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2023 Meeting the Challenge Summit:
Population Descriptors in Dermatology Research Studies

Saturday, December 2, 2023

The Westin Washington, DC Downtown
999 9th Street NW
Washington, DC, 20001-4427
(202) 898-9000
Room: Rock Creek Ballroom Salons B&C

Background

As we strive for improved representation in dermatology research studies/clinical trials- there is a clear and unmet need for demographic descriptors that best describe the populations under study. At present, researchers mainly rely on race based classifications and/or the Fitzpatrick Skin Phototyping system to delineate patient populations and assess whether there are variations in disease biology, responses to therapeutic interventions and adverse reactions. However, there are significant inconsistencies across studies in both terminology and in how participants are categorized which makes it difficult to interpret and compare study data.

Objectives

• To examine the use of demographic descriptors in dermatology and why they are needed.
• To develop a framework for guidelines and recommendations on how to use demographic descriptors in research studies and clinical practice.
• To develop strategies for implementation and dissemination to the broader dermatologic community.

Preparation for Attendees

SOCS will provide a curated list of relevant reading materials to prepare for the Summit lectures and reflection session. Attendees are highly encouraged to read these materials prior to the start of the Summit.

Nina G. Jablonski, PhD
Atherton Professor
Evan Pugh University Professor of Anthropology, Emerita
The Pennsylvania State University

Dr. Nina Jablonski is an anthropologist whose important contributions have rested on her research on the evolution of human skin pigmentation that accounts for why dark skin evolved under conditions of high ultraviolet radiation (UVR) in the tropics while lighter skin was favored under conditions of lower UVR nearer the poles. Dr. Jablonski has written extensively on the fallacy of skin-color-based human races and the pervasive damage done to human societies through the persistence of race concepts. She received her A.B. in Biology at Bryn Mawr College and a Ph.D. in Anthropology at the University of Washington. She is a member of the National Academy of Sciences, the American Philosophical Society, and the American Academy of Arts & Sciences. Jablonski received an honorary doctorate from the University of Stellenbosch in South Africa in 2010 for her contribution to the worldwide fight against racism.

SESSION 1: Historical Background of Race and Ethnicity in Medicine: Criticisms and Challenges

Valerie M. Harvey, MD, MPH, FAAD
Co-Director, Skin of Color Research Institute, Hampton University
Immediate Past President,
Co-Chair,
Diversity in Dermatology Clinical Trials Task Force,
Skin of Color Society
MODERATOR

Vence L. Bonham, Jr., J.D.
Acting Deputy Director, Office of the Director
Associate Investigator, Social and Behavioral Research Branch
National Human Genome Research Institute
National Institutes of Health

Joseph L. Graves Jr., PhD
MacKenzie Scott Endowed Professor of Biology
Director, Genomics Research and Data Science for Computation and Cloud-Computing (GRADS-4C), NIH
Associate Director, Precision Microbiome Engineering (PreMiEr), NSF Gen-4 ERC
Director, Amgen Biotech Experience, NC
Department of Biology
North Carolina A&T State University

Jenna Lester, MD, FAAD
Associate Professor
Director, Skin of Color Program UCSF
University of California, San Francisco

SESSION 2: Advantages and Constraints of the Fitzpatrick and Skin Typing Classification Systems

Seemal R. Desai, MD, FAAD
President, Medical Director,
Innovative Dermatology
Clinical Assistant Professor of Dermatology,
UT Southwestern
MODERATOR

Ophelia E. Dadzie, BSc (Hons), MBBS, FRCP, DipRCPath (Dermpath), MSc (Genomic Medicine)
Consultant Dermatologist,
The Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Foundation
Chair of the Dermatological Lexicon Group,
British Association of Dermatologists

Pearl E. Grimes, MD, FAAD
Director, The Grimes Center for Medical and Aesthetic Dermatology
Director, The Vitiligo & Pigmentation Institute of Southern California

Henry W. Lim, MD, FAAD
Former Chair
Department of Dermatology
Detroit, MI, USA

Susan C. Taylor, MD, FAAD
Bernett L. Johnson Endowed Professor
Director, Skin of Color Research Fellowship
Vice Chair for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Department of Dermatology
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania
Past Vice-President American Academy of Dermatology (2020-2021)
Founder, Skin of Color Society

SESSION 3: Describing Populations and the Appropriate Use of Population Descriptors: Considerations and Implications

Tarannum Jaleel, MD
Assistant Professor of Dermatology,
Duke Dermatology,
Duke University School of Medicine
MODERATOR

Suephy Chen, MD, FAAD
Professor of Dermatology
Chair of the Department of Dermatology
Duke University School of Medicine

Jill Lindstrom, MD, FAAD
Senior Physician
Office of Immunology and Inflammation
US Food and Drug Administration

Art Papier, MD, CEO
CEO and Co-Founder
VisualDx
Associate Professor of Dermatology and Medical Informatics
University of Rochester

Junko Takeshita, MD, PhD, MSCE, FAAD
Assistant Professor
Department of Dermatology
Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania

SESSION 4: Stakeholder Perspectives on Current Descriptors, Areas for Improvement, and Future Considerations Panel

Valerie D. Callender, MD, FAAD
Professor of Dermatology,
Howard University College of Medicine
President, American Dermatological Association
Medical Director, Callender Dermatology & Cosmetic Center
Founder & Senior Medical Director,
Callender Center for Clinical Research, LLC
Co-Chair,
Diversity in Dermatology Clinical Trials Task Force, Skin of Color Society
MODERATOR

Alexey Belkin, MD
Program Director,
National Institute of Arthritis,
Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases,
National Institutes of Health

Daphne Chan, PhD
Head of Dermatology Medical Affairs
Janssen Immunology

Dirk M. Elston, MD, FAAD
Deputy Editor,
JAAD
Professor and Chairman,
Department of Dermatology &
Dermatology Surgery,
Medical University of South Carolina

Janet Wangari Olivero, PhD
Assistant Vice President
L’Oréal Research & Innovation North America

SESSION 5: Reflection Session

Andrew F. Alexis, MD, MPH, FAAD
Vice-Chair for Diversity and Inclusion
Department of Dermatology
Professor of Clinical Dermatology
Weill Cornell Medical College
President, Skin of Color Society (2023-2024)
MODERATOR

Valerie D. Callender, MD, FAAD
Professor of Dermatology,
Howard University College of Medicine
President, American Dermatological Association
Medical Director, Callender Dermatology & Cosmetic Center
Founder & Senior Medical Director,
Callender Center for Clinical Research, LLC
Co-Chair, Diversity in Dermatology Clinical Trials Task Force, Skin of Color Society

Valerie M. Harvey, MD, MPH, FAAD
Co-Director, Skin of Color Research Institute, Hampton University
Immediate Past President,
Co-Chair,
Diversity in Dermatology Clinical Trials Task Force,
Skin of Color Society

Reserve your room at The Westin Washington, DC Downtown!

Kindly book your reservation through the SOCS Room Block by November 10, 2023 here: https://book.passkey.com/go/SOCS

The Westin Washington, DC Downtown
999 9th Street NW
Washington, DC, 20001-4427
(202) 898-9000

Registration fee: $100.00 USD

2023-2024 SOCS Diversity in Dermatology Clinical Trials Task Force

Valerie D. Callender, MD, FAAD - Co-chair
Valerie M. Harvey, MD, MPH, FAAD - Co-chair
Stafford G. Brown, III, MS
Cheryl Marie Burgess, MD, FAAD
Angel Byrd, MD, PhD
Caryn Cobb, BA
Roxana Daneshjou, MD, PhD, FAAD
Seemal R. Desai, MD, FAAD
Pearl E. Grimes, MD, FAAD
Candrice R. Heath, MD, FAAD
Tarannum Jaleel, MD
Amy McMichael, MD, FAAD
Yvette Miller-Monthrope, MD, MSc, FRCPC, FAAD
Chidubem A. V. Okeke, BS
Hema A. Sundaram, MD, FAAD
Junko Takeshita, MD, PhD, MSCE, FAAD
Susan C. Taylor, MD, FAAD
Jonathan S. Weiss, MD, FAAD
Jane Y. Yoo, MD, MPP, FAAD

Valerie M. Harvey, MD, MPH, FAAD
Co-Director, Skin of Color Research Institute, Hampton University
Immediate Past President,
Co-Chair,
Diversity in Dermatology Clinical Trials Task Force,
Skin of Color Society

Valerie D. Callender, MD, FAAD
Professor of Dermatology,
Howard University College of Medicine
President, American Dermatological Association
Medical Director, Callender Dermatology & Cosmetic Center
Founder & Senior Medical Director,
Callender Center for Clinical Research, LLC
Co-Chair,
Diversity in Dermatology Clinical Trials Task Force, Skin of Color Society

Sponsorship

Support from industry involved in dermatology research studies will ensure key stakeholder representation in the summit. Sponsored participation is by invitation only. If your company is involved in dermatology research studies, and you wish to participate, please contact Kimberly Miller, Executive Director, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more information.

Corporate Support Guide

Our Sponsors

The 2023 Meeting the Challenge Summit is made possible with thanks to the support of the following sponsors:

CHAMPION

Janssen / J&J | L'Oréal Research & Innovation

ALLY

Bristol Myers Squibb | Eli Lilly, Inc. | Incyte Corporation

PARTNER

Abbvie | Arcutis Biotherapeutics | Google Health | Sanofi / Regeneron

PURPOSE

The purpose of the SOCS Summit Resident Member Travel Grant is to enable dermatology residents to attend the 2023 Meeting the Challenge Summit being held on Saturday, December 2, 2023 in Washington, DC. Grants are intended for travel, room and board as needed to attend the meeting.

The Diversity in Dermatology in Clinical Trials Task Force will only consider budgeted costs for travel, room, and board.

8 travel grant awards are available of up to $1,000 USD each.

• Application Opens: September 1, 2023
  Entry Deadline: September 21, 2023, at 11:59AM CT
  *The system will automatically prevent entry submission after the deadline.
• Awardees announced: End of September
  *An email will be sent to the awardees on or around September 28, 2023.

APPLICANT ELIGIBILITY

• This program is reserved to current Skin of Color Society Resident Members.

TRAVEL GRANT REQUIREMENTS FOR RECIPIENTS

• Lodging: Overnight accommodation must be booked via the SOCS provided room-block registration at Westin Washington DC Downtown Hotel in Washington, DC.
• Completion of short surveys (post-event).
• A one-page written report by the awardee summarizing the experience and what was learned is required after attending the Summit, for possible publication on the SOCS website, annual meeting report, and social media.
• Login or create a new user account
• Select ‘SOCS DiDCT Travel Grant’ from the dropdown menu under ‘Category’
• Complete all other initial required fields (i.e., Entrant, Title)
• Click ‘Save + Next’ to proceed to complete the application form.

Please note that extensions will not be granted for this opportunity.

8/02/23 Update: The application cycle for this travel grant will open September 1, 2023.

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