Dermatopathology is a joint subspecialty of dermatology and pathology or surgical pathology that focuses on the study of cutaneous diseases at a microscopic and molecular level. It also encompasses analyses of the potential causes of skin diseases at a basic level. Dermatopathologists work in close association with clinical dermatologists, with many possessing further clinical training in dermatology. The field was founded by German dermatologist and physician Gustav Simon, who published the first textbook on dermatopathology, 'Skin Diseases Illustrated by Anatomical Investigations', in 1848.