Stephanie Cowart
New Opportunity for Early-Career Investigators Doing Vitiligo Research
A new partnership between the Dermatology Foundation and the Global Vitiligo Foundation (GVF) will fund a DF Career Development Award (CDA) dedicated to advancing vitiligo-focused research. The DF Research Award Program supports outstanding researchers whose forward-thinking ideas promise to shape the future of dermatology. “Vitiligo remains one of the most psychologically devastating and therapeutically challenging…
New Frontiers in Early Life Atopic Dermatitis
Dr. Vikash Oza presented information about early life atopic dermatitis (AD). Infants and children are the population most often seeking care, with poorly understood phenotypes and changing needs with time. Early life AD can be prevented, and proper management can help prevent other chronic diseases. First, Oza reviewed the prevalence of AD throughout the lifespan….
From the Lab to the Launchpad
Dr. Eugene Bauer, “Gene” to almost everyone who knows him, made a breakthrough discovery in 1988 whose impact continues to drive research into epidermolysis bullosa (EB) today. It’s why he received the DF’s 2025 Discovery Honorary Award, and why he is held in high esteem in the worlds of academia and industry. Medical school before…
Breaking New Ground and Breaking Divides in South African Dermatology for Black Africans
As a Black South African living under apartheid, Ncoza Dlova, MD, faced racism at every turn. Yet she broke through systemic barriers to achieve a series of historic firsts. Dlova was the first Black African woman and dermatologist to graduate from the School of Clinical Medicine at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) in Durban, South…
2026 DF Award Applications Are Open
The Dermatology Foundation’s Research Award Program (RAP) has been a driving force in advancing patient care for over six decades. By supporting innovative ideas and early-stage research, the program helps investigators generate new knowledge that leads to real breakthroughs in dermatology. With 16 award categories, the program offers funding opportunities across a wide range of…
Granulomas Gone Wild: Update of Rubella as an Evolving Trigger
Dr. Karolyn Wanat presented information about the discovery, diagnosis, and treatment of rubella virus (RuV)-associated granulomas. RuV is a single-stranded RNA virus typically associated with a mild clinical course. It can persist in immune-privileged sites and cause complications, including encephalitis, uveitis, arthritis, and congenital rubella syndrome (CRS). The RuV vaccine was developed because of the…
Bedside Diagnostics for the Dermatologist: Pearls, Pitfalls, Practical Uses
Dr. Karolyn Wanat presented information about microscopy techniques dermatologists can perform at bedside. She used patient cases to demonstrate the utility of these techniques in a variety of settings and noted the similarities among features seen on microscopy and histopathology. Although histopathology may still be needed to confirm the diagnosis, direct microscopy can enable earlier…
How Working with AI May Make Us Better Dermatologists
Dr. Veronica Rotemberg presented information about the current state of artificial intelligence (AI) tools in dermatology. There are few high-quality studies of AI for dermatologic purposes. First, Rotemberg discussed the challenges dermatologists face when working with AI models. AI models that are trained using photographs may become less accurate over time and may incorporate details…
When Interferon Interferes: Updates in Childhood Connective Tissue Disease
Dr. Vikash Oza presented information about the diagnosis and treatment of children with connective tissue diseases, including juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM) and chronic cutaneous lupus (CCL). In multidisciplinary settings, dermatologists play an important role in the early identification, treatment, and monitoring of systemic diseases with cutaneous manifestations. Treatment for refractory skin disease in the setting of…
Latest Breakthroughs in Vascular Anomalies
Dr. Erin Mathes shared updates in the evaluation and treatment of vascular anomalies, including infantile hemangioma (IH) and port wine birthmarks (PWB). First, Mathes reviewed the clinical practice guidelines for managing IH. High-risk patients should be referred to a hemangioma specialist. The optimal referral age is 4 weeks. Mathes suggested that clinicians adjust their treatment…