NEW
YORK, July 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- American
Skin Association has announced the names of the three
Investigative Scientist Awards. Andrew Ji, MD of Icahn School of
Medicine at Mount Sinai was
awarded the ASA Sanofi Investigative Scientist Award in Atopic
Dermatitis. Christoph T.
Ellebrecht, MD of University of
Pennsylvania was awarded the ASA Bristol Myers Squibb
Investigative Scientist Award in Psoriasis & Related Biology.
Nicholas Gulati, MD, PhD of
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount
Sinai was awarded the ASA Sun Pharma Investigative Scientist
Award.
Other sought-after grants include Research Scholar
Awards. ASA has announced four award recipients in this
category. Kingsley Essien,
PhD of the University of
Massachusetts Chan Medical School was awarded the ASA Calder
Research Scholar Award in Vitiligo/Pigment Cell Disorders.
Patrick M. Brunner, MD, MSc,
Helen He, MD of Icahn
School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
was awarded the ASA Incyte Research Scholar Award in
Vitiligo/Pigment Cell Disorders and the ASA Research Scholar Award
in Atopic Dermatitis, respectively. Christine C. Yokoyama, MD, PhD of
Washington University in St. Louis was awarded the ASA Janssen Research
Scholar Award in Psoriasis & Related Biology. This funding aims
to support emerging leaders in dermatology in hopes of finding a
cure.
In addition, six other research grants and one medical student
grant—made possible through the generosity of individuals,
foundations, and corporations—were also announced.
For thirty-seven years, ASA and its affiliates have funded over
$50 million in grants that have
advanced its vital mission to serve the more than 100 million
Americans afflicted with skin disorders. ASA's primary goal is to
enhance treatments and continue working towards cures for melanoma,
vitiligo, psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, and other skin
diseases.
"These grants are vital for advancing dermatological research
and supporting ASA's mission of defeating skin cancers such as
melanoma," said ASA Chairman, Howard P.
Milstein. "Despite being our largest and most exposed organ,
the skin is one of the least funded areas in medical research.
ASA's contributions will increase the likelihood of discovering a
long-awaited cure and offer hope to millions affected by skin
cancer and other skin diseases."
ASA's grant program is administered by its Medical Advisory
Committee (MAC), comprised of leading scientists and physicians who
volunteer their time to oversee the annual grant process. Through
their leadership, ASA's grant program has supported the work of
over 300 investigators, ranging from talented researchers in the
early phases of their careers to recognized leaders in the field of
dermatology.
"ASA's Medical Advisory Committee is thrilled to announce the
2024 awards," said ASA President and MAC Co-Chair, Dr. David A. Norris. "This year's awardees showcase
the increasing impact of research in basic, translational, and
clinical dermatology. Never before have advances in basic research
so rapidly translated into new treatment approaches. Thanks to
crucial funding from the ASA, new treatments for vitiligo,
psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, melanoma, and other skin cancers are
on the horizon."
ASA provides significant research awards to established
investigators and medical students studying melanoma, non-melanoma
skin cancer, and other skin diseases. Through these grants, ASA has
promoted the early careers of many gifted young investigators and
has had a profound influence both on dermatology research and
clinical care of dermatologic disease. Over the years, ASA-funded
researchers have had an extensive impact on the understanding of
melanoma by improving our insight into the diagnosis, treatment,
and prognosis. With an exclusive focus on skin disease research,
ASA has helped open new frontiers in skin science by producing
results that will change how we understand and treat these
diseases.
The following are the recipients of the 2024 Investigative
Scientist Awards, Research Scholar Awards, Research Grants, and
Medical Student Grant:
2024 ASA Sanofi Investigative Scientist Award in Atopic
Dermatitis
Andrew Ji, MD
Icahn School
of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Project Title: Assessing the Role of Fibroblast and Dendritic
Cell Interactions in Atopic Dermatitis
2024 ASA Bristol Myers Squibb Investigative Scientist Award in
Psoriasis & Related Biology
Christoph T. Ellebrecht,
MD
University of
Pennsylvania
Project Title: In vivo identification of therapeutic targets for
tissue-resident T cells in psoriasis
2024 ASA Sun Pharma Investigative Scientist Award
Nicholas Gulati, MD,
PhD
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Project Title: Assessing mechanisms underlying stable vs
progressing lesions in vitiligo
2024 ASA Calder Research Scholar Award in Vitiligo/Pigment Cell
Disorders
Kingsley Essien,
PhD
University of Massachusetts
Chan Medical School
Project Title: Targeting CD137 signaling to inhibit CD8+ T
cell-driven melanocyte killing
2024 ASA Incyte Research Scholar Award in Vitiligo/Pigment Cell
Disorders
Patrick M. Brunner, MD,
MSc
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Project Title: Type 2 immune activation as an entry point
to vitiligo lesion formation
2024 ASA Research Scholar Award in Atopic Dermatitis
Helen He, MD
Icahn School
of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Project Title: Comprehensive tape-strip and blood profiling
of atopic dermatitis and controls across age spectrum
2024 ASA Janssen Research Scholar Award in Psoriasis &
Related Biology
Christine C. Yokoyama, MD,
PhD
Washington University in
St. Louis
Project Title: Regulation of epidermal homeostasis by
centrosomal protein CEP43
2024 ASA Mulvaney Family Foundation Research Grant in
Vitiligo/Pigment Cell Disorders
Umber Dube, MD, PhD
University of
California, San Diego
Project Title: Investigating Pigmentary Changes in
Cystinosis Ex Vivo Gene Therapy
2024 ASA La Roche-Posay Research Grant in Melanoma and Skin
Cancer
Mohammad A. Saad,
PhD
Massachusetts General
Hospital
Project Title: Interstitial Photodynamic Therapy for
enhancing response to immune checkpoint blockade in
melanoma
2024 ASA Bristol Myers Squibb Research Grant in Psoriasis &
Related Biology
Cory L. Simpson, MD,
PhD
University of Washington
Project Title: Targeting the autophagy pathway to normalize
epidermal differentiation in psoriasis
2024 ASA Arcutis Biotherapeutics Research Grant in Psoriasis
& Related Biology
Bahram Razani, MD,
PhD
University of California, San
Francisco
Project Title: Epidermal Innate Immune Signaling as Driver
of Psoriatic Disease
2024 ASA UCB Research Grant in Psoriasis & Related
Biology
Sarah K. Whitley, MD,
PhD
UMass Chan Medical School
Project Title: High-dimensional single-cell analysis of
CD1a restricted T cells in psoriasis
2024 ASA Leo Pharma Research Grant in Atopic Dermatitis
Richard Wang, MD, PhD
UT
Southwestern Medical Center
Project Title: Elucidating the Signaling Functions of GLUT3
in Atopic Dermatitis
2024 ASA Bristol Myers Squibb Medical Student Grant in Psoriasis
& Related Biology
Aaron Bao
Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
Project Title: Investigating transcriptional mechanisms
underlying calcinosis cutis in dermatomyositis
ABOUT AMERICAN SKIN ASSOCIATION
A unique collaboration
of patients, families, advocates, physicians, and scientists, ASA
has evolved over nearly four decades as a leading force in efforts
to defeat melanoma, vitiligo, psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, and
other skin diseases. Established to serve the now more than 100
million Americans – one-third of the U.S. population – afflicted
with skin disorders, the organization's mission remains to: advance
research, champion skin health, particularly among children, and
drive public awareness about skin disease. ASA is a 501(c)3
non-profit organization. For more information, visit
americanskin.org.
American Skin Association has earned Candid's
Seal of Platinum Transparency and the Four-Star Rating from Charity
Navigator.
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SOURCE American Skin Association