Recent advancements made in understanding the pathology of inflammatory skin conditions have enabled JAK inhibitors, initially developed for haematology over 20 years ago, to be investigated for dermatological use. In this episode, Dr William (Bill) Damsky discusses JAK inhibitors’ journey from proof-of-concept to treating a wide range of skin conditions, their future impact on rare diseases and the debate around safety.
Ruxolitinib cream, a topical JAK1/JAK2 inhibitor, offers a potential novel treatment for milder cases of hidradenitis suppurativa (HS). While biologics and systemic treatments are effective for severe HS, there remains a significant unmet need for therapies targeting milder forms. Current topical options, such as antibiotics and corticosteroids, often fail to provide sufficient control, underscoring the need for new therapeutic approaches.
In an encouraging development for children with severe atopic dermatitis (AD), dupilumab, an interleukin-4 (IL-4) receptor alpha antagonist, has shown evidence of improving height outcomes.
The FDA has approved nemolizumab-ilto (Nemluvio; Galderma) for treating prurigo nodularis, a chronic skin condition characterized by intensely itchy nodules. Nemolizumab is the first approved monoclonal antibody specifically inhibiting the signaling of IL-31, a neuroimmune cytokine that drives multiple disease mechanisms in prurigo nodularis
Education, Conference Coverage and Articles
Dr. Shari Lipner is a leading expert in dermatology, best known for her specialization in nail disorders. As an Associate Professor of Clinical Dermatology and Director of the Nail Division at New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, her work bridges ...
Recent advancements made in understanding the pathology of inflammatory skin conditions have enabled JAK inhibitors, initially developed for haematology over 20 years ago, to be investigated for dermatological use. In this episode, Dr William (Bill) Damsky discusses JAK inhibitors’ journey from proof-of-concept to treating a wide range of skin conditions, their future impact on rare diseases and the debate around safety.
Janus kinase inhibitors (JAKis) have transformed the landscape of dermatological therapy over the last 2 years, with six United States Food and Drug Administration approvals and further clinical trials in progress.1 JAKis have proven highly efficacious in dermatological diseases, by blocking ...
Chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU), a common and distressing skin condition driven by mast cells, is typically managed with a stepwise approach using second-generation H1-antihistamines, omalizumab and cyclosporine, as recommended by international guidelines. However, many patients with CSU do not ...
The pathogenesis of cutaneous granulomatous disorders is incompletely understood and many unmet needs remain in the treatment paradigm.1 These disorders can be categorized into two main groups: those caused by infections and those associated with inflammatory skin conditions, among the ...
Watch highlights of two ADVENT symposia originally presented in San Diego, March 2024.
Introducing the Expert Faculty of touchDERMATOLOGY, who support our mission to advance medical knowledge and practice by ensuring the integrity, relevance, and impact of the content we publish. Together, we strive to foster a vibrant academic community and contribute to the continuous improvement of healthcare worldwide.
Skin Cancer
Professor and Head of Department of Dermatology, St George Hospital, University of NSW, Austtralia
Tiago Torres is Professor of Dermatology at the Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar, University of Porto, Portugal. He received his medical degree from the Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, completed a residency program in Dermatology and Venereology at Centro Hospitalar Universitário do Porto (CHUP), and finished his PhD thesis in 2014 studying the role of psoriasis-associated systemic inflammation in atherosclerosis. Currently, he is the Head of the Immuno-dermatology Unit (psoriasis, atopic dermatitis and auto-immune diseases) and Clinical Trials Unit of the Department of Dermatology of CHUP. Tiago Torres is an Associate Editor for several journal publications and has published many articles on psoriasis and atopic dermatitis. His main research topics in dermatology are immune-dermatology, immunology and immunopharmacology of psoriasis and atopic dermatitis.
Dermatological disorders
Assistant Professor of Dermatology at Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
William Damsky, MD, PhD is an Assistant Professor of Dermatology at Yale School of Medicine and board-certified dermatologist and dematopathologist. In clinical practice, he specializes in evaluation and treatment of patients with inflammatory skin disorders, especially cutaneous granulomatous diseases such as sarcoidosis and granuloma annulare. Dr. Damsky is interested in the identification and evaluation of new treatment approaches for inflammatory skin disease and conducts clinical trials in this area. As a physician-scientist with training in basic immunology, Dr. Damsky’s laboratory leverages the latest immunologic approaches to understand mechanisms of inflammatory skin disease and how they are affected by novel therapies. Dr. Damsky’s research has been supported by Career Development Awards from the Dermatology Foundation and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). He was awarded the 2020 Young Investigator Award by the American Academy of Dermatology for his research in novel therapeutics for sarcoidosis.
Atopic Dermatitis
Clinical Associate Professor, Rosalind Franklin University Chicago Medical School; and Founder and Director, Center for Medical Dermatology and Immunology Research, Chicago, IL, USA
Raj Chovatiya, MD, PhD, MSCI is Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine at Rosalind Franklin University Chicago Medical School and Founder and Director of the Center for Medical Dermatology + Immunology Research in Chicago, Illinois. His clinical and research focus includes the intersection of cutaneous immunology and inflammatory disease. He received his MD and PhD in immunology from Yale and completed his residency, postdoctoral research fellowship, and MS in Clinical Investigation at Northwestern University where he also served as Chief Resident. Dr. Chovatiya has a particular interest in optimizing patient-centered care, understanding chronic disease burden especially in understudied inflammatory diseases, exploring health and social disparities, and improving care across diverse skin types. He has published numerous abstracts and manuscripts and has been nationally and internationally recognized for his contributions as a clinician, educator, researcher, and leader.
Psoriasis and Atopic Dermatitis
Chair of the Department of Dermatology at Indiana University
Dr. David Rosmarin is the Chair of the Department of Dermatology at Indiana University and a clinical investigator. He previously served as Vice-Chair for Research and Education at Tufts Medical Center focusing on clinical trials for inflammatory disorders of the skin. For his training, Dr. Rosmarin went to medical school at NYU, dermatology residency at Boston University-Tufts Combined training program, and fellowship at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Dr. Rosmarin joined Tufts Medical Center in 2013 focusing as a clinical trial investigator. In 2016, Dr. Rosmarin became the Director of the Clinical Trials Unit in the Department of Dermatology at Tufts Medical Center. Dr. Rosmarin’s studies have resulted in him becoming the PI for multicentered trials evaluating topical ruxolitinib in vitiligo, which has led to the first ever FDA indication for repigmenting vitiligo. Dr. Rosmarin is the first to use dupilumab for bullous pemphigoid which is now in a phase 3 program for an indication. Clinically Dr. Rosmarin is nationally recognized and serves as a referral for physicians with difficult to manage inflammatory diseases such as atopic dermatitis. Dr. Rosmarin educates medical students, residents, and research fellows. He served as Residency Program Director from 2016 to 2020 in which time he expanded the Tufts Medical Residency Program from nine positions to twelve residents and mentors faculty in education and research.
Explore the latest in medical education and stay current in your field. Create a free account to track your learning.
Explore the latest in medical education and stay current in your field. Create a free account to track your learning.