René Touraine was at the origin of the dermatological research in France. He died in 1988.

The Fondation René Touraine is a European non-governmental, non-profit organization, founded in 1991. This European foundation benefits from the support of pharmaceutical and cosmetic companies leaders in dermatology. The Rene Touraine Foundation works through a European Scientific board.

The purpose of the Fondation René Touraine is to support therapeutic progress in dermatology through actions bringing together dermatologists, scientists, pharmaceutical companies and health authorities.

Its main actions are:

 To support international collaborations by giving fellowships to young European researchers. One fellowship of 18000 € and four fellowships of 4500 € are awarded every year.

 To organize every year a symposium on skin cell functions in the “Ministère de la Recherche” and to sponsor an outstanding Lecture, the Rene Touraine Lecture, during the European Society of Dermatological Research (ESDR) meeting.

 To Create networks to enhance communication among the dermatology community:

• The Fondation René Touraine, in close collaboration with the International League of Dermatological Societies (ILDS), and in partnership with GALDERMA has developed a tool to enhance ongoing communications among the dermatology community, the web site: Who & How, the dermatologists’ directory. The aim of Who & How is to provide the world dermatology community with a comprehensive international directory of hospital-based dermatologists, listing their main areas of interest. This directory is available on line at the following URL: www.whoandhow.org It is accessible only to participating dermatologists by user name and password. Who and How will be used as the world wide dermatologists directory by the ILDS.

• "Genodermatoses in Mediterranean" has been initiated in 2003 thanks to the support of a founding member, Laboratoires Pierre Fabre and the involvement of dermatologists from Mediterranean and Middle-Eastern countries. This action is born from the will:
   to help the patients and the families who face major difficulties -due to the severity and the rarity of genodermatoses- to have access to appropriate health care and social support.
   to strenghthen a network of experts so to provide the patients and the families with a better health care. Each year, an international working session gets together the partners of Genodermatoses in Mediterranean".

• The Fondation René Touraine has published on the web the book “Thérapeutique Dermatologique”, reference book in French speaking countries (1288 pages and 333 authors), available on line at the following URL: www.therapeutique-dermatologique.org This access is free. Soon an English translation will be on line with comments of opinion leaders to take into account the diversity of therapeutic strategies in the World.

• Psoriasis International - this network was created under the aegis of the Fondation René Touraine and within the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (EADV) Psoriasis Task Force. This website has been on line since December 07. At present, the Psoriasis International network has around 30 member countries and it is growing each day. The national psoriasis groups are based upon collaborations between hospital and private practice dermatologists who put together their efforts to improve patients’ health. These groups also cooperate with patient associations in order to obtain the best health care.

 The Fondation René Touraine is one of the four founding members of the European Skin Research Foundation (ESRF) with ESDR, EADV and EDF (European Dermatology Forum).