Research in the Department of Dermatology

Research in Ohio State’s Department of Dermatology has grown substantially over the past few years, including translational studies and clinical trials. Our scope has expanded to include numerous dermatologic conditions in an effort to offer cutting edge care to patients with the most severe forms of disease.

Grants awarded in dermatology:

Brittany Dulmage, Dermatology Foundation, Medical Dermatology Career Development Award, 2022-25, Project title: The Impact, Disparities, and Assessment Methods of Alopecia in Cancer Patients

Abraham Korman, Patient Care Innovation Award grant to utilize his multidisciplinary rheumatology-dermatology clinic to decrease hospital admissions for patients with connective tissue diseases

Dr. Shipp has been awarded a Patient Care Innovation Award grant to remove tattoos in post-radiation and post-incarcerated patients.

The following faculty are actively involved in research endeavors in dermatology:

Dr. David Carr's research focuses primarily on cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma and other rare cutaneous neoplasms. His research group examines the outcomes of patients diagnosed with non-melanoma skin cancer, and they are working to understand tumor and patient factors that affect the behavior of non-melanoma skin cancer.

Dr. Catherine Chung is a dermatologist and dermatopathologist with a focus on cutaneous lymphomas. As part of the multidisciplinary cutaneous lymphoma clinic at The James, she participates in multiple translational research studies and clinical trials regarding treatment of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. She is currently a Co-Investigator of a research study, "Integrating biomimetic tissue engineering and multi-omics systems analysis to overcome CTCL drug resistance," which was awarded an OSUCCC-Pelotonia Idea Grant.

Dr. Brittany Dulmage focus’ on oncodermatology, managing hair, skin, and nail side effects of cancer therapies.  In particular, she studies diagnosis, management, and prevention of hair loss in cancer patients and cutaneous adverse reactions to immunotherapy.  Her research is funded by the Dermatology Foundation.  She is also interested in medical education research.

Dr. Ben Kaffenberger focuses on translational and clinical research for drug and cancer therapeutic adverse events, pyoderma gangrenosum, hidradenitis suppurativa, and complex ulcerations, and other immunologic skin disease. His research is focused on several specific outcomes: diagnosing and differentiating drug eruptions (funded by the Dermatology Foundation), Developing artificial intelligence biomarkers using digital and thermal imaging (funded by American Acne and Rosacea Society, National Rosacea Society), hospital outcomes for patients with skin diseases, changing care delivery and the development and integration of teledermatology system (funded internally through the Medicaid Upper Payment Limit Awards), and differentiating cellulitis from non-infectious causes of skin redness (funded internally through the Patient Safety Advancement Grants).

Dr. Jessica Kaffenberger’s interests include psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, alopecia areata, and other complex conditions in need of alternative treatment options for refractory disease. She is actively participating in numerous clinical trials as well as registries to observe the long-term safety and efficacy of currently approved medications. She is also interested in research involving bridging the gender gap in dermatology.

Dr. Abraham Korman’s research focuses on skin diseases that occur in hospitalized patients. In particular, he is leading several studies on improving the ability to diagnose DRESS syndrome, including several incorporating the use of augmented intelligence in clinical practice. He also focuses his research efforts on connective tissue diseases and is leading a study to characterize the single cell RNA profile of patients with scleroderma (funded internally through a Center for Clinical and Translational Science Institute voucher).

Dr. Desmond Shipp is the Director of Cosmetic Dermatology for the Department of Dermatology. His current research focuses on understanding why skin-of-color patients are less likely to receive cosmetic dermatological procedures. Dr. Shipp has been awarded a Patient Care Innovation Award grant to remove tattoos in post-radiation and post-incarcerated patients.

Dr. Kelly Tyler is also board certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology and has a special interest in vulvovaginal disease. She has participated in clinical trials for genital psoriasis, hidradenitis suppuritiva, and chronic spontaneous urticaria.