Mind the Gap: Sex Bias in Basic Skin Research

Betty Y. Kong*, Isabel M. Haugh, Bethanee J Schlosser, Spiro Getsios, Amy Paller

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Given the recent National Institutes of Health proposal for balanced use of male and female cells and animals in preclinical studies, we explored whether sex bias exists in skin research. We surveyed 802 dermatological research articles from 2012 to 2013. No information about the sex of studied cells or animals was provided in 60% of papers. Among keratinocytes of known sex, 70% were male. Few studies compared male versus female cells or animals. Disclosure of sex and comparative studies contribute to our understanding of the biologic basis of sex differences. Addressing sex-specific differences in preclinical research informs subsequent clinical trial design and promotes individualized therapy.Journal of Investigative Dermatology advance online publication, 20 August 2015; doi:10.1038/jid.2015.298.

Original languageEnglish
JournalJournal of Investigative Dermatology
DOIs
StateAccepted/In press - Aug 20 2015

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Dermatology
  • Biochemistry
  • Cell Biology
  • Molecular Biology

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