People
Innovation and progress depend on the unique perspectives, experiences, and dedication of individuals. Here we shine the spotlight on specialty leaders who continuously work to forge the paths toward improved patient care.
A Champion of Patient Safety and Education
Dr. James Taylor has dedicated his career to the Cleveland Clinic, embodying its mission of patient care, education, and research, the very values for which he received the Dermatology Foundation’s 2025 Practitioner of the Year Honorary Award. Taylor’s career is inextricably linked to the Clinic, where he has worked continually since graduating from the Indiana…
The Imperatives for Sustaining Academic Dermatology
Academic medicine, and dermatology in particular, is facing a critical inflection point, one that mirrors the broader social and political landscape. As financial pressures intensify, institutions across the country are seeking ways to continue to fulfill their missions in research, education, and clinical care. At Johns Hopkins University, we have undergone multiple rounds of deliberations…
The Itch and Rash Whisperer
Jenny Murase, MD, is driven in her career to be the best clinician, teacher, and mentor she can be. She has worked tirelessly to become an expert clinician treating complex itch and rash conditions, one her colleagues routinely rely on for diagnostic and treatment advice. Her journey to become a medical consultative physician has involved…
A Master Educator, Mentor
and Scientist
Dr. Vincent DeLeo, the 2025 recipient of the DF Lifetime Career Educator Honorary Award, has devoted his life to education, mentorship, and innovation. And he has awards, distinctions, honors, and the respect of many colleagues to prove it. DeLeo is a globally recognized expert in contact dermatitis, environmental dermatology, and photomedicine. He received his first…
Kaess Trust Endows the Dermatology Foundation with $1.5 Million Gift
Dr. Karl Kaess and his wife, Carolyn, shared a profound belief in the power of endowments to foster the next generation of medical professionals and strengthen academic institutions. Their $1.5 million gift from the Kaess Trust is a meaningful acknowledgment of the Dermatology Foundation’s role in advancing the specialty and supporting investigative research. “We are…
The Dean of Black Dermatology
Against the backdrop of severe and persistent racism, including his family’s move to New Jersey in 1922 to escape threats from the Ku Klux Klan, Dr. John A. Kenney Jr. embarked on a journey that ultimately led his residents, mentees, and peers to honor him with the title, the Dean of Black Dermatology (Tuller 2003)….
The DF Turned 60 Years Young This Year and Will Continue to Revolutionize Dermatology
I find great joy in being part of something larger than myself and watching it grow. It’s much like watching a child mature and thrive on their own. As a long-term supporter, volunteer and Board member, it’s been incredibly exciting to see a small group of dedicated dermatologists work together to further our specialty and…
Dr. Donald A. Glass II Receives the 2024 DF Sanofi and Regeneron Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Mid-Career Award
Donald A. Glass II, MD, PhD, has received the first 2024 DF Sanofi and Regeneron Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Mid-Career Award (SRDEI) from the Dermatology Foundation (DF). The award funds research of exceptional mid-career investigators and comes with funding of $100,000 each year for three years to support basic, clinical, or translational research that leads…
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…