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Advancing Knowledge. Improving Care.

Francesca Capon headshot

Francesca

Capon

,

PhD

Donald Rix BC Leadership Chair in Genetic Medicine
University of British Columbia
Vancouver
,
British Columbia
,
Canada
Councilor Since: September 1, 2018
IPC Councilor
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Dr. Francesca Capon obtained a BSc in biological sciences (1992) and a PhD in medical genetics (1999) from La Sapienza, University of Rome, Italy. Her interest in the genetics of psoriasis brought her to the United Kingdom. She first moved to the University of Leicester as a Wellcome Trust Research Fellow (2001), then took on a Lectureship in human molecular genetics at University College London (2004). She joined King’s College London in 2006 as a lecturer and was then promoted to Senior Lecturer (2014), Reader (Associate Professor, 2018) and Professor (2022). In 2024, she moved to the University of British Columbia (Vancouver, Canada), where she is the Donald Rix Leadership Chair in Genetic Medicine. In recent years, the Capon Lab has been concentrating on two main research areas: the identification of disease pathways in pustular forms of psoriasis and the determinants of drug response in plaque psoriasis. This research has been published in high-impact journals, including the American Journal of Human Genetics, the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Science Translational Medicine, and Nature Communications.
Last Updated:
11/11/2024

Areas of Interest

Genetics and transcriptomics.

IPC Committees / Groups

Palmoplantar Pustulosis (PPP) Working Group

Languages Spoken

English, French

Involvement with Other Organization(s)

Contributed to events organised by the Psoriasis Association of the United Kingdom.
Recent publications

Featured

Page

Advancing Biosimilars and Optimizing Psoriasis Treatment: Highlights from the 2025 ICD Symposium.

Experts from across five continents discuss regional biosimilar uptake and practical strategies for optimizing…

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Focus on Psoriasis: Highlights from the 2025 Society for Investigative Dermatology (SID) Annual Meeting.

The 2025 AAD Annual Meeting featured important updates on psoriasis therapies, comorbidities, and late-breaking…

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Video

Genetics of Pustular Psoriasis: Where Are We Now?.

Dr. Francesca Capon explores the causes, genetic mutations, implications, and remaining unanswered questions…

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Blog

Focus on Psoriasis: A Report from the 2024 IPC Think Tank Symposium – Psoriasis: The Multiple Facets of a Global…

The 2024 IPC Think Tank Congress Report provides a comprehensive summary of key topics, including the epidemiology of…

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Page

International Consensus Definition and Diagnostic Criteria for Generalized Pustular Psoriasis From the International…

Generalized pustular psoriasis(GPP)lacks internationally accepted definitions and diagnostic criteria, impeding timely…

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PDF

Focus on Psoriasis – A Report from the 2021 Hybrid Gene to Clinic Congress.

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Blog

Commentary: Genetic studies suggest that inflammatory skin diseases increase the risk of COVID-19.

An article recently published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology suggests that diseases such as…

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Blog

2020 Virtual Think Tank Meeting Report.

Held virtually on December 11 due to the Coronavirus Pandemic, the 2020 IPC Think Tank convened more than 100…

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PDF

Exome-wide Association Study Reveals Novel Psoriasis Susceptibility Locus at TNFSF15 and Rare Protective Alleles in…

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What's New

Global and Collaborative Research in Psoriasis: IPC Fellows Research Class #1 Recordings

Recordings from the IPC Fellows Research Class #1: Global and Collaborative Research in Psoriasis are now available. Program Chairs Peter van de Kerkhof, MD, PhD, and María Julia Cura, MD, led a faculty of international experts through sessions on unresolved questions in the era of effective psoriasis therapies, building global research collaborations, and connecting psoriasis research across disciplines. Watch to hear from Wolf Henning Boehncke, MD, MA, Christopher Griffiths, OBE, MD, FMedSci, and Georg Stingl, MD, as they share perspectives shaping the next generation of psoriasis research.

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Wednesday, July 15, 2026

New in the IPC Resource Library: Research Skills

The IPC Resource Library now includes a dedicated Research Skills category, bringing together videos, articles, and presentations focused on building stronger research capabilities in psoriasis. Browse the current collection to find resources on topics from collaborative research methods to career development for researchers at every stage.

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Thursday, July 13, 2026

New Take Tens on Psoriatic Arthritis

IPC Councilor Anna Lopez Ferrer, MD, PhD, reviews PURE-4, a four-item tool that helps dermatologists screen psoriasis patients for psoriatic arthritis (PsA) risk. She traces its evolution across three studies (2018–2026) into a validated predictor of early PsA.

IPC Councilor André Lucas Ribeiro, MD, reframes PsA as a slow transition from psoriasis, not a sudden event, opening the door to disease interception. He outlines the steps needed to get there, from harmonizing definitions to reducing inflammatory burden.

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Wednesday, July 8, 2026