Dermatology Foundation
Remembering James O. Ertle, MD
James O. Ertle, MD was a steadfast and longstanding member of the Dermatology Foundation for forty years. He was a deeply respected leader in dermatology. A prolific fundraiser with an abiding belief in the Foundation’s mission — he was an Annenberg Sustaining and Visionary Society member — he will also be remembered for his many…
Fostering A Spirit of Education and Community
During his address at the Dermatology Foundation’s 23rd annual Clinical Symposium, held January 29-30 in Naples, Florida, DF Advisory Council member George Cotsarelis described donations to the Foundation as “the seeds” that sets in motion a chain of events, beginning with research and leading to breakthroughs, which benefit the dermatology community and, ultimately, patients. Research, he said, requires “a relentless pursuit of knowledge and a deep commitment.“
His message resonated with the more than 425 participants in attendance, including 50 residents attending the Symposium for the first time. This year also marked the first time the Foundation welcomed sponsors and exhibitors to the meeting.
Transforming Diagnosis and Care of Patients with Pyoderma Gangrenosum
When Alex Ortega, MD, was in medical school at the Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, in Lima, Peru, he became fascinated with dermatology. He had come across a paper about pemphigus foliaceus in Brazil (Warren et al. 2000), the lead author of which was a fellow Peruvian, Luis Diaz, who at the time was…
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…
Deepen Your Knowledge
Now in its 23rd year, this DF Clinical Symposium delivers high-impact, cutting-edge education across a wide range of dermatological topics. Thirteen expert speakers will present: Drs. Crystal Aguh, Jean Bolognia, Yvonne E. Chiu, Shawn Gaurav Kwatra, Haley Naik, Kishwer S. Nehal, Adam I. Rubin, Cory L. Simpson, Colleen K. Stockdale, Susan C. Taylor, Marta J….
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…
Creating Disease Severity and Quality-of-Life Scoring Systems for Blistering Diseases
Comparing the efficacy of existing therapies between clinical trials, as well as evaluating new treatments, requires an accurate and reliable assessment of the clinical nature of a disease. Yet the first comprehensive analysis of the interventions used to treat pemphigus, a range of autoimmune blistering diseases (AIBD), was inconclusive due to incomplete information, including absence…
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)….
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…