State-of-the-Art Plenary Lecture III
Isaac Brownell, MD/PhD
NIAMS, NIH
Title: Merkel Cells and Merkel cell Carcinoma – Neuroendocrine Skin Cells from Development to Cancer
Dr. Brownell is a board-certified Dermatologist. He obtained degrees in electrical engineering and mathematics prior to undergoing MD/PhD training at Baylor College of Medicine. Dr. Brownell completed a dermatology residency at the New York University School of Medicine, and a postdoctoral research fellowship in the laboratory of Dr. Alexandra Joyner at the Sloan-Kettering Institute. On the clinical faculty at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, his practice focused on patients with high-risk skin cancers. In 2011, Dr. Brownell joined the Dermatology Branch at the National Institutes of Health where he is Head of the Cutaneous Development and Carcinogenesis Section.
Dr. Brownell directs a research program investigating the development and maintenance of stem cells in normal skin, and the changes that occur during the formation of skin cancer. A current focus in the laboratory is the regulation of neuroendocrine Merkel cells in the skin and the oncogenomics of Merkel cell carcinoma. In addition, Dr. Brownell conducts early phase clinical trials and translational research to identify novel therapeutic targets and biomarkers for this uncommon but aggressive skin cancer.
Clinically, Dr. Brownell serves as an attending physician on the NIH Clinical Center Dermatology Consultation Service and he co-directs the Cutaneous Oncology Program at the Murtha Cancer Center, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.
https://www.niams.nih.gov/about/directory/isaac-brownell-md-phd
