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Psoriasis is a complex, heterogeneous inflammatory disease characterized by thickened, red, scaly plaques and systemic inflammation that include the joints and the cardiovascular system. Multiple signaling pathways appear to modulate this inflammatory disease with development of efficacious topical, oral, and injectable therapies. This lecture will summarize the role of IL-17/23, the JAK and TYK2 pathway, phosphodiesterase 4 receptor, aryl hydrocarbon receptor, retinoid receptors, vitamin D receptors, calcineurin inhibitors, and steroids in the modulation of psoriasis.

Learning Objectives:

Participants will review the epidemiology, genetic, clinical variations, pathogenic features, and immune pathways contributing to psoriatic disease.
Participants will diagram the pathophysiology of psoriasis, including the role of TNF, IFN, IL-17A, IL-17F, IL-23, TYK2, AhR, JAK-STAT, and PDE4 signaling pathways.
Participants will summarize the specific mechanisms of action for the available topical, systemic, and biologic agents used to manage psoriatic disease.

Faculty

Jason Ezra Hawkes

MD MS FAAD

Dr. Hawkes is a board-certified dermatologist and Investigator at the Oregon Medical Research Center in Portland, Oregon. He completed his medical school and residency at the University of Utah. During medical school, he completed a fellowship in translational immunology in the NIH-HHMI Research Scholars Program. He also received a Master’s Degree in Clinical Investigation from Rockefeller University, where he was Chief Clinical Scholar and Principal and sub-Investigator on multiple human research protocols in the Laboratory for Investigative Dermatology. He has held academic appointments in the Departments of Dermatology at the University of Utah, University of California-Davis, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

Dr. Hawkes is a current Councilor in the International Psoriasis Council and serves on the NPF Medical Board and Scientific Advisory Committee. He also serves as the official delegate of the AAD as a member of the international guidelines and workgroup committee for urticaria. His research has been funded by the NIH, NSF, NPF, and Dermatology Foundation, and he is the recipient of several teaching awards including NPF Outstanding Educator in Psoriatic Disease and Exceptional Teacher of the Year in the Department of Dermatology at Mount Sinai. His primary clinical and research interests include novel immune therapies for inflammatory conditions like psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, HS, alopecia areata, vitiligo, and urticaria.

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