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Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
May 20, 2016

CONTACT:
Kathleen Reichert
American Skin Association
212-889-4858
kathleen@americanskin.org

AMERICAN SKIN ASSOCIATION (ASA) HONORS OUTSTANDING RESEARCHERS DURING ANNUAL MEETING OF THE SOCIETY FOR INVESTIGATIVE DERMATOLOGY

May 20, 2016 - Scottsdale, Arizona – David A. Norris, MD, Chair of ASA’s Medical Advisory Committee, presented the David Martin Carter Mentor Award and the Research Achievement Awards at the Annual Meeting of the Society for Investigative Dermatology. The award recipients were celebrated at a luncheon hosted by ASA's Medical Advisory Committee at the Westin Kierland Resort.

Since 1989 ASA's David Martin Carter Mentor Award has honored members of the dermatology community who embody the characteristics which made the late David Martin Carter, MD, PhD an inspiration to many dermatologists, investigators, colleagues and medical students throughout the world. Dr. Carter and our late founder, Dr. George Hambrick, were dear friends who worked tirelessly to grow ASA into a leading force in efforts to defeat melanoma, skin cancer and other skin diseases.

Recent recipients of David Martin Carter Mentor Award are Dr. Stuart Yuspa (2012) of the Center for Cancer Research at the National Cancer Institute, Dr. Jouni Uitto (2013) of Jefferson Medical College, Dr. Gerald Lazarus (2014) of Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, and Dr. Howard Baden of Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital (2015). This year the David Martin Carter Mentor Award was presented to Barbara A. Gilchrest, MD of Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital.

For over three decades Dr. Barbara Gilchrest has influenced the field of dermatology as a distinguished dermatologist and researcher and an esteemed mentor and educator. She is a notable author and editor, having worked on hundreds of scholarly articles and other writings and eight books. Dr. Gilchrest is also the editor-in-chief of The Journal for Investigative Dermatology and former president of both the Society for Investigative Dermatology and American Skin Association.

Dr. David Norris, Chair of ASA's Medical Advisory Committee, said: "We were proud to honor Dr. Barbara Gilchrest with the 2016 David Martin Carter Mentor Award. A world-renowned dermatologist and researcher, Dr. Gilchrest is the 24th honoree to receive this prestigious award. She has been a devoted mentor and educator for over three decades."

The Research Achievement Awards were instituted in 1989 to identify established scientists in investigative dermatology and cutaneous biology. This year they recognize those who have greatly advanced work related to autoimmune and inflammatory skin diseases, melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer, and vitiligo and pigment cell disorders.

The following awards were presented:

Research Achievement Award in Autoimmune and Inflammatory Skin Disorders Research to
Kim B. Yancey, MD of UT Southwestern Medical Center

Research Achievement Award in Melanoma and Skin Cancer Research to
Boris C. Bastian, MD, PhD of University of California, San Francisco

Research Achievement Award in Vitiligo and Pigment Cell Biology Research to
Pearl E. Grimes, MD, FAAD of University of California, Los Angeles

"We are excited to present the Research Achievement Award this year! Dr. Yancey, Dr. Bastian, and Dr. Grimes all made great strides in their respective fields. ASA is proud to celebrate their outstanding achievements," said Dr. David Norris.

Howard P. Milstein, Chairman of ASA said, "On behalf of the Board of Directors of American Skin Association, I would like to commend today's award recipients. Their work in the field of investigative dermatology is vital in the search for a cure for melanoma, skin cancer and other skin diseases. We are pleased to support these outstanding researchers."

ABOUT AMERICAN SKIN ASSOCIATION

A unique collaboration of patients, families, advocates, physicians and scientists, ASA has evolved over twenty-nine years as a leading force in efforts to defeat melanoma, skin cancer 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. For more information, americanskin.org.

ASA's Medical Advisory Committee, composed of leading physicians and scientists, oversees the annual grant review and award process. Under its aegis, the program has supported the work of more than 250 investigators, ranging from gifted young researchers in the earliest phases of their careers to acknowledged leaders in the field. The program also supports medical students committing themselves to the study of melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer.

American Skin Association is a Four-Star Charity Navigator rated foundation.