Psoriasis Series

Dr. Alexis Tracy is a combined allergy and dermatology research fellow at Rady Children's Hospital in San Diego, California. Coming from a military family, she has lived all over the world and has completed medical school at UT Health Science Center at San Antonio and then went on to train as a preliminary intern with the internal medicine program at the University of California, San Diego. She is excited to apply to dermatology residency in 2021!

Alina Zufall is a 4th year medical student at the University of Virginia School of Medicine. She graduated from the University of Virginia with a bachelor's degree in Biology. Her passion and love for Dermatology grew after working in a busy private Dermatology clinic for a year prior to entering medical school. Her interest has grown as she has worked on several research projects in the department. She is currently leading a multi-year long project to digitalize a large collection of Kodachrome slides for educational and research purposes. Alina is excited to be a part of the LearnSkin team!

Alyssa Ashbaugh is a fourth-year medical student at UC-Irvine who is applying into dermatology this application cycle. Prior to medical school, she graduated with Honors from Macalester College and trained in the dermatology laboratory of Dr. Lloyd Miller at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, where she investigated the host immune response to Staphylococcus aureus infection. She has published 20+ peer-reviewed articles and book chapters and has filed a patent in the US, Europe, and China.

Since beginning medical school, she has continued her research in immunodermatology as well as developed a passion for promoting dermatologic health in skin of color. She currently serves as a medical student executive on the boards of Orange County and San Francisco Dermatological Societies, the American Academy of Dermatology’s Women’s Health Expert Resource Group, and the American Contact Dermatitis Society’s Contact Allergen Management Program Educational Committee. Additionally, she is a certified yoga instructor and is passionate about advocating for and directly supporting medical student and physician wellness.

Alyssa is an M.D. candidate at the John A. Burns School of Medicine at the University of Hawaii. She graduated summa cum laude from Oregon State University in 2017 with a bachelor’s degree in microbiology. After many years of struggling with acne, she has personally experienced the transformative power of dermatology, and believes that healthy skin can change an individual from the outside in. As a future dermatologist, she hopes to approach the psychosocial manifestations of a patient’s skin condition with as much care and compassion as the physical manifestations.

In her free time, Alyssa practices yoga to nourish her mind and body. She also enjoys long-distance running, and views it as a form of moving meditation. She is currently training for a marathon.

Clive Liu, MD is the Director of the Psoriasis Treatment Center at Bellevue Dermatology and is a Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Washington. He received his medical degrees from New York University. His post graduate training include a psoriasis fellowship at the University of California, San Francisco followed by his dermatology residency at the University of Utah.

Dr. George Han an Associate Professor in the Department of Dermatology at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra / Northwell where he leads efforts in clinical research and teledermatology. He is the current Vice President of the Dermatologic Society of Greater New York, a member of the board of directors of the New York State Society of Dermatology and Dermatologic Surgery, a member of the Medical Board of the National Psoriasis Foundation, and an Associate of the International Eczema Council.

Jashin J. Wu, M.D., is Founder and Course Director of the San Diego Dermatology Symposium on September 11-13, 2020 and Founder and CEO of the Dermatology Research and Education Foundation. In his 15 years of clinical practice, he has treated over 1500 psoriasis patients, of which over 1000 received an oral agent, biologic, or phototherapy. He is a past Medical Board member of the National Psoriasis Foundation and a Councilor for the International Psoriasis Council. He serves on the American Academy of Dermatology/NPF psoriasis guidelines committee, which published updated 6 psoriasis guidelines in 2019-2020. He is co-editor for 6 textbooks about psoriasis. He is associate editor for the 4th edition of Comprehensive Dermatologic Drug Therapy published in March 2020. He has written over 350 Pubmed articles, of which over 250 are about psoriasis. He is Past President of the Los Angeles Metropolitan Dermatological Society, Board Member of the California Society of Dermatology & Dermatologic Surgery (CalDerm), and Board Member of the Pacific Dermatology Association. Dr. Wu has given over 140 psoriasis lectures at medical conferences and dermatology departments/divisions in 11 countries.

Dr. Cather is medical director at Modern Dermatology in Dallas, Texas and co-director of Cutaneous Lymphoma and Graft vs Host Clinics at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas. Dr. Cather received her medical degree from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School at Dallas and served her internship in internal medicine at Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas. She then completed a clinical research fellowship at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, followed by a residency in dermatology at The University of Texas-Houston Medical School in Houston.

Actively involved in clinical research, Dr. Cather has been principal or sub-investigator of more than 40 clinical trials. She has lectured extensively and has published widely. Articles under Dr. Cather's authorship or co-authorship have appeared in Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, American Journal of Hematology, Cutis, Dermatologic Therapy, Dermatologic Clinics, and other journals. Her articles cover a broad range of topics including investigational therapies for psoriasis, cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, and melanoma. Dr. Cather belongs to the American Academy of Dermatology, the American Medical Association, the Texas Medical Association, the Women's Dermatologic Society, the American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery, and the National Psoriasis Foundation.

Jessica completed her BSc at York University in Toronto, ON and has completed her Doctor of Naturopathy degree from the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine. She believes that integrative medicine with an evidence-based approach can allow practitioners to better support patients and optimize patient care. Jessica is passionate about bridging naturopathic and conventional medicine in clinical dermatology.

Dr. Jenny Murase is an Associate Clinical Professor of Dermatology at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), and the Director of Medical Dermatology Consultative Services and Patch Testing for the Palo Alto Foundation Medical Group. She provides consultative services for diagnostic dilemmas, adult atopic dermatitis, women’s health in dermatology (such as pregnancy dermatoses and lactation issues), psychodermatology (delusions of parasitosis), and patch testing. She is the co-Editor in Chief of the International Journal of Women’s Dermatology and the Founding and Current Chair of the AAD Women’s Health Expert Resource Group. Dr. Murase received her medical degree from the University of California, Irvine (UCI); she received the Dean’s award and was the first in the School of Medicine to graduate with distinction in clinical research. She completed dermatology residency at UCI, receiving honors from the North American Clinical Dermatologic Society, Women’s Dermatology Society (WDS), American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), Pacific Dermatology Association, and California Society of Dermatology and Dermatologic Surgery while in residency. Board certified in dermatology and active in clinical research and teaching, she was voted by the UCSF residents to be the best dermatology instructor among the adjunct clinical faculty in the department in 2010 and 2020. She serves on the board of the American Contact Dermatitis Society as the Contact Allergen Management Program Council Chair. She was the Chair of the San Francisco Dermatological Society for seven years and continues to serve on the board of the society and represent northern California on the AAD Advisory Board. She has been selected to be a course director at the World Congress, EADV, and AAD Annual meetings the past twelve years, directing over 25 symposia on Women’s Health Therapeutics. For her volunteer work in Africa and as a teacher, she has received Gold Recognition in the AAD Leadership Circle of Volunteerism, the AAD Members Making a Difference award in 2006, and the President’s Volunteer Service Award in 2009. Dr. Murase has authored or coauthored more than 110 peer-reviewed book chapters and articles, and actively reviews for six major dermatology journals.

Joelle is a fourth year osteopathic medical student at Touro University College of Medicine. She is a southern California native who graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles with a degree in Environmental Science. She also has a Master’s degree in Public Health from SUNY Downstate. Prior to medical school, she worked in consulting as an Environmental Health Analyst and in basic science and clinical research at UCLA and California State University Northridge. Joelle’s goal as a future physician is to provide an integrated approach to healthcare to help her patients achieve optimal health of the mind, body, and spirit. Her interests include integrative medicine, the microbiome, and working with the underserved. In her spare time, Joelle enjoys surfing, snowboarding, yoga, and traveling. NDA & Intern Agreement - 2/6/19

Jordan Parker is a 1st year medical student at the University of California, Riverside. He graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles in 2018 with a degree in biology. Jordan’s clinical interests include pediatric dermatology, specifically autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. He believes that caring for skin conditions is of paramount importance as it is the first part of ourselves that we share with the external environment. He is also a firm advocate for living life with healthy skin, as he sees it as a vital marker of our overall health & well-being. Jordan is committed to helping those of all ages live a healthier and more confident lifestyle.

I was born in Abbotsford, British Columbia and moved to Fremont, California, a diverse city near Silicon Valley, for the remainder of my childhood. I completed my undergraduate career at the University of California, San Diego. Following this, I worked as a remote scribe at Augmedix, Inc. utilizing Google Glass technology to document encounters for physicians in real time. I was then accepted to Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University where I am currently an M3 student. As a future physician, through dermatology, I wish to empower patients through skin education so they can feel in control of their health and specifically the prevention and treatment of their diseases. I also wish to add to the growing field of dermatology through research. In my free time, I enjoy playing basketball, both recreationally and in competitive adult leagues. I also have an interest in board games such as Settlers of Catan and Codenames, and in cooking fusion foods such as pizza burgers and Korean bulgogi burritos.

Dr. Lawrence Eichenfield is chief of pediatric and adolescent dermatology at Rady Children's Hospital-San Diego, as well as vice chair of the Department of Dermatology and a professor of dermatology and pediatrics at UC San Diego School of Medicine.

Dr. Eichenfield earned his medical degree from Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York, was a pediatric resident and chief resident at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, and completed dermatology training at the hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. He is board certified in pediatrics, dermatology and pediatric dermatology.

Maria is a naturopathic doctor who attended the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine. She has a strong interest in integrative dermatology, mental health, environmental medicine, and epigenetics. Maria’s passion is to help make integrative medicine more accessible, especially in the state of Florida where naturopathic medicine is currently not regulated. She is an active member of the FNPA and has participated in naturopathic advocacy and lobbying events such as the DCFLI. In the future, she aims to help others reach their own health goals by providing individualized treatment plans that address the multiple root causes of illness. She also loves animals and would like to help make integrative veterinary care more accessible as well.

Dr. Neal Bhatia is a board-certified dermatologist in San Diego, California. He serves as Director of Clinical Dermatology at Therapeutics Clinical Research. He is as chief medical editor for Practical Dermatology.He has a background in immunology and has interests in mechanisms of therapy, skin cancer, and medical dermatology. Aside from teaching at medical conferences, he sits on several editorial boards and is an active teacher for dermatologists, industry, and patients.

As director of the clinics for multicultural dermatology and for hair disorders, Dr. Agbai provides specialized, comprehensive care for all skin types. She also understands the structural differences of skin of color requiring highly specialized dermatologic care.

Dr. Agbai treats conditions such as acne-induced hyperpigmentation, hair thinning, melasma, and hidradenitis suppurativa, especially as these conditions relate to patients of color. Additionally, Dr. Agbai offers medical dermatology care and cosmetic procedures to patients of all skin types.

Dr. Agbai has engaged in clinical research in pigmentary disorders, hidradenitis suppurativa, cicatricial alopecia, and skin of color dermatology. She is a co-author on multiple high-impact scientific publications and book chapters related to these topics. Additionally, Dr. Agbai has presented at national scientific meetings relating to her clinical and research interests. She also appears regularly as a contributor on the television program "Good Day Sacramento" on the topics of skin and hair.

Dr. Yamauchi is a dermatologist in private practice and medical director at both the Dermatology Insitute and Skin Care Center and Clinical Science Institute in Santa Monica, California. HHe has admitting privileges and is on staff at St. John’s Hospital in Santa Monica and the UCLA MedicalCenter. Dr. Yamauchi is a clinical assistant professor of medicine in the Division of Dermatology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and Harbor-UCLA Medical Center and Associate Professor at the John Wayne Cancer Institute in Santa Monica, CA. He specializes in medical and complex dermatology, dermatologic surgery, aesthetic dermatology, and clinical research.

Dr. Yamauchi earned his BS in biochemistry at the University of California at Los Angeles, his PhD in biologic chemistry at the University of California at Santa Barbara, and his MD at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Cleveland. He completed his residency in dermatology at UCLA School of Medicine and a cosmetic surgery fellowship affiliated with UCLA School of Medicine.

Dr. Raja Sivamani is a board-certified dermatologist and practices as an integrative dermatologist at Pacific Skin Institute. He is an Adjunct Associate Professor of Clinical Dermatology at the University of California, Davis and Director of Clinical Research and the Clinical Trials Unit.He is also an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at the California State University, Sacramento and an Associate Professor of Dermatology at California Northstate University, College of Medicine.He engages in clinical practice as well as both clinical and translational research that integrates bioengineering, nutrition, cosmetics, and skin biology. With training in both Allopathic and Ayurvedic medicine, he takes an integrative approach to his patients and in his research.He has published over 100 peer-reviewed research manuscripts, 10 textbook chapters, and a textbook entitled Cosmeceuticals and Active Cosmetics, 3rd Edition with a passion for expanding the evidence and boundaries of integrative medicine for skin care.

Safiyyah Bhatti is a combined pediatric dermatology, allergy and immunology clinical research fellow at Rady Children's Hospital. Safiyyah is a board certified internist who completed her internal medicine residency at Hahnemann University Hospital Drexel University College of Medicine. She practiced as a Women's health specialist at Drexel University College of Medicine. Currently she is a fellow at Rady Children's Hospital participating in clinical trials and patient care.

Samantha Magana is currently a first-year physician assistant (PA) student at the University of California, Davis; Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing. She completed her undergraduate education at UC Davis, with her Bachelor of Science degree in Biological Sciences and a minor in Psychology. Before starting the PA program, she worked as a medical assistant for North Pacific Dermatology in rural Humboldt County, CA. Upon successful completion of the PA program, she intends to enter dermatology and continue to help those who are underserved and undertreated.

Stephanie Lee, MD is a board-certified pediatrician with interest in pediatric dermatology. She is currently a pediatric dermatology research fellow at Rady Children's Hospital / University of California, San Diego. She earned her bachelor of science in human biology and medical degree at Brown University through the eight-year Program in Liberal Medical Education. She was a pediatric resident and chief resident at the University of California, Irvine / Children’s Hospital of Orange County.

Dr. Tina Bhutani is a board certified dermatologist who focuses on treating chronic inflammatory skin diseases including psoriasis and atopic dermatitis. She co-directs the UCSF Psoriasis and Skin Treatment Center, where she specializes in caring for patients with complex cases often requiring multiple treatment modalities including topical medications, phototherapy, systemic agents, and biologics. Dr. Bhutani believes in a well-rounded approach to care that includes considering each patient's overall wellness and mental health in addition to treating their skin disease. She believes that treating mind, body, and skin increases the probability of a successful outcome and helps patients cope with having a chronic disease.

Dr. Bhutani's research focuses on improving quality of life for patients with chronic inflammatory diseases. She seeks to further describe the mind-skin connection in order to learn how to disrupt the cycle of disease flare-up, mental stress, and worsening disease.

Victor Huang, MD, graduated from UCSF Medical School in 2008, during which he completed a Howard Hugh Fellowship at the National Institutes of Health in laboratory of Sam Hwang, MD, PhD studying skin inflammation and immunology. He subsequently completed a residency in Dermatology at Washington University in St. Louis in 2012, and completed a post-doctoral fellowship studying skin resident T cells in the laboratory of Rachael Clark, MD, PhD at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. In 2014, he assumed the role as Director of the Vitiligo Clinic at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and has been involved with investigator initiated trials, clinical, and epidemiologic research focusing on vitiligo. He also completed a year-long mentorship program through the American Academy of Dermatology working with Amit Pandya, MD, in 2018. He has lectured nationally on the topic of vitiligo and maintains and interest in developing meaningful outcome measures of patients affected by this disease. Since 2018, Dr. Huang has established a vitiligo specialty clinic in the Department of Dermatology at the University of California, Davis.

The standard of care for vitiligo includes topical immune modulators including topical steroids and calcineurin inhibitors, UV-based phototherapy, and systemic immune modulators. These agents inhibit the autoimmune inflammatory response in the skin. In the case of UV-based phototherapy, the therapy is thought to stimulate melanogenesis and repigmentation as well. The repigmentation process occurs over the course of months to years. Second line treatments include surgical approaches designed to transplant autologous viable melanocytes to depigmented areas. There have been several advances in recent years with regards to understanding the underlying immunologic pathogenesis of vitiligo leading to promising new targeted immune modulating therapies.