National Psoriasis Foundation Launches Medical Dermatology Fellowship Program

Twelve residents awarded fellowships to study medical dermatology

PORTLAND, Ore., June 30 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Twelve dermatology residents from leading medical schools around the country each received a $40,000, one-year fellowship grant to study medical dermatology. The fellowships, awarded by the National Psoriasis Foundation (NPF), provide support to eligible institutions to develop and enhance opportunities for physicians training for careers in medical dermatology.

The 12 medical dermatology fellows who will study psoriasis and other skin diseases are:

• Tina Bhutani, M.D., of the University of California, San Francisco., will focus on testing new therapeutic agents in psoriasis clinical trials.
• Amylynne Frankel, M.D., of Mt. Sinai School of Medicine in New York City, will study retinoid-related side effects in psoriasis patients treated with both acitretin and phototherapy.
• Stephanie A. Hirano, M.D., of Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk, Va., will test new treatments for psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, sarcoidosis and acne in clinical trials.
• Sinead M. Langan, MSc, Ph.D., of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, will determine the impact of psoriasis on cardiovascular risk as well as the methodologies for comparative effectiveness research in psoriasis.
• Johnathan Ledet, M.D., of the University of Alabama in Birmingham, will study disorders of ethnic skin and hair.
• Robert Lott, M.D., of Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, N.C., will examine new strategies to encourage better adherence to psoriasis treatments.
• Julia Minocha, M.D., of The Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill., will work to develop an information system to measure patient-reported outcomes.
• Amanda Robinson, M.D., of the Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard University Medical School in Boston, will design and validate a physician global assessment instrument for psoriasis clinical trials.
• Aieska de Souza, M.D., of the New York University School of Medicine in New York City, will investigate the microbiome, or genetic elements, of psoriasis and healthy skin.
• Marie Tuttle, M.D., of Case Western Reserve University and the University Hospitals of Cleveland in Cleveland, Ohio, will examine the physiology of biofilms, a moist coating derived from bacteria and fungi that can interfere with wound healing.
• Andrew Wang, M.D., of Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston, will measure the incidence of metabolic syndrome in children with moderate to severe psoriasis.
• Jamie Woodcock, M.D., of the University of Utah School of Medicine in Salt Lake City, will explore the ability of anti-TNF agents to alter cardiovascular risk in psoriasis.

"These individuals are the next generation of talented, research-focused dermatologists, and the National Psoriasis Foundation is honored to support their careers with these fellowships," said Lawrence Green, M.D., of the National Psoriasis Foundation Board of Trustees. "The Psoriasis Foundation is committed to advancing the science and practice of dermatology by providing educational support for these physicians of the future."

The fellows were nominated by department chairs and fellowship/residency program directors at their respective universities and hospitals, and were selected by a committee comprised of leaders in dermatology.

Since 1975, the NPF has awarded more than $6 million in grants to support promising psoriasis research. In 2009-2010, the Psoriasis Foundation awarded more than $1.2 million in research grants, the largest yearly amount ever awarded by the Foundation.

To learn more about the Psoriasis Foundation's grant program, visit www.psoriasis.org/research/grants.

About Psoriasis

Psoriasis is the most prevalent autoimmune disease in the country, affecting as many as 7.5 million Americans. Appearing on the skin most often as red scaly patches that itch and bleed, psoriasis is chronic, painful, disfiguring and disabling. Up to 30 percent of people with psoriasis develop psoriatic arthritis, a related joint disease. There is no cure for psoriasis.  

About the National Psoriasis Foundation

The National Psoriasis Foundation is the world's largest nonprofit organization serving people with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. Our mission is to find a cure for psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis and to eliminate their devastating effects through research, advocacy and education. For more information, call the Psoriasis Foundation, headquartered in Portland, Ore., at 800.723.9166, or visit www.psoriasis.org.

SOURCE National Psoriasis Foundation