Department History
1840
First Lectures on Dermatology Delivered in America
Dr. Henry Daggert Buckley delivers the first lectures ever in America on the study of skin and its diseases at Columbia University.
1868
Founding of The Presbyterian Hospital
James Lenox founds The Presbyterian Hospital. Many of the leading dermatologists in New York deliver lectures at the newly founded institution.
1880
First Publication illustrating Skin Afflictions is Published
Columbia physician, Dr. George Fox publishes Photographic Illustrations of Skin Diseases, the first use of photography to illustrate Skin diseases.
1888
First Known Case of Allergic Contact Dermatitis is Identified
Dr. Fox identifies the first known case of contact dermatitis, an allergic reaction in the skin. He describes a rash attributed to chemicals used in the manufacture of matches.
1902
Fox-Fordyce Disease is Identified
Fox-Fordyce Disease, a glandular disorder, is identified and described by Dr. Fox and Dr. John Fordyce.
1911
The Presbyterian Hospital Affiliates with the College of Physician and Surgeons of Columbia University
At this time the Department of Dermatology and Syphilology is formally established and rapidly develops into one of the largest and best-equipped dermatologic centers in the nation.
1912
A Significant and One of the First Studies of Hair and Scalp Disease is Published
Dr. George T. Jackson publishes 'A Treatise on Diseases of the Hair', an influential study of diseases of the hair and scalp.
1928
The Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center is Founded
Henceforward all faculty members hold joint appointments at Columbia University and at The Presbyterian Hospital in the City of New York.
1929
World's First Mycology Laboratory Devoted to Study of Fungi is Founded
Dr. J. Gardner Hopkins develops the world's first mycology laboratory devoted exclusively to the study of fungi in animals and humans.
1930
Internationally Acclaimed Dermatology Textbook is Published
Dr. George Andrews publishes the first of six editions of Diseases of the Skin, subsequently co-authored by Dr. Anthony Domokos. text becomes internationally acclaimed as the standard dermatology textbook for the next forty years and is translated into three languages.
1940
Effective Treatment Schedules for Cure of Syphilis with Penicillin Established
Dr. A. Benson Cannon carries on pioneering work in the treatment of syphilis begun in the mid-1920's. He establishes treatment schedules at The Presbyterian Hospital for the use of penicillin, which proves effective in curing this sexually transmitted disease.
Pioneering Developments in Treatment of Fungal Infections for World War II Soldiers. The Department's Mycology Section pioneers the development and testing of medications based on fatty acids. These were used to treat fungal infections which were often disabling to American soldiers serving in tropical conditions during World War II.
1950
Successful Clinical Trials with Cortisone for the Treatment of Pemphigus
Dr. Carl Truman Nelson initiates successful clinical trials using high doses of systemic corticosteroids for the treatment of pemphigus vulgaris, a skin disease that was almost always fatal prior to the use of this therapy.
1952
Development of Nystatin, among the World's First Antimycotic Agents for Fungal Disease
Dr. Margarita Silva Hunter of the Mycology Section contributes to the development of nystatin, the world's first antibiotic to effectively treat fungal disease.
1954
Nutrients Key to the Growth of Fungi Associated with Skin Disease Identified
Dr. Margarita Silva Hunter analyzes and describes the nutrients which are necessary to the growth of fungi associated with many skin diseases. Her work is vital to modern medicine's understanding of these diseases.
1974
Innovative Diagnostic Tests introduced for Evaluating Skin Diseases Induced by Sunlight
Dr. Maureen Poh at the Presbyterian Hospital pioneers innovative diagnostic test procedures for evaluating a group of human skin diseases known as the porphyrias that are induced by exposure to sunlight.
1977
Country's Largest and Most Modern Psoriasis Treatment Center Opens
An ambulatory Psoriasis Day Care Center opens at The Presbyterian Hospital. This unit combines with the Hospital's 22-bed in-patient service to form one of the country's largest and most modern facilities for the treatment of psoriasis.
1978
Key Findings in Environmental Causes of Contact Dermatitis
Researchers led by Dr. Leonard C. Harber develop an animal model to detect chemicals in the environment which interact with sunlight to cause photoallergic contact dermatitis.
1981
Diagnostic Tests for the Detection of Fatal Form of Skin Cancer Developed
Dr. Richard Edelson develops a sensitive diagnostic test for the detection of lymphomas, a fatal form of skin cancer. This landmark test is applied successfully for the first time at The Presbyterian Hospital and offers the promise of earlier, more accurate diagnosis of this malignancy.
1997
A Nationally Acclaimed Skin Diseases Research Center (SDRC) is Established at Columbia
The success of the research program focuses on the genetics of skin disease results in the Department’s designation as one of only six such centers in the United States funded by the National Institutes of Health.
1998
First Human Gene Associated with Hair Loss Discovered
Professor Angela M. Christiano and her research team identify the first human gene associated with hair loss. The new gene, called 'hairless', is linked to a severe form of inherited baldness and may be the trigger that drives the entire human hair growth cycle. The research suggests that genetic events influence hair growth and hair loss. Each step along this pathway may provide new clues for male pattern baldness and other forms of hair loss or alopecia.
2012
Dr. David Bickers and Dr. Julian MacKay Wiggan Conduct Pioneering Clinical Trials
Their work shows that it is possible to safely and effectively treat patients with multiple skin cancers using drugs that are targeted at pathways that drive the growth of these tumors.
2016
Dr. Christiano is Awarded an NIH-funded Alopecia Areata Center for Research Translation (AACORT)
This center supports advanced clinical trials using repurposed drugs to stimulate regrowth of hair in patients with alopecia areata.
Dr. Bickers and Dr. Christiano Are Awarded a Skin Disease Resource Center (epiCURE)
The center provides critical support for basic science and clinical research in the department.