RNA therapies for untreatable skin disorders | LATSS 2026

Speaker: Veronica Kinsler (GOSH and UCL GOS Institute of Child Health) Birthmarks have traditionally been attributed to a fault of the mother, or to an intrinsic fault in the child. The impact of these outdated misconceptions in societies worldwide continues to be profound, ranging from infanticide, out-casting of the family and socioeconomic collapse, multiple surgical interventions to “normalise” the child, and severe adverse psychological effects. In the last 10 years modern medicine has identified that the causes of these often multi-system disorders are random genetic mutations arising during pregnancy, unconnected to parents, and that the birthmarks often carry a risk of cancer. The Kinsler lab has pioneered the development of precision therapies for these conditions, taking a unified mechanistic approach so that the first clinical trial should lead to a rapid domino effect to the other conditions. The aim is complete birthmark reversal, and prevention of cancer – join us for an overview of the exciting progress which has been supported by LifeArc. This talk was recorded at the LifeArc Translational Science Summit 2026. ------------------------------------- LifeArc is a self-funded medical research organisation with one clear purpose – transforming the lives of people living with rare diseases and drug-resistant infections. We aim to deliver this by conducting and funding pioneering research, and working with partners to accelerate the translation of scientific breakthroughs into new tests and treatments. Our vision is a world where people living with rare diseases and drug-resistant infections can access effective, life-changing treatments faster. Find out more at lifearc.org