Meet the dermatologists redefining the future of practice, research, and technology
Meet the innovators shaping the future of dermatology
The touchDERMATOLOGY Future Leaders 2026 have been nominated and selected to recognize the rising stars shaping the future of across the field of dermatology. These clinicians, researchers and innovators are driving progress across the specialty, from advancing clinical practice to challenging convention and improving patient outcomes.
Discover the individuals set to redefine dermatological care in the years ahead. Meet our Future Leaders and learn their stories.
Olufolakemi Cole-Adeife
Lagos State University College of Medicine • Ikeja, Lagos State, Nigeria
Global dermatology
Ultimately, the innovations that excite me most are those that translate scientific progress into better skin health for people who have historically had the least access to it.”
→ Learn more about Dr Cole-Adeife’s work to close closing the gaps in global dermatology care
Giovanni Damiani
University of Milan • Milan, Italy
Dermato-immunology & environmental health
Breaking traditional medical silos by integrating bioinformatics, environmental science, and social medicine accelerates true clinical translation.”
→ Read more about Dr Damiani’s on connecting disciplines to advance dermatology
Brittany Dulmage
The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center • Columbus, OH, USA
Oncodermatology
I am excited by the growing recognition of the importance of oncodermatological care, which is driving the development of new clinical trials, guidelines, and therapies specifically for this patient population.”
→ Read more from Dr Dulmage on supporting cancer patients through dermatologic side effects
Thy N. Huynh
University of Mississippi Medical Center • Jackson, MS, USA
Pediatric dermatology
Caring for patients with complex dermatologic conditions, particularly children, has highlighted the importance of improving access to specialty care in rural and underserved communities.”
→ Read more from Dr Huynh about expanding access to pediatric dermatology
Samar Khalil
Skin Experts Polyclinic • Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Skin Clinic • Beirut, Lebanon
Aesthetic dermatology
I never saw aesthetics as something completely separate from medical dermatology. To me, they exist on the same continuum: understanding the skin, respecting its biology, and helping people feel like the best and most comfortable version of themselves.”
→ Read more about how Dr Samar on connecting science, aesthetics, and skin longevity
Dimitri Luz
Karrinyup Dermatology • Perth, Australia
Inflammatory skin conditions
Each relationship shaped a different part of my career, but the foundation Dr Magalhães built has stayed the same: dermatology as a clinical specialty, an academic discipline, and a field where there is still a great deal to discover.”
→ Read more about on Dr Luz’s journey on a global path to advancing clinical care, research, and education in immune-mediated dermatology
Anastasiya Muntyanu
Universidad Autónoma de Bucaramanga • Bucaramanga, Colombia
Autoimmune skin conditions & environmental/occupational triggers
To me, the future of dermatology is not only about developing better treatments, but also about understanding who develops disease, why they develop it, and how we can intervene earlier.”
→ Read more from Dr Muntyanu on moving upstream from treatment to prevention
Denis Niebel
University of Cologne • Cologne, Germany
Chronic inflammatory skin diseases and cutaneous adverse drug reactions
Dermatology is currently one of the most innovative fields in medicine, and it is a privilege to be actively involved in the specialty at this exciting time. Diseases that saw little meaningful therapeutic progress for decades have now become major areas of scientific and clinical innovation.”
→ Read more about on the next generation of dermatological therapies from Dr Niebel
Indrashis Podder
College of Medicine & Sagore Dutta Hospital • Kolkata, India
Urticaria
Allergic skin disorders represent a significant burden in my country, yet there remains a shortage of specialists, particularly dermatologists, caring for these patients. That unmet need really captured my attention.”
→ Read more on from Dr Podder on the unmet need in urticaria care
Martyna Sławińska
Medical University of Gdańsk • Gdańsk, Poland
Dermoscopy, trichoscopy, and confocal microscopy
Much of my work has focused on applying these tools in areas where they were not previously used, such as cutaneous lymphomas, mastocytosis and erythroderma.”
→ Read more on from Dr Sławińska non-invasive imaging and the future of skin cancer diagnosis
Ben Ungar
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai • New York, NY, USA
Inflammatory skin conditions
Through working with Dr Guttman, I have had the opportunity to witness how translational research can transform clinical care… The amazing treatments we have today, resulting from our understanding of the pathophysiology of atopic dermatitis, have been tremendously shaped by her work.”
→ Read more from Dr Ben Ungar on the mentorship that shaped a career in inflammatory skin disease
Zoë Venables
University of East Anglia • Norwich, UK
Cutaneous oncology
The fact that something can be done with AI does not necessarily mean that it should be, and we need good evidence that new technologies genuinely improve patient care and do not inadvertently widen inequalities.”
→ Read more from Dr Venables on turning big data into better skin cancer outcomes
Congratulations to our Future Leaders 2026!
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