CONFERENCE
PROGRAMME
2026 SESSION TOPICS
Days and timings to be confirmed.
DAY ONE: Tuesday 23 June 2026
Session 1: Defining Healthy Skin Ageing through Systems Biology
Chair: Dr Katerina Steventon, Scientific Programme Director, UK
Dr Katerina Steventon, Scientific Programme Director, UK
Prof Rachael Watson, Executive Director, A*STAR Skin Research Labs and the Skin Institute of Singapore, Singapore
Michael Hoptroff, R&D Manager, Unilever, UK
Dr Max Brown, Senior Scientist, Procter & Gamble, UK
Dr Klodjan Stafa PhD EMBA, Founder, CutaneoX BioStrategies LLC, USA
Dr Isabelle Castiel-Higounenc, PhD, Scientific and Medical Advocacy Director, L’Oreal Research & Innovation, France
Session 2 (Part 1): Intervening in the System – From Actives to Holistic Strategies
Chair: Clare O’Connor, Lead Scientist, Skin Healthy Ageing Research, Boots No 7 Company, UK
Daniel Whitby, Innovation Strategist, Lake Chemicals & Minerals, UK
Dr Jule Lexa Völzke, Lead of Product Creation and Development, CLR Berlin GmbH, Germany
Dr Katja Bartsch, Postdoctoral Researcher, Technical University Munich, School of Medicine and Health, Germany
Session 2 (Part 2): Intervening in the System – From Actives to Holistic Strategies
Chair: Dr Katerina Steventon, Scientific Programme Director, UK
Dr Hugo Corstjens, Consultant and Founder of Novigo+, Belgium
Chaired by Prof Rachael Watson, with participants – Michael Hoptroff, Dr Bob Biancini, Dr Klodjan Staffa, Dr Isabelle Castiel-Higounenc, Clare O’Connor
Dr Tamara Griffiths, Consultant Dermatologist, Salford Royal Hospital
DAY TWO: Wednesday 24 June 2026
Session 3: Measuring Complexity – Metrics, Modelling and Claims
Chair: Daniel Whitby, Innovation Strategist, Lake Chemicals & Minerals, UK
Andrew McDougall, Director of Insights, Beauty and Personal Care, Mintel, UK
Clare O’Connor, Lead Scientist: Skin Healthy Ageing Research, Boots No 7 Company, UK
Dr Georgios Stamatas, Global Scientific Director, SGS Health & Nutrition Division, France
Dr Holly Wilkinson, Senior Lecturer, Wound Innovation Institute, University of Hull, UK
Olivia Santoni, CEO, Bloom Regulatory Ltd, UK
Session 4: The Future of Well-Ageing in a Systems World
Chair: Dr Katerina Steventon, Scientific Programme Director, UK
Professor Ardeshir Bayat, Physician-Scientist MD, PhD
Dr Robert Biancini, Chief Scientist. Dermalogica, A Unilever Prestige Company, USA
Dr Anjali Mahto, Consultant Dermatologist and Founder of Self London, UK
Professor Paul Matts, Retired R&D Vice President – Procter & Gamble. UK
Dr Claudia Aguirre, Founder & Principal, Doctorclaudia, USA
Dr Katerina Steventon, Scientific Programme Director, UK
FAQ
Location & getting there
The conference will be taking place at the Royal College of Physicians, London.
If you are travelling by train (11 mins); Marylebone (20 mins); King’s Cross and St Pancras International (25 mins).
If you are travelling to the RCP via the underground, the nearest tube stations are Regent’s Park (Bakerloo line; 4mins); Great Portland Street (Circle, Metropolitan and Hammersmith & City lines; 4mins); Warren Street (Victoria and Northern lines; 8mins).
The RCP is outside the congestion charge zone. There are limited car parking spaces available for members and fellows, which are available to book in advance. On-street parking is available in Regent’s Park and there is a pre-bookable car parking facility close to the venue.
Speaker programme & timings
View this year’s full conference programme here!
Timings
The conference will be divided into four sessions across the two days. The first day will begin at 8:30 for registration and welcome coffees, and the opening address opening at 9:00. Throughout the day there will be plenty of networking opportunities with multiple coffee breaks and lunch. After the first day concludes, there will be a drinks reception too. Day 2 will begin with 8:30 registration and 9:00 kick off. Again, there will be multiple breaks throughout the day and the conference will end at 15:30.
Sponsorship opportunities
For more information on sponsoring or exhibiting contact Trystan Hurley on trystan@hpcimedia.com or call +44 (0) 207 193 6690.
Speaking opportunities
If you are interested in speaking at the conference, please contact Emelle Wiltshire emelle@hpcimedia.com who will pass on your proposal to the programme organiser.
What happens next?
We will be in contact via email as we move closer to the event. In the meantime, if you have any questions about the conference please contact Emelle Wiltshire emelle@hpcimedia.com.