American Skin Association Annual Gala Virtually Celebrates Outstanding Honorees

NEW YORK, Sept. 9, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Last evening during their annual gala, held virtually due to the pandemic, American Skin Association (ASA) presented awards to four remarkable honorees and celebrated its 33^rd year of successfully funding crucial research and educating youth on the importance of skin health.  The event's Master of Ceremonies was Mehmet Oz, MD, the Emmy Award winning television host and Attending Physician at NY Presbyterian-Columbia Medical Center.

ASA and its affiliates have sponsored over $50 million in grants to support talented young scientists who have gone on to become top researchers in their fields. They work to find cutting-edge methods to prevent, detect and treat melanoma and other skin cancers and diseases. ASA continues to make crucial investments in the well-being of future generations, by putting great effort and resources into educating young people about skin health and sun safety.

This year's awards were presented to the following:

Doris Day, MD, FAAD, MA, clinical associate professor of dermatology at NYU Langone Medical Center received ASA's Excellence in Dermatology Mentorship Award for her deep involvement and dedication to mentoring the next generation of dermatologists. Dr. Day is a board-certified dermatologist specializing in laser and cosmetic dermatology, a medical educator and a highly respected and sought-after media personality. "I am so proud to receive this mentorship award from ASA! My many years of work with future dermatologists is very close to my heart and I am so appreciative of this recognition," said Dr. Day.

ASA's Distinguished Leadership Award was presented to Mark Lebwohl, MD, the Waldman Professor and Chair of the Kimberly and Eric J. Waldman Department of Dermatology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Dr. Lebwohl, a leading expert in both melanoma and psoriasis, remarked, "I am honored to accept this leadership award from ASA and look forward to continuing work with ASA towards their vital mission." Dr. Lebwohl is also the Dean for Clinical Therapeutics at Mount Sinai and past President of the American Academy of Dermatology.

Incyte, a global biopharmaceutical company, was awarded ASA's Global Impact Award in Biopharmaceutical Research and Medicine. The award was accepted by Dr. Jim Lee, Group Vice President, Head of Inflammation and Autoimmunity. Incyte's world-class in-house discovery team leverages their expertise in immunology to decipher new pathways, design and synthesize innovative molecules and develop first-in-class and best-in-class medicines to positively affect patients' lives. The company's research and development team is exploring the potential of JAK inhibition in a number of immune-mediated dermatologic conditions with a high unmet medical need, including atopic dermatitis, vitiligo and hidradenitis suppurativa.

Pfizer, Inc. was presented ASA's Distinguished Corporate Leadership Award for delivering some of the most important medical innovations in history over the last 170 years. Their passion for science, for delivering excellence and for people's health permeates everything they do. Pfizer's award was accepted by Ehab Mahgoub, MD, MSc, Vice President of North America Medical Affairs, Inflammation & Immunology, who remarked, "Pfizer is honored to receive this award, which further reinforces the importance of collaboration in the medical dermatology community. We are dedicated to developing breakthroughs that help with the day-to-day suffering experienced by people living with chronic inflammatory skin diseases." The award honored the company's foundation in biotechnology with 25,000 clinical researchers testing every day, focusing on pharmaceutical development and innovation.

Howard P. Milstein, Chairman of ASA, said, "ASA is proud to honor Dr. Doris Day, Dr. Mark Lebwohl, Incyte and Pfizer for their innovative efforts in the field of dermatology, and for their exceptional commitment to medical advancement. The important work of our honorees continues to help further ASA's mission of finding cures for melanoma, skin cancer and other skin diseases."

President of ASA, Dr. David Norris, said, "I am proud of ASA's ongoing work and congratulate these much-deserving honorees, Dr. Day, Dr. Lebwohl, Incyte and Pfizer, Inc. on their awards."

ABOUT AMERICAN SKIN ASSOCIATION
A unique collaboration of patients, families, advocates, physicians and scientists, ASA has evolved over thirty years as a leading force in efforts to defeat melanoma, skin cancer, and other skin diseases. Established to serve the now more than 100 million Americans – one third of the U.S. population – afflicted with skin disorders, the organization's mission remains to: advance research, champion skin health, particularly among children, and drive public awareness about skin disease. For more information, visit americanskin.org.

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SOURCE American Skin Association