evolving field?

To learn more about Dr. Marc Jeschke, please visit:
https://experts.mcmaster.ca/display/jeschkem
https://www.hamiltonhealthsciences.ca/share/top-10-research-hospital-2023/

Respectfully Submitted by the Editorial Office
Plastic and Aesthetic Research