The Skin Cancer Foundation Hosts Annual Member Reception in San Diego, California

New York, NY (February 22, 2018) – The Skin Cancer Foundation hosted its annual Member Reception on February 16 at the Ultimate Skybox at Diamond View Tower in San Diego, California, during the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) Annual Meeting. As part of the reception, the Foundation announced the winners of its annual research grant awards. The Skin Cancer Foundation’s grants program provides research funding to support dermatology department research and clinical studies related to skin cancer.

The Skin Cancer Foundation’s president, Deborah S. Sarnoff, MD, thanked the physician members for their commitment and encouraged them to share their passion for the Foundation with others.

“It’s been a little over a year since I became president of The Skin Cancer Foundation, and what a fulfilling and exciting year it has been,” said Dr. Sarnoff. “As the landscape of our industry continues to change, it is imperative that we harness the enthusiasm of our long-time supporters to engage new physicians who will help bring the Foundation to new heights.”

David Polsky, MD, chair of The Skin Cancer Foundation’s Research Grants Committee, led the research grant awards presentation.

Dr. Polsky noted that 2018 was the first time the Foundation gave awards of $50,000, and increasing the amount of the awards improved the number and quality of the applications received.

“My fellow committee members and I had the difficult task of choosing these three winners from a field of 32 applications, which was nearly a 50 percent increase in applications over the previous year,” said Dr. Polsky. “It’s exciting to see more applications because that allows us to fund the most meaningful projects.”

Three researchers received a combined $125,000 in grants for their work in the field of skin cancer research. They are:

Anna Nichols, MD, PhD
University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
“Potential Role for the Human Papillomavirus Vaccine to Prevent and Treat Squamous Cell Carcinoma”
The Ashley Trenner Research Grant Award: $25,000

Emily Stamell Ruiz, MD, MPH
Brigham and Women’s Hospital
“Validation of Dermatologist-Performed Ultrasound for Regional Lymph Node Surveillance for High-Stage Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma”
The Dr. Marcia Robbins-Wilf Research Award: $50,000

William Dansky, MD, PhD
Yale Dermatology
“Elucidating and Overcoming Mechanisms of Immunotherapy Resistance in Melanoma”
The Todd Nagel Memorial Award: $50,000

The Skin Cancer Foundation’s 2018 Member Reception was made possible due to the generous support of the night’s presenting sponsor, Amazon. This is the second year that Amazon has been the presenting sponsor for this event. Additional event support was provided by Eau Thermal Avène, Colorescience® and CeraVe.

For information about The Skin Cancer Foundation’s Research Grants program, please visit SkinCancer.org/research. For information about the Foundation’s Membership Program, contact Brian Hanley at bhanley@skincancer.org.

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Editor’s Note: photos available upon request

About The Skin Cancer Foundation
The Skin Cancer Foundation is the only global organization solely devoted to the prevention, early detection and treatment of skin cancer. The mission of the Foundation is to decrease the incidence of skin cancer through public and professional education and research. Since its inception in 1979, the Foundation has recommended following a complete sun protection regimen that includes seeking shade and covering up with clothing, including a wide-brimmed hat and UV-blocking sunglasses, in addition to daily sunscreen use. For more information, visit SkinCancer.org.