Dear colleagues,

In order to provide spreading of scientific and practical work in the field of Psychodermatology around the world, the next 16th ESDAP International Congress (June 25–27, 2015) is offered to take place in one of the most beautiful cities - Saint-Petersburg, Russia.

Traditions of holistic approach are followed by oldest European and Russian scientific schools. The congress is hosted by European Society for Dermatologists and Psychiatrists and supported by leading Russian professional organizations as in dermatology, as in psychiatry.

The slogan of the Congress "Psychodermatology - bridging the Gap between Body and Mind" reflects significance of this interdisciplinary relationship.

On the ground of implementation of ideas of continuing medical education, participants will have a good opportunity to meet the best international experts in dermatology and esthetic medicine, psychiatry and psychology, psychotherapy and psychoanalysis, discuss the latest developments at the congress sessions and exhibition and discover new professional and personal contacts including colleagues from Russia, European, Asian and another countries. We hereby expect more than 500 participants.

St. Petersburg has especial charms in June as it is a season of the mysterious period of the “White Nights” (twilight all night). The fascinating city integrates all the components for an unforgettable social program in the framework of the meeting: an extraordinary history and rich cultural traditions, lavish architecture, high art, greatest bridges and canals, world-famous opera and ballet and of course unforgettable Russian hospitality. Various guided tours over «The Venice of the North» and suburbs including visits to greatest palaces and museums will be organized during the Congress days.

On behalf of the Scientific Organizers of the ESDaP Congress 2015, SPb, Russia,
With warmest regards,

Prof. Nikolay N. Potekaev– President of the Congress

Acad. Prof. Anatoliy B. SMULEVICH - Chair of the Presidium of the Organizing Committee

Prof. Nikolay G. NEZNANOV – Vice-President of the Congress

Prof. Konstantin I. RAZNATOVSKIY - Vice-President of the Congress

Prof. Andrey N. Lvov– Chair of the International Scientific Committee

Dear Colleague,

On behalf of the organizing committee, it is a great honour to invite you to the 16th Congress of the European Society for Dermatology and Psychiatry, which is due to be held in the beautiful city of Saint Petersburg, Russia, from June 25th to June 27th.

The 16th ESDaP Congress in Saint Petersburg will provide an outstanding platform for the presentation of international research in the interdisciplinary field of psychocutaneous diseases and for discussing applications of research in clinical practice. We working hard to put together a stimulating scientific programme featuring a combination of plenary lectures, scientific paper presentations and workshops. Participants will benefit from state-of-the-art updates in various aspects of psychodermatology; there will be an opening event, and you will find plenty of chances to network in a convivial setting and forge new links for future collaboration.

The congress will also offer several educational opportunities for young colleagues and beginners in the field. We would like to invite you to contribute in the conference in oral and poster presentations, sharing the current concerns about optimizing patient care while preserving the human aspects of our profession.

The congress will be held in conjunction with Regional Session of the International Forum of Dermatologists and Cosmetologists and with Symposium of the Russian Society of Psychiatrists.

This format will especially facilitate contacts with Russian colleagues from both fields of Dermatovenereology and Psychiatry, thus providing you with an unique opportunity to further networking and to exchange ideas with researchers and clinicians from the beautiful country which will be hosting the congress.

A special symposium on the biopsychosocial model in scientific medicine, organized in collaboration with the International Society for Biopsychosocial Medicine, is also planned. This particular event will provide new material for reflection on the theoretical basis of medical models dealing with the interaction of body and mind. There will be, of course, an active social programme, and visits to local places of beauty will be made possible.

I warmly invite you to attend and become key participants in this important phase in the growth of our field: we are looking forward to your enthusiastic participation in this important event, to meet old friends and establish new friendships and collaborations, and to work together for the further development of psychodermatology worldwide!

Dennis Linder President, European Society for Dermatology and Psychiatry

Dear Guests! Dear Colleagues! Dear Friends!

With my whole heart I am glad to greet the participants of the Sixteenth Congress of the European Society of dermatologists and psychiatrist .

We are proud that Saint Petersburg has become the first city in Russia to host such an Important Congress. Being descended from a renowned family of dermatologists I am very happy that my dream finally came true and dermatologists have turned they attention to the connection between dermopathy and neuropathy.

There is no need to say that derma and nervous system have their start from one source – from ectoderm. In Russian dermatological school of thought the attention was always put to this correlation between derma, nervous system and mentality.

I would like to take this chance to say the words of thanks to the scientists: Ivan Pavlov, Vladimir Bekhterev, Ivan Sechenov, - those who lived and worked in Saint Petersburg. My special words of honor go to the founder of dermatological school of our city - Aleksey Polotebnov.

At the middle of the nighteenth century he studied dermatology first in France, than in Germany. When he was back to Russia he gave the main direction to the development of dermatology in Russia: Dermatological diseases should be studied taking into account that the human body is a complex system, and the main part of it is nervous system. Our Congress is the confirmation of this idea!

I hope that the Congress will not only bring some new knowledge, but also will make it possible to apply this knowledge in dermatological practice.

I wish the participants of the Congress fruitful work, success in the implementation of the plans and nice impressions from the wonderful Saint Petersburg!