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.  

Webinar: Influence of Gender and Sexual Identity in Adolescent Skin Health

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Influence in Gender and Sexual Identity in Adolescent Skin Health

Dr. Markus Boos discusses the influence of gender and sexual identity in adolescent skin health. His findings reiterate the importance of recognizing implicit bias and ensuring sexual/gender minority (SGM) children are being treated with the same holistic, respectful care as non-SGM children. Watch to learn more.

Markus Boos, MD, PhD

Dr. Boos is an attending pediatric dermatologist at Seattle Children’s Hospital and Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics.

    Webinar: Persistent Dysesthesias in Involuted Infantile Hemangiomas

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    Persistent Dysesthesias in Involuted Infantile Hemangiomas: An Uncommon Complication in a Common Condition

    Medical student and PeDRA Member, Mitchell Braun outlines this collaborative, multi-site chart review of persistent dysesthesias in involuted infantile hemangiomas. Learn the definitions of some commonly used medical terms and recommendations for future studies.

    Mitchell Braun

    Fourth year medical student at the University of California, San Francisco.

      PeDRA Makes an Early Impact on Issues of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in Pediatric Dermatology Research

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      October 12, 2021 – The Pediatric Dermatology Research Alliance (PeDRA) announces four important milestones reached behind their pledge to address issues of equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) in pediatric dermatology research.

      1. Having identified the ever-present importance of advancing and preserving equity, diversity, and inclusion in its organization and the field, PeDRA’s Board of Directors has voted to approve the transition of the EDI Task Force, originally formed in January 2021, to an EDI Committee with standing representation on the PeDRA Board of Directors and Executive Committee. This change is reflected in a recent update to PeDRA’s bylaws and will officially go into effect on November 1, 2021.

      2. PeDRA has approved the formation of the Skin of Color and Pigmentary Disorders Focused Study Group as its ninth collaborative research group. Under the direction of Dr. Nanette Silverberg of Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai, this group will conduct studies with a goal of achieving health equity for pediatric skin disease patients of color with an additional focus on the pigmentary disorders such as vitiligo.

      3. PeDRA contributed four publications to the special EDI issue of Pediatric Dermatology, which address disparities in public assistance formularies, training in pediatric skin of color, achieving equity and inclusion in the field, and an analysis of EDI in PeDRA’s membership, leadership, programs, and funding.

      4. To complement this year’s theme of building bridges, a special focus will be given at the virtual 2021 PeDRA Annual Conference to diversity and inclusion in research. This will include a keynote presentation from renowned advocate for social justice, Dorothy Roberts, JD of the University of Pennsylvania, and a special emphasis on diversity and inclusion during the conference’s small group breakout sessions on the afternoon of Friday, October 15.

      These milestones represent important progress in the effort to achieve equity, diversity, and inclusion throughout research and medicine and align closely with PeDRA’s mission to create, inspire, and sustain research to prevent, treat, and cure childhood skin disease.

      Initial objectives of the EDI Committee will be to increase opportunities for underrepresented in medicine trainees to participate in research, educate PeDRA members on performing inclusive and equitable research, support research that addresses EDI in pediatric dermatology, and increase diversity of PeDRA membership and leadership.  

      Clinician scientists and other stakeholders interested in learning more or getting involved in PeDRA’s EDI efforts are encouraged to become a PeDRA member, attend the virtual 2021 PeDRA Annual Conference, and apply for PeDRA Grants and Awards which have a renewed focus on EDI issues. Email PeDRA at info@pedraresearch.org to connect with the Skin of Color Focused Study Group and explore www.pedraresearch.org for more information.

      Career Bridge Research Grant – 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 are sparse, the pace of research is slow, and board-certified pediatric dermatologists remain few-in-number. Furthermore, mid-career clinician scientists in the field often encounter challenges after receiving early career start up funds from their institution, traditional career development awards, or small pilot grants, which may contribute to stress, increased prioritization of clinic work over research, and high rates of burnout.

      To better support the full career trajectory of clinician scientists in the field, the Pediatric Dermatology Research Alliance (PeDRA) is offering the 2021 Career Bridge Research Grant to support one mid-career investigator in the conduct of an innovative research study in the field of pediatric dermatology.  Applications may be submitted by a pediatric dermatologist between seven and fifteen years out of training for $80,000 to support salary and research activities for up to two years.

      Goals
      The Career Bridge Research Grant is driven by PeDRA’s commitment to support both research and researchers in the field of pediatric dermatology. It is intended to provide protected research time and resources for a mid-career clinician scientist conducting high-impact research in the field. Ultimately, the Career Bridge Research Grant is expected to propagate the career of the recipient through the challenging mid-career phase and give them the potential to obtain larger-scale, longer-term funding from the NIH or other agencies. 

      Priority consideration will be given to mid-career investigators collaborating with senior mentors, projects that address high-priority patient-centered research questions, and projects that align with the focus of any of PeDRA’s Focused Study Groups. Additional priority will be given to applications that support PeDRA’s commitment to advancing equity, diversity, and inclusion across all facets of its organization and pediatric dermatology research. Diversity and inclusion strengthen the PeDRA research network and are critical to the pursuit of its mission.

      Important Details

      • $80,000 to support salary and research activities for up to two years for mid-career pediatric dermatologists
      • Priority consideration to mid-career investigators collaborating with senior mentors, projects that address high-priority patient-centered research questions, and projects that align with the focus of any of PeDRA’s Focused Study Groups
      • Applications due Thursday, December 2, 2021
      2021 Career bridge rfa
      2021 career bridge application

      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.