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International Psoriasis Council

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Advancing Knowledge. Improving Care.

Claus

Johansen

,

MSc, PhD, DMSc

Professor
Aarhus University Hospital
Aarhus
,
Denmark
Councilor Since: June 1, 2022
IPC Councilor
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Dr. Claus Johansen is a professor at the Department of Clinical Medicine at Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark, where he is head of the research laboratory at the Department of Dermatology. He earned his MSc in Molecular Biology from Aarhus University in 1999 and obtained his PhD and doctoral degree of medical science from Aarhus University in 2003 and 2010, respectively. Dr. Johansen’s research area of interest is the immunological processes driving inflammatory skin diseases, mainly psoriasis, with a special focus on signal transduction and the role of specific lymphocyte subtypes in the skin. He received the New Investigator Award from the European Skin Research Foundation in 2009 and the LEO Foundation Gold Award for outstanding young skin researchers in 2011. Furthermore, he is a member of the European Society for Dermatological Research, the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, and a board member of the Nordic Dermatology Associations Research Committee. Dr. Johansen has more than 100 peer-reviewed scientific publications.
Last Updated:
06/06/2023

Areas of Interest

I have a strong interest in understanding the pathogenesis behind psoriasis. My specific focus of interest through many years has been to investigate an understand intracellular signal transduction pathways and how they contribute to psoriasis with focus on the keratinocytes. Likewise, in recent years I have become interested in understanding the role of resident memory T cells and their potential role in psoriasis.

Languages Spoken

Danish, English

Involvement with Other Organization(s)

Not a member of any patient organizations; no relation to regulatory authorities.
Recent publications

Featured

Blog

New IPC Councilor.

Dr. Claus Johansen joins the group of IPC experts who are working to advance knowledge and enhance the care psoriasis…

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What's New

When Your Patient with Psoriasis Is Diagnosed with Cancer

A patient doing well on an IL-17 inhibitor is diagnosed with cancer, and the oncologist wants the biologic stopped. It is a call most dermatologists have made without much to stand on: patients with cancer are excluded from psoriasis trials, so the entire evidence base is observational. A new IPC paper in JAAD Reviews takes a position anyway. Per the summary of product characteristics, active malignancy is not a contraindication to any biologic. IL-17 and IL-23p19 inhibitors are first-line, TNF inhibitors and deucravacitinib warrant caution, and cyclosporine is the one to avoid outright. The authors also warn that psoriasis severity is routinely underestimated once a patient is in oncology care: if they meet IPC’s criteria, they are a candidate for systemic therapy regardless of what else is on their problem list. “Too often, systemic psoriasis therapy is discontinued or never initiated in patients with cancer, even when the evidence supports safe and effective options,” says Paolo Gisondi, MD, IPC Councilor and lead author. The post includes the therapeutic options figure, designed as a reference for both specialties to work from, and a slide set for teaching and presentations.

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Thursday, August 27, 2026

Apply Now: 2027 IPC International Fellowship Program

IPC is accepting applications for the 2027 International Fellowship Program, a 12-month opportunity for early-career dermatologists and researchers focused on psoriasis. Fellows are matched with IPC Board Members or Councilors for hands-on clinical or research experience, along with virtual mentoring, skills-development classes, and ongoing connections to IPC’s global network throughout the fellowship year. Applications are open until September 30, 2026.

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Monday, August 31, 2026

IPC Generalized Pustular Psoriasis (GPP) Training Modules

Recognizing GPP in clinical practice can be a challenge, even for experienced dermatologists. IPC’s new five-part training series walks clinicians through the practical skills needed to diagnose and assess GPP with confidence: distinguishing it from plaque psoriasis and other mimicking conditions, and scoring its severity using tools such as the GPPGA and GPPASI. Each module pairs an expert-led video with a case-based exercise, and the series is built to be completed in sequence at your own pace. All five modules are free and open to everyone; watch the videos on your own or work through the assessments as you go. Score 80% or higher on each of the five assessments to earn a Certificate of Completion.

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Thursday, August 13, 2026

IPC Summary Slides: Psoriasis and Metabolic Health

IPC has released a set of summary slides distilling the key findings from its recent publication on psoriasis and metabolic health, published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology (JAAD). The paper outlines five priorities for improving cardiometabolic risk screening and care in patients with psoriasis. Designed for sharing, the slides give clinicians and colleagues an easy way to disseminate the findings.

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Wednesday, August 5, 2026

Paradoxical Psoriasis - María Julia Cura, MD

In this Take Ten with IPC video, IPC Junior Councilor Dr. María Julia Cura discusses paradoxical psoriasis, including its definition and pathogenesis, and reviews clinical case examples, key clinical features, histopathology, predictors of disease severity, and potential treatment options.

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Monday, August 3, 2026