By Allison Sit
Dermatologist Aimee Payne, MD, PhD, is part of the second cohort of investigators with the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub New York, a research institute that is focused on harnessing and bioengineering immune cells for the early detection, prevention, and treatment of age-related diseases, including neurodegenerative disorders and aggressive cancers. As such, she will receive unrestricted funding for her project that will leverage a novel precision cellular immunotherapy developed by her lab — chimeric autoantibody receptor T-cells (CAART) — to better understand how these living therapies may be used to treat certain types of autoimmune diseases, including pemphigus and myasthenia gravis. Dr. Payne is chair and Herbert and Florence Irving Professor of Dermatology at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. CZ Biohub New York is the fourth research institute in the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub Network, a model for scientific research that was created and is supported by the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI). CZI is focused on solving four challenges that will give scientists the tools to help cure, prevent, or manage diseases in the coming decades. “We are excited to welcome these new investigators to our collaborative community of researchers,” said Andrea Califano, Dr, president of CZ Biohub NY and the Clyde and Helen Wu Professor of Chemical and Systems Biology at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. “They are joining us as we pursue a complex challenge to harness the natural capabilities of our immune cells to detect and fix abnormalities in our bodies at very early stages. I look forward to their contributions and how we can shed light on biology’s hidden intricacies, making real progress toward detecting and preventing disease.”
AAD Announces Election Results
The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) has elected new officers whose terms will begin in March 2027. Andrew H. Weinstein, MD, MPH, FAAD, was elected as AAD president. The Florida-based dermatologist and Mohs surgeon will be installed as president-elect in March 2026.“There is a lot of work that needs to be done to continue boosting our specialty, particularly in the area of Medicare reimbursement, and I look forward to getting started on that work and fighting for the Academy and its members,” Dr. Weinstein said. The AAD also elected additional leaders. Thomas E. Rohrer, MD, FAAD, was elected to the office of vice president, which he will assume in 2027 after a year as vice president-elect. The AAD also elected four new members to its Board of Directors: Sandra M. Johnson, MD, FAAD; Maral K. Skelsey, MD, FAAD; Alina G. Bridges, DO, FAAD; and John Trinidad, MD, MPH, FAAD. Their terms will begin in March 2026.
WDS Presents Industry Champion Award
Tyler Steele, vice president of medical relations for CeraVe, La Roche-Posay, and Vichy, was honored with the inaugural Women’s Dermatologic Society (WDS) Industry Champion Award. The award was presented at the WDS Annual Meeting Luncheon on March 9. He was recognized for his contributions to WDS and his strong commitment to the field of dermatology. “When I reflect on what I cherish most about dermatology, two aspects immediately come to mind: the profound and invaluable connections we forge within this community, and the unique ability we have, as healthcare partners in dermatology, to make rapid, tangible improvements in patients’ lives,” Steele said.
