In response to the need for healthy collaborations between academia and industry to generate therapies that improve the lives of children living with skin diseases and conditions, the inaugural PeDRA Pathways to Progress Summit will take place May 16-17, 2025 at the Omni Parker House hotel in Boston, MA. Over the course of a two-day agenda, a small group of early-to-mid career investigators, clinical fellows, and residents from PeDRA’s membership will be joined by key opinion leaders, industry partners, patient advocacy, and others for a unique learning and networking experience that sets them on course to become savvy industry collaborators and fruitful contributors to clinical research programs. The program will be anchored around three core learning objectives:
- Gain an appreciation for the synergy between industry objectives and PeDRA’s vision of changing lives and healing children with skin disease through collaboration and discovery.
- Understand the opportunities available and importance of industry collaboration for developing treatments for pediatric dermatology conditions.
- Understand how to initiate and participate in clinical trials, and how to appropriately interface with individuals at pharmaceutical companies and academic institutions to be a successful contributor to the clinical trial process.
Preliminary Agenda
Last updated September 20, 2024
May 16, 2025
Time
Afternoon
Activity
Welcome and Introductions
Presenters
Jeff Yu, MD (Program Chair)
Panel: Why Get Involved with Industry?
All faculty
Do’s and Don’ts for Industry Engagement
All faculty
Panel: Who’s Who in Industry
Reps from supporting companies to be invited
Panel and small group discussions: Your First Meeting with an MSL
Jeff Yu, MD with MSL(s) from supporting companies to be invited
Evening
Patient Appreciation Dinner (panel)
Research Reception featuring regional recipients of PeDRA Grants and Fellowships
Patient advocacy representatives
May 17, 2025
Time
Morning
Activity
The Clinical Trial Journey (multi-part)
- Starting your First Clinical Trial
- Recruitment, consenting, and screening
- Adverse events and ending enrollment
- Recording and reporting
Presenters
Faculty to be joined by coordinators, and other members of the trial team
Lunch
Featured presentation on running trials outside of academia
Jason Hawkes, MD
Afternoon
Clinical Trial M&M’s: Interactive case studies on actual trials
All faculty
Closing Remarks
Jeff Yu, MD
Eligibility
Twenty early-to-mid career investigators (within 10 years of finishing training), clinical fellows, and residents* will be accepted based on a competitive application process. To apply, applicants must:
- be a PeDRA member in good standing
- submit an application to attend before the deadline of Thursday, January 16, 2025, to include:
- A personal statement
- CV
- Letter from a recent or current mentor or supervisor
*A limited number of M3 or M4 medical students or mid-career investigators (10 – 15 years post training) may be considered depending on space.
Faculty
Jeff Yu, MD
Massachusetts General Hospital
Program Chair
Jason Hawkes, MD
Hawkes Dermatology, LLC
Amy Paller, MD
Northwestern University
Lara Wine Lee, MD, PhD
Medical University of South Carolina
Keith Choate, MD, PhD
Yale University
Peter Lio, MD
Medical Dermatology Associates of Chicago
Harper Price, MD
Phoenix Children’s Hospital
Supporters
Thanks to our supporters for making the Pathways to Progress Summit possible.
Platinum Level
Bronze Level
Partnership
Industry sponsorship and participation is critical for the successful launch of this new event. Please review the partnership prospectus or contact Mike Siegel for more information or to get on board as a sponsor. Whether you select a proposed sponsorship package or ask that an opportunity be customized to meet your needs, PeDRA will work with partners to design an experience that provides the level of engagement and benefits that best suit each organization and its objectives.
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