Two dermatology residents at University of Miami Miller School of Medicine Dr. Phillip Frost Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery —Tammy Gonzalez, MD, PhD, and Nathan Balukoff, MD, PhD—have each been awarded two research grants.
Dr. Gonzalez received the Patient Directed Investigation grant from the Dermatology Foundation for her research project, “Changing a Paradigm in Prurigo Nodularis: Protective Role of Facial Skin Commensals.” The grant supports translational studies that have the potential to benefit patients in the areas of medical dermatology, dermatologic surgery, procedural dermatology and pediatric dermatology. It’s awarded to patient-oriented clinical investigators in the early stages of their careers.
Dr. Gonzalez also received the Hidradenitis Suppurativa Foundation Danby Research Grant, given to support research into hidradenitis suppurativa.
Dr. Balukoff received the 3M/Solventum Fellowship from the Wound Healing Foundation to study novel diagnostic approaches for pyoderma gangrenosum.
In addition, Dr. Balukoff was awarded a research grant from the Dermatology Foundation to study the role of activated cellular phenotype in the pathophysiology of hidradenitis suppurativa.
“I am very proud of our research residency program and, especially, this year’s spectacular research residents, Drs. Gonzalez and Balukoff,” says Marjana Tomic-Canic, Ph.D., the William H. Eaglstein, M.D., Chair in Wound Healing, Vice Chair of Research, Director of the Wound Healing and Regenerative Medicine Research Program and Professor of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery at the Miller School, in a news release. “It is a testament to their talents, dedication and hard work, as well as to our division of research and residency program for providing resources, supporting infrastructure and, above all, extraordinary mentorships.”
Dr. Tomic-Canic highlighted the mentoring work of dermatology department faculty members Irena Pastar, PhD, Gil Yosipovitch, MD, Brian Morrison, MD, George Elgart, MD, Rivka Stone, MD, PhD, and Barbara Bedogni, PhD, as integral to the success of Drs. Gonzalez and Balukoff and the entire research residency program.
