Dr Chiesa Fuxench to Talk on Atopic Dermatitis at Upcoming IAS

The Dermatologist spoke with Zelma C. Chiesa Fuxench, MD, MSCE, about her involvement with the upcoming 2018 Interdisciplinary Autoimmune Summit (IAS) and advances in atopic dermatitis (AD) research. She is an assistant professor of dermatology at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, PA.

Dr Chiesa Fuxench is a board-certified dermatologist whose clinical work focuses on general dermatology, non-melanoma skin cancer, and inflammatory diseases.  Her research work is focused on the epidemiology of inflammatory skin diseases, primarily psoriasis, and is actively involved in conducting clinical trials on psoriasis and AD as part of Dr. Joel M. Gelfand’s Clinical Research Lab.

She will present on “Novel Insights in Atopic Dermatitis” on April 28 at meeting, which will be held at the Westin Waterfront in Boston, MA from April 27 through April 29.

She shared with The Dermatologist her thoughts on the future of atopic dermatitis research and the importance of the IAS.

Q. Why is it beneficial for dermatologists to attend IAS?

A. As a dermatologist, IAS provides an excellent opportunity to interact not only with other dermatologists but with physicians in other disciplines, such as rheumatology and gastroenterology, who also care for patients with autoimmune or auto-inflammatory diseases.

Q. Why did you become involved in IAS?

A. I decided to get involved with IAS because of the extensive breath of topics covered at the meeting, the opportunity to interact one-to-one with other experts in the field of autoimmune or auto-inflammatory diseases, and the opportunity to establish collaborations with these experts, all of which have a direct impact on patient care.

Q. What will your lecture on atopic dermatitis discuss?

A. We will be covering recent advances in the pathophysiology of this disease, including novel discoveries of key inflammatory pathways. In addition, we will discuss new and emerging treatment options that have been recently approved for the management of patients with this disease, as well as those currently undergoing clinical trials.

Q. Where do you see the future of atopic dermatitis research?

A. It is being talked that the next 10 years will be the decade of eczema. As we develop a better understanding of the inflammatory mechanisms and the pathophysiology of this disease, we will be able to develop newer, more targeted approaches. I see a future where we can finally move away from treating not only the acute flares of eczema but where we can begin to develop effective long-term treatment options for our patients.

Q. Any research or highlights about your work that you would like to share?

A. We are currently engaged in multiple studies to better understand the comorbidities associated with atopic dermatitis, including cancer and diseases of the eye, as well as other studies where we are attempting to understand the genetics of this disease.

For more information and news related to the 2018 Interdisciplinary Autoimmune Summit (IAS), please visit http://www.iasmeeting.com/.