Megan
From Bedside to Bench and Back Again
The turning point in the career of John Harris, MD, PhD, was sudden and an appealing type of serendipity. He had just completed his PhD studying type 1 diabetes in the lab of Dr. Aldo Rossini at UMass Chan Medical School, where he had become fascinated with autoimmunity. But he had grown frustrated that they…
An Infectious Commitment to Medical Education
James Troy, MD, is the recipient of the 2024 DF Clark W. Finnerud Award. This Dermatology Foundation award recognizes his devotion over the course of a long career to voluntarily teach and mentor residents while running a thriving dermatopathology private practice. Dr. Troy is Clinical Professor of Dermatology at the Medical College of Wisconsin in…
Dr. Marlys Fassett Receives the 2024 DF Bristol Myers Squibb Psoriasis Research Award
Marlys Fassett, MD, PhD, has received the 2024 DF Bristol Myers Squibb Psoriasis Research Award (BMSRA) from the Dermatology Foundation. Dr. Fassett is the second recipient of this prestigious award for extraordinary mid-career investigators. The award comes with $100,000 funding each year for three years to support her research into the role the cytokine IL-31…
A Country Doctor by Any Other Name
Dr. Robert Brodell, DF 2024 Practitioner of the Year, prides himself on being “just a country doctor.” Providing access to care in rural America has been the cornerstone of his career. Devoted to patient care, academics, his family, and volunteerism since he received his medical degree from the University of Rochester School of Medicine and…
The Art of Teaching Care Aesthetics
For more than 40 years, Dr. Lupo has dedicated her career to a robust cosmetic dermatology practice in New Orleans, as well as teaching and mentoring dermatology residents and fellows. “I’m honored to accept this award because the Foundation is so well-respected and their only agenda is to do good things for people,” Dr. Lupo…
The Journey to Becoming an Independent Researcher
The interest in dermatology continues to gain importance in the house of medicine with the recognition that skin diseases will impact nearly everyone. Unfortunately the declining availability of federal grants for medical research discourages promising investigators and threatens our ability to make continual progress. That’s when the Dermatology Foundation can help. The 1990s were a…
Skin Cancer Syndrome: Update on Gorlin Syndrome
Dr. Billingsley presented information about the etiology, diagnosis, and treatment of Gorlin syndrome. First, Dr. Billingsley discussed the etiology and epidemiology of Gorlin syndrome. Gorlin syndrome is a tumor predisposing disorder with systemic manifestations that affects approximately 11,000 people in the US. It is caused by a genetic mutation affecting the Sonic Hedgehog (SHH) signaling…
Surgical Pearls
Dr. Billingsley presented 7 surgical pearls for dermatologists. #1: Curettage alone Dr. Billingsley shared techniques for using curettage alone for well-defined skin cancer lesions. #2: Pulley suture and purse-string closure Dr. Billingsley described how to perform the pulley suture and purse-string closure. The pulley suture is a quick way to close wounds under tension, such…
Scar Wars
Dr. Wysong presented information about scar assessment and treatment. First, Dr. Wysong discussed managing patient expectations for scar treatment. Scars are an outcome of the natural healing process when fibrous tissue replaces normal skin after skin injury. Patients should understand that their skin will never be exactly the same. Dr. Wysong makes sure to ask…