Clinical Trials

Mission statement: To enable discoveries that improve patients’ lives, promote investigators’ careers, provide clinical trial training to staff and health care providers, and enhance the local and national reputation of URMC Dermatology.

The URMC Department of Dermatology Clinical Trials Unit (CTU), founded by Dr. Lisa Beck in 2007, has since been actively enrolling participants in registries, investigator-initiated and sponsored clinical research. Our CTU has provided groundbreaking treatment options to patients in the greater Rochester region and surrounding areas. We have also conducted cutting edge translational research that have improved our understanding of common skin conditions, while training future leaders in translational dermatology.

The CTU resides within the UR Dermatology Associates College Town outpatient clinic, an 18,000 square foot, state-of-the-art facility which opened in 2019. Our workspace is adjacent to the clinical space and consists of two additional exam rooms, coordinator offices, a large storage room and a meeting room. The proximity of the CTU’s space allows for seamless integration into clinic workflows.

The CTU is equipped with both standard equipment such as Sphygmomanometer, ECG machine, Tympanic thermometer, temperature-monitored 4°C, -20°C and -80°C refrigerator/freezers, and unique technology including GPSkin and Aquaflux® devices (to measure trans-epidermal water loss [TEWL]); Corneometer® CM 825 (to measure stratum corneum hydration), Skin-pH-Meter PH 905, tabletop centrifuges (for blood and serum analyses), high-frequency ultrasound (to measure dermal/epidermal thickness or inflammation), Canon cameras, as well as Minolta Chromameter (for measurement of erythema or pigment).

The CTU is led by Dr. Anna De Benedetto, who oversees a team of highly skilled, motivated, and caring individuals, who work closely with our physicians to provide the best experience to our participants. Below are current trials (only trials open to enrollment are listed).

Current Trials

Atopic Dermatitis (Eczema)

Lisa A. Beck, M.D.

• Longitudinal Endotyping Of Atopic Dermatitis Through Transcriptomic Skin Analysis
  ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05121493
  Ages Eligible for Study: 6+
• Targeted Investigation of Microbiome 2 Treat Atopic Dermatitis (TIME-2) (Opening soon)
  ClinicalTrials.gov NCT06504160
  Ages Eligible for Study: 12+
• Study of Skin Microbiome in Atopic Dermatitis and Psoriasis Patients
  ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04170244
  Ages Eligible for Study: 13+

Cutaneous and Systemic Lupus Erythematous (Lupus)

Christopher Tracy Richardson, M.D., Ph.D.

• A 2-stage, Phase III Study to Investigate the Efficacy and Safety of Anifrolumab in Adults With Chronic and/​or Subacute Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus (LAVENDER)
  ClinicalTrials.gov NCT06015737
  Ages Eligible for Study: 18+

Hidradenitis Suppurativa

Anna De Benedetto, M.D.

• A Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of Povorcitinib (INCB054707) in Participants With Moderate to Severe Hidradenitis Suppurativa (HS) (STOP-HS2)
  ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05620836
  Ages Eligible for Study: 18+

• A Study to Evaluate the Long-Term Safety and Efficacy of Povorcitinib in Participants With Moderate to Severe Hidradenitis Suppurativa (STOP-HS LTE)
  ClinicalTrials.gov NCT06212999
  Ages Eligible for Study: 18+

Alopecia Areata

Mary Gail Mercurio, M.D.

• Regeneron Alopecia Areata Multicenter (Dupilumab)
  ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05551793
  Ages Eligible for Study: 18+

Other Research

Benjamin L. Miller, Ph.D.
Lisa A. Delouise, Ph.D., M.P.D.

• Dermatology Department Assay
  Ages Eligible for Study: 18+

Our Team

NP Fellows