Hannu Matti Jaakko Hannuksela

Finnish dermatologist Matti Hannuksela has been recognized as a world expert in the field of contact dermatitis and skin allergy. He was Professor of Dermatology at the University of Oulu from 1976 until 1991. He was also the Head of the Allergy Centre and the Department of Dermatology and Venereology at Helsinki University Central Hospital and was affiliated with the Orton Foundation in Helsinki. Subsequently he was the Head Physician of South Carelia Central Hospital for 10 years, and retired in 2001. After that he continued his career as a private practitioner in Helsinki.
His many academic interests included contact dermatitis, contact urticaria, protein contact dermatitis and immediate skin reactions, food allergy, skin testing standardization, atopic dermatitis, occupational and environmental dermatology.
As a dedicated and enthusiastic researcher, he authored more than two hundred scientific papers. He was also a devoted clinician and inspiring teacher, having mentored many Finnish dermatologists and allergists. In the last decade of his professional work, he was involved in the Finnish Allergy Program, a nationwide comprehensive plan that include academe, government and non-governmental organizations to reduce the burden of the so called “allergy epidemic” in modern, urban societies, both at the individual and societal levels. This also involved changing attitudes to support allergic patients.

Iris Ale