A peek behind the Plenary
DermWorld Meeting News got a glimpse at each speaker’s prepared remarks.
Plenary
9 a.m.-noon | Sunday, March 8
Location: Chapin Theater
Tomorrow’s Plenary session begins with the Annual Business Meeting and continues through the morning with an impressive lineup of dermatology experts and industry leaders. Four individuals will accept awards and give lecture presentations on exciting clinical topics.
Clarence S. Livingood, MD, Memorial Award and Lectureship
Numbers and the Narrative: Leadership and Advocacy with Stories and Data
Marta J. Van Beek, MD, MPH, FAAD, executive medical director at the University of Iowa Ambulatory Clinics
“It is a tremendous honor to receive the Clarence Livingood Award and Lectureship and an incredible privilege to work in this profession. As physicians navigate increasing financial payment pressures, administrative burdens, and burnout, we need to convey and convince policymakers with a compelling story. There are many threats to the patient-physician relationship, and we need both advocacy and leadership to impact change. I will also discuss how the medical educational system has trained us all to doubt ourselves and fear the act of vulnerability, which has contributed to loneliness and burnout in our profession.”
Lila and Murray Gruber Memorial Cancer Research Award and Lectureship
From Cell Atlases to Medicines with AI
Aviv Regev, PhD, MSc, executive vice president and global head, Genentech Research and Early Development, Genentech/Roche
“As some of my cancer research has focused on better understanding melanoma, including metastatic melanoma and tumors that do not respond to promising treatments like immunotherapy, I am especially pleased to have the opportunity to deepen my connections to the dermatology community through this award and lecture. We are at a unique moment in time where multiple technologies — including high resolution massively parallel profiling and artificial intelligence/machine learning — are converging to make us much better at delivering new medicines to the patients who need them most, and I am excited to share more about this promising approach.”
Marion B. Sulzberger, MD, Memorial Award and Lectureship
Patients Don’t Read the Textbooks, They Write Them: Insights from Patient-Driven Investigation
Rachael Clark, MD, PhD, FAAD, the Martin C. Mihm Jr., MD, and Shing-Yiu Yip Professor of Dermatology at Harvard Medical School, and vice chair for research, department of dermatology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston
“Improving patient care is at the very center of [my team’s] research efforts, and this recognition is therefore incredibly meaningful to me. Our patients are our best teachers — they show us how to live courageously with disease and their responses to therapy help us unravel the mysteries of human skin immunology.”
John Kenney Jr., MD, Lifetime Achievement Award and Lectureship
Vitiligo: A 45-Year Journey of Science and Service
Pearl E. Grimes, MD, FAAD, director of the Vitiligo & Pigmentation Institute of Southern California, clinical professor of dermatology at UCLA, and president of the Global Vitiligo Foundation
“I have been involved in vitiligo research for 45 years. I was trained by Dr. Kenney, who was not only my mentor but a father figure as well. I view this award as a pinnacle of recognition of my life’s work and my determination to advance the science of this disease. My objective is to share highlights of the history and rapidly evolving landscape of scientific advances regarding the pathogenesis and treatment of vitiligo.”
Attendees will also hear from the outgoing and incoming heads of the Academy to celebrate accomplishments and look forward to the future.
AAD President Seemal R. Desai, MD, FAAD
“Serving as the president of the AAD this past year has been one of the greatest honors of my career. It has allowed me to witness firsthand the incredible dedication and passion that dermatologists bring to their work every day. My goal is to inspire and empower our members to embrace innovation and our continued advocacy, continue the advancement of our field, and enhance patient care by leveraging new technologies, research, and treatment options. I also want to focus on the importance of collaboration — both within the dermatology community and with other health care professionals — to achieve the best outcomes for our patients.”
AAD President-Elect Susan C. Taylor, MD, FAAD
“Recognizing the critical role dermatologists play in treating life-altering and life-threatening conditions, it is crucial that we continue to receive innovative and comprehensive support from the Academy. The Academy’s ongoing commitment to expanding advocacy efforts and educational resources ensures that our members are equipped with cutting-edge knowledge, tools, and resources. This empowers dermatologists to effectively manage complex skin conditions, deliver exceptional patient care, and successfully run their practices.”
