PeDRA

Pediatric Dermatology Research Alliance

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Three PeDRA Members Receive 2020 Research Awards from the Dermatology Foundation

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March 24, 2020 – The pediatric dermatology community is proud to recognize three PeDRA members as recipients of 2020 Research Awards from the Dermatology Foundation.  Lisa Arkin, MD of the University of Wisconsin received a Pediatric Dermatology Career Development Award for a project titled Towards a Precision-based Treatment for Facial Vascular Stains, Leo Shmuylovich, MD, PhD of Washington University received a Dermatologist Investigator Research Fellowship to study Laser Stimulated Thermal Imaging of Nonmelanoma Skin Cancer, andJoy Wan, MD, MSCE of the University of Pennsylvania received a Career Development Award for a project titled Neurocognitive Functioning of Children with Atopic Dermatitis. 

Together with Elena Hawryluk, MD, PhD (Pediatric Dermatology Career Development Award, year 3) and Jeff Yu, MD (Pediatric Dermatology Career Development Award, year 2), this brings the total of active Dermatology Foundation-funded PeDRA members to five, and impacts projects spanning three of PeDRA’s five working groups. 

Visit the Dermatology Foundation website for information on all Research Awards granted in 2020 and to learn more about future funding opportunities.  To learn about research funding opportunities from PeDRA, visit the Grants & Awards Page.  

2021 CHILDHOOD ECZEMA CHALLENGE GRANT AWARDED TO DR. JENNIFER SCHOCH OF UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA

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August 3, 2021 – The National Eczema Association (NEA) and PeDRA announce that the second annual Childhood Eczema Challenge Grant has been awarded to Jennifer Schoch, MD of the University of Florida for her grant proposal titled “Neonatal Cutaneous Microbiome Predictors of Infantile Eczema.” The grant of $50,000 commenced August 1, 2021.

Nearly 10 million U.S. children under the age of 18 are affected by eczema, with one-third affected by moderate-to-severe disease. Despite recent therapeutic advances, the burdens on these patients and their families can be significant, and many important research questions remain unanswered. In 2020, NEA and PeDRA together created the Childhood Eczema Challenge Grant to accelerate research that improves the health and quality of life of pediatric eczema patients and their families.

Dr. Schoch’s investigation builds on animal models that suggest that immune tolerance to cutaneous microbes is acquired early in life and can prevent inflammation upon later re-exposure. Dr. Schoch and her team hypothesize that a parallel exists in humans, specifically that exposure to microbes such as Staphylococcus species early in life confers tolerance and reduces inflammation upon re-exposure. And because Staphylococcus aureus has been implicated in the pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis/eczema, this early tolerance could be critical in prevention of eczema. In preliminary data from a pilot study, the team found a decrease in microbial diversity in week 2 of life. For this grant, Dr. Schoch and her team will correlate differences in the neonatal skin microbiome with the subsequent development of infantile eczema by age one. Specifically, they will compare relative abundance of Staphylococcus aureus from the neonatal period in infants who developed eczema by one year of life, compared to infants who do not develop eczema by one year, toward the goal of understanding how the early establishment of the skin microbiome contributes to healthy and disease states.

“Looking at the first two years of the Childhood Eczema Challenge Grant, I am thrilled to see one project aimed at addressing disparities and another at understanding the earliest triggers of eczema,” said Michael Siegel, PhD, executive director of PeDRA.  “We are so excited to see the momentum build with our partnership with NEA around research questions that matter to patients and their families.”

“Dr. Schoch’s work with the microbiome has important implications for our youngest eczema patients, with the potential to lead to preventative approaches that can avert a lifetime with eczema,” said Julie Block, president and CEO of NEA. “This is exactly why we joined with PeDRA to create a grant specifically supporting childhood eczema research.”

In addition to providing meaningful research funding to those awarded, the Challenge Grant furthers the missions and strategic priorities of both NEA and PeDRA. For more information on the Childhood Eczema Challenge Grant and other funding opportunities, visit PeDRA’s Grants & Awards page or https://nationaleczema.org/research/research-we-fund/for-researchers/. 

About the National Eczema Association (NEA)

Founded in 1988, NEA is the largest, 501(c)(3) non-profit, US patient advocacy organization serving people affected by eczema. NEA is the driving force for an eczema community fueled by knowledge, strengthened through collective action and propelled by the promise for a better future. For more on NEA, visit https://nationalecezma.org

Neonatal Cutaneous Microbiome Predictors of Infantile Eczema

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Principal Investigator:

Jennifer Schoch, MD
University of Florida

Overview:

Though the cause of eczema is yet unknown, animal studies suggest importance of the early interaction between bacteria present on the skin and the immune system. If bacteria are present on the skin of mice shortly after birth, then the immune system learns to “tolerate” the bacteria, and doesn’t create inflammation (i.e. eczema) when later exposed to the bacteria. To explore the possibility of a similar human mechanism, we will collect skin microbiome samples (including bacterial genetic material) from infants weekly for the first 4 weeks of life. The bacteria found on the skin in infants who later develop infantile eczema will be compared to infants who do not develop eczema. We hypothesize that specific bacteria (e.g. Staphylococcus) will be more abundant in the early skin microbiome of infants who do not develop eczema, compared to infants who do develop eczema. Successful completion will guide strategies to prevent eczema.

Status:

This study was funded through the 2021 Childhood Eczema Challenge Grant.

Webinar: Demographic Factors and Infantile Hemangioma Characteristics

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Association of Demographic Factors and Infantile Hemangioma Characteristics with Risk of PHACE Syndrome

Dr. Colleen Cotton discusses the findings of her most recent collaborative study – Association of Demographic Factors and Infantile Hemangioma Characteristics with Risk of PHACE Syndrome. Learn more about hemangioma patterns that might suggest greater or lower risk for PHACE Syndrome and how to identify a high-risk patient for a full PHACE Syndrome work up.

Colleen Cotton, MD

Dr. Colleen Cotton is an Assistant Professor of Pediatric Dermatology and a pediatric dermatologist at the Medical University of South Carolina.

    PeDRA Research Grants – ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS

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    Overview
    Childhood skin diseases are associated with severe burden on patients, families, and health care providers.  Despite this burden, effective treatments remain sparse and the pace of research slow.  To help overcome these challenges, the Pediatric Dermatology Research Alliance (PeDRA) is committed to supporting an annual competitive research grants program.

    Goals
    PeDRA Research Grants are driven by the mission to create, inspire, and sustain research to prevent, treat, and cure childhood skin disease. They are intended to provide financial support for early-stage studies that are unlikely to be funded elsewhere, and to provide a mentorship opportunity for both grant preparation and project execution.  Ultimately, PeDRA Research Grants are expected to generate data, establish research infrastructure, and foster collaborations that form the basis for larger scale studies with a high impact on patient lives.

    Important Details

    • Up to $15,000 for one year to support early stage research, with the opportunity to renew
    • May be submitted by individuals or teams 
    • Applications due Thursday, December 2, 2021
    • Optional opportunity to submit a preliminary application by September 9, 2021 to be eligible to receive preliminary reviewer comments and discuss their applications with a representative from the PeDRA Grants Committee in October 2021
    • Request for Applications (RFA)
    Application portal

    Last Year’s Research Fellowship Recipients:

    Kristen Berrebi, MD

    Research Grant

    University of Iowa

    A Multi-Center Retrospective Cohort Study on the Utility of Ancillary Studies in the Risk Assessment and Management of Spitz Nevi, Atypical Spitzoid Tumors, and Spitzoid Melanoma in the Pediatric Population

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      Yvonne Chiu, MD, Michele Ramien, MD, & Beth Drolet, MD

      Research Grant

      Medical College of Wisconsin

      Clinical and Genetic Characterization of Recurrent Reactive Infectious Mucocutaneous Eruption

      Read More…

      Sonia Kamath, MD

      Research Grant

      University of Southern California

      Characterization of the presenting cutaneous manifestations of juvenile dermatomyositis

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        Jennifer Boles-Scott, MD & Amy Paller, MD

        Research Grant

        Northwestern University

        TNF inhibitor-induced psoriasiform dermatitis in children: Clinical and mechanistic analyses

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        Carrie Coughlin, MD

        Research Grant

        Washington University

        Beyond the phenotype – A targeted sequencing study to identify the spectrum of genetic mutations in pyogenic granulomas

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          Reid Oldenburg, MD, PhD

          Research Grant

          University of California, San Diego

          Optimizing Clinical Application of Lymphocyte Activation Tests for the Detection of Causative Medications in severe cutaneous Adverse Reactions

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            Amy Paller, MD & Antonia Reimer-Taschenbrecker, MD

            Research Grant

            Northwestern University

            Deciphering the “ugly duckling” – Natural history and molecular characterization of epidermolysis bullosa nevi

            Read More…

            William Weston Career Development Award

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            Run in partnership with the Society for Pediatric Dermatology.

            Overview
            Childhood skin diseases are associated with severe burden on patients, families, and health care providers.  Despite this burden, effective treatments are sparse, the pace of research is slow, and board-certified pediatric dermatologists remain few-in-number.  To support the development of the next generation of clinician scientists in the field, the Pediatric Dermatology Research Alliance (PeDRA), together with the Society for Pediatric Dermatology (SPD), is offering the 2021 William Weston Career Development Award (CDA) to support one early career investigator in the conduct of an innovative research study under the direction of a senior mentor.  Applications may be submitted by a pediatric dermatologist no more than seven years out of training for $40,000 to support salary and research activities for one year.

            Goals
            The Weston CDA is driven by PeDRA’s and SPD’s commitment to support both research and researchers in the field of pediatric dermatology.  It is intended to provide protected research time, resources, and expert mentorship for an early career clinician scientist.  Ultimately, the Weston CDA is expected to help position the recipient for a long-term career in the field with the potential to obtain funding from the Dermatology Foundation, NIH, or other agencies in future.

            Important Details

            • $40,000 for one year of support for early-career pediatric dermatologists
            • To support the conduct of a research project under the mentorship of a senior investigator
            • Applications due Thursday, December 2, 2021
            • 2021 WESTON CAREER DEVELOPMENT AWARD RFA
            • 2021 WESTON CAREER DEVELOPMENT AWARD FILLABLE APPLICATION

            Previous Weston CDA Recipients:

            Emily Gurnee, MD

            2020 Weston Career Development Award

            University of Colorado Denver

            Investigating the role of Staphylococci in Pediatric Skin Disease

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              Jennifer Schoch, MD

              2018 Weston Career Development Award

              University of Florida

              Unraveling Determinants of the Early Cutaneous Microbiome

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                Lucinda Kohn, MD, MHS

                2019 Weston Career Development Award

                University of Colorado Denver

                Expanding Access to Severe Acne Care for Navajo Adolescents Through Education

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                  Consensus Grant

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                  Overview
                  Evidence-based consensus guidelines published by experts in the management of disease are a critical fiber of the healthcare fabric.  Healthcare providers rely on guidelines to inform treatment decisions and insurance providers rely on guidelines to design formularies.  Researchers compare new therapeutic or procedural interventions to standard-of-care practice guidelines in randomized controlled trials. However, many diseases still lack up-to-date guidelines, resulting in wide variability in practice patterns, and leaving many patients without access to treatment they need.  Evidence-based guidelines and expert consensus best practice recommendations are lacking for many pediatric skin diseases.

                  To help address this need, PeDRA is calling for submissions to its 2021 Consensus Grants program, which will provide up to $25,000 of support to the creation of consensus guidelines, best practice recommendations, or consensus treatment plans for the treatment of diseases in the field of pediatric dermatology in the United States and/or Canada.  Interested teams are invited to submit proposals to create consensus guidelines or best practice recommendations for a disease of their choice, using a rigorous methodology of their choice.  However, priority will be given to proposals that address diseases for which contemporary guidelines do not exist, and which use established methodology. 

                  Important Details

                  • Up to $25,000 for one year to support the creation of consensus guidelines or best practice recommendations for the management of diseases in the field of pediatric dermatology
                  • Applications due Thursday, December 2, 2021
                  • 2021 CONSENSUS GRANT RFA
                  • 2021 CONSENSUS GRANT FILLABLE APPLICATION

                  Past Consensus Grant Recipients:

                  Lara Wine Lee, MD, PhD

                  2020 Consensus Grant

                  Medical University of South Carolina

                  Capillary Malformation-Arteriovenous Malformation Syndrome Guidelines

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                    Alex Zvulunov, MD & Elena Pope, MD, MsC

                    2019 Consensus Guidelines Award

                    Ben-Gurion University

                    Consensus-based recommendations for management of pediatric Mycosis Fungoides: the ARMFUL (AppRoach Mycosis FUngoides in chiLdren) study

                    Read More…