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