Head of Laboratory
Specialist Dermatology Laboratories - Immunodermatology
Balbir is responsible for providing and developing the Immunodermatology service specializing in the diagnosis of dermatological autoimmune diseases. He is actively involved in teaching and training, and contributes to the departmental research programmes.
Balbir joined St John’s Institute of Dermatology in 1971 and successfully completed his Fellowship examinations, BSc, Diploma and an MSc. Balbir runs the Immunodermatology laboratory specializing in immunofluorescent detection of bullous autoimmune diseases. He participates in the departmental research programme, helps to supervise researchers, and presents his work at scientific meetings both nationally and internationally. He teaches students on the MSc in Clinical Dermatology and visiting health care professionals.
The Immunodermatology department, previously known as Immunofluorescence, was conceived and established in 1975 by Professor Martin Black. Balbir was instrumental in forming the laboratory and developed and standardised the immunofluorescence (IMF) techniques which are now regarded as the ‘gold standard’ in the diagnosis of dermatological autoimmune diseases.
He has introduced split-skin, immunoblotting and immunoelectronmicroscopy methods which provide important information in delineating difficult and complicated autoimmune diseases, and was involved in the development and standardisation of Desmoglein 1 and 3 (pemphigus) and BP180 (pemphigoid) ELISA techniques, which are now sold as commercial kits. As a result the department has become an NHS service provider and is regarded as the skin immunofluorescence referral laboratory in the UK.
