Shawn Kwatra

Dr. Alice B. Gottlieb is an internationally recognized expert in the field of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. Her research uses targeted immunobiologics as pathogenic probes, providing a new understanding of the pathogenesis of psoriasis and providing the foundation for biologic drug development in these two debilitating diseases. In addition, she is a noteworthy researcher, but she is also an exceptionally outstanding clinician and educator. She is triple board-certified in dermatology, rheumatology, and internal medicine, making her one of only a handful of doctors in the United States to be certified in all three specialties. Her research has helped the numerous students, residents, and fellows she has trained, as well as the dermatologic community at large, which wants to understand how to diagnose and manage psoriatic arthritis. Dr. Gottlieb is the recipient of numerous awards, including the American Academy of Dermatology’s (AAD) 2023 Master Dermatologist Award and the 2016 National Psoriasis Foundation (NPF) Outstanding Educator in Psoriatic Disease Award.

Joseph F. Merola, MD, MMSc is Chair of Dermatology at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, TX; he is Professor of Dermatology, Medicine and Rheumatology at UTSW and the Peter O’Donnell Jr School of Public Health. He holds the Mary Kay Distinguished Chair in Dermatology. Dr. Merola is board-certified in Dermatology, Internal Medicine, and Rheumatology. He earned his medical degree at the NYU School of Medicine and his Masters at Harvard Medical School. He completed an internship in Internal Medicine at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, residency in Dermatology at NYU Medical Center. He continued with a residency in Internal Medicine and a fellowship in Rheumatology at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital / Harvard Medical School in Boston. He was elected to the Board of Directors of the American Academy of Dermatology, is the Founding President of PPACMAN, is on the Scientific and Medical Boards of the National Psoriasis Foundation, Board of the International Dermatology Outcome Measures Group and president-elect of GRAPPA, the Board of the American Skin Association, on the Medical and Scientific Board of the Lupus Foundation of America. He is also the recent past president of the Medical Dermatology Society and is president-elect of the Rheumatology-Dermatology Society. He is a councilor for the International Eczema Council as well as the International Psoriasis Council. He has served on multiple committees including the AAD Guidelines Committee. Dr. Merola has published over 340 peer-reviewed publications and received numerous awards for education, research and mentorship.

Dr. Kwatra is the Joseph W. Burnett Endowed Professor and Chairman of Dermatology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore, MD, USA. His areas of clinical expertise include chronic pruritus, prurigo nodularis, atopic dermatitis, and dermatology for ethnic skin. He is funded by the National Institutes of Health and multiple foundations. He runs a basic and translational research laboratory along with a clinical trials unit and is funded by the National Institutes of Health and has been an author or co-author on over 250 publications. He is currently the Secretary-Treasurer of the Skin of Color Society and a member of the National Eczema Society Scientific and Medical Advisory Council.

Dr. Alice B. Gottlieb is an internationally recognized expert in the field of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. Her research uses targeted immunobiologics as pathogenic probes, providing a new understanding of the pathogenesis of psoriasis and providing the foundation for biologic drug development in these two debilitating diseases. In addition, she is a noteworthy researcher, but she is also an exceptionally outstanding clinician and educator. She is triple board-certified in dermatology, rheumatology, and internal medicine, making her one of only a handful of doctors in the United States to be certified in all three specialties. Her research has helped the numerous students, residents, and fellows she has trained, as well as the dermatologic community at large, which wants to understand how to diagnose and manage psoriatic arthritis. Dr. Gottlieb is the recipient of numerous awards, including the American Academy of Dermatology’s (AAD) 2023 Master Dermatologist Award and the 2016 National Psoriasis Foundation (NPF) Outstanding Educator in Psoriatic Disease Award.

Joseph F. Merola, MD, MMSc is Chair of Dermatology at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, TX; he is Professor of Dermatology, Medicine and Rheumatology at UTSW and the Peter O’Donnell Jr School of Public Health. He holds the Mary Kay Distinguished Chair in Dermatology. Dr. Merola is board-certified in Dermatology, Internal Medicine, and Rheumatology. He earned his medical degree at the NYU School of Medicine and his Masters at Harvard Medical School. He completed an internship in Internal Medicine at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, residency in Dermatology at NYU Medical Center. He continued with a residency in Internal Medicine and a fellowship in Rheumatology at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital / Harvard Medical School in Boston. He was elected to the Board of Directors of the American Academy of Dermatology, is the Founding President of PPACMAN, is on the Scientific and Medical Boards of the National Psoriasis Foundation, Board of the International Dermatology Outcome Measures Group and president-elect of GRAPPA, the Board of the American Skin Association, on the Medical and Scientific Board of the Lupus Foundation of America. He is also the recent past president of the Medical Dermatology Society and is president-elect of the Rheumatology-Dermatology Society. He is a councilor for the International Eczema Council as well as the International Psoriasis Council. He has served on multiple committees including the AAD Guidelines Committee. Dr. Merola has published over 340 peer-reviewed publications and received numerous awards for education, research and mentorship.

Dr. Kwatra is the Joseph W. Burnett Endowed Professor and Chairman of Dermatology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore, MD, USA. His areas of clinical expertise include chronic pruritus, prurigo nodularis, atopic dermatitis, and dermatology for ethnic skin. He is funded by the National Institutes of Health and multiple foundations. He runs a basic and translational research laboratory along with a clinical trials unit and is funded by the National Institutes of Health and has been an author or co-author on over 250 publications. He is currently the Secretary-Treasurer of the Skin of Color Society and a member of the National Eczema Society Scientific and Medical Advisory Council.