The Mount Sinai Skin Biology and Diseases Resource-based Center (SBDRC) has careful oversight, including both internal and external advisory boards.

Internal Advisory Board

Members of the Internal Advisory Board (IAB) include:

Eric J. Nestler, MD, PhD, is the Internal Advisory Board Chair. Dr. Nestler is the Dean for Academic and Scientific Affairs at Mount Sinai, Director of the Friedman Brain Institute, and the Nash Family Professor of Neuroscience. His research has consistently been funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) since 1988 and focuses on molecular mechanisms of drug addiction and depression with the goal of developing improved treatments. He has published more than 650 original research articles and scientific reviews, and has served on numerous national advisory committees and scientific advisory boards. Dr. Nestler currently serves as the principal investigator on several NIH program grants as well as RO1 and R37 grants.

Deanna L. Benson, PhD, is a Professor in the Department of Neuroscience. Her research focuses on mechanisms that stabilize or destabilize developing synapses and how these processes influence the assembly and activity of neural circuits. Dr. Benson is Scientific Director of the Microscopy and Advanced Bioimaging Core facility, which provides high-end instrumentation, imaging, and analysis strategies. Dr. Benson brings expertise in core facility management; in addition, her CoRE interfaces extensively with Resource Core B, which is facilitated by her engagement in the Internal Advisory Board.

Brian D. Brown, PhD, is Associate Director of the Precision Immunology Institute and a Professor in the Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences. His research focuses on molecular and cellular factors that control immunity and tolerance in tissues and tumors. He has developed new technologies for gene targeting approach, analyses of miRNA activity and function at single cell resolution and small RNA sequencing, and high-dimensional phenotypic analysis in CRISPR genomics. Dr. Brown brings expertise in technological development to the Internal Advisory Board; he also serves as a key Consultant for Resource Core B.

Pooja Flora, PhD, is a post-doctoral fellow studying the roles of Polycomb Repressive Complexes in hair follicle stem cells. She brings the perspective of a trainee to the Internal Advisory Board.

Alison Goate, DPhil, is Chair of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Director of the Loeb Center on Alzheimer’s Disease, Professor in Neurogenetics, and Professor in the Departments of Neuroscience, Genetics and Genomic Sciences and Neurology. Her laboratory uses molecular genetics and genomic approaches to identify mutations causing inherited neurological disorders. She is Associate Director of the NIH P30-supported Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center and Director of its Genetics and Genomics Core. She brings expertise in core administration and the perspective of a non-skin researcher with interest in entering this field to the Internal Advisory Board.

Reginald W. Miller, DVM, DACLAM, is Dean of Research Operations and Infrastructure at Icahn Mount Sinai. He oversees all of the Dean's Cores which provide state-of-the-art, crucial instrumentation and methodologies for biomedical research, including stem cell engineering, flow cytometry, biorepository and pathology, microscopy, and mouse genetics and gene targeting Cores, which are used by the SBDRC. He brings experience in research core administration to the Internal Advisory Board. Dr. Miller is also a Historically Black College and Universities graduate who has initiated many programs to promote institutional diversity.

Marek Mlodzik, PhD, is Lillian and Henry M. Stratton Professor and has served as Chair of the Department of Cell, Developmental and Regenerative Biology Department for the past 13 years. He is an expert in epithelial biology and planar cell polarity signaling with interest in skin research. He brings administrative and scientific expertise to the Internal Advisory Board.

Ann-Gel S. Palermo, MPH, DrPH, is Associate Dean for Diversity and Inclusion, Associate Director of Operations for the Center for Multicultural and Community Affairs, Chief Program Officer for the Office for Diversity and Inclusion, and Associate Professor of Medical Education and Pediatrics at Icahn Mount Sinai. She co-developed and co-directs the Faculty Scholars Program, an individualized career development and mentoring program for minority junior faculty, and has published in this area. She provides input and advice on faculty mentoring as well as generating and maintaining a diverse and inclusive environment.

External Advisory Board (EAB)

Each year, the Sinai SBDRC Executive Committee invites one to two scientists who are not part of the Sinai SBDRC but have research interests in skin biology and diseases, a reputation for technological innovation, and experience in administering research centers and resource cores to serve on the Sinai SBDRC EAB. EAB members participate in annual retreat where they meet with the Executive Committee to hear about progress and future plans and provide input and advice.

EAB membership rotates every year to provide a broad range of input to the SBDRC leadership. The 2021–2022 EAB member is Rui Yi, PhD. Dr. Yi is the Paul E. Steiner Research Professor of Pathology at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine. He is an expert in transcriptional regulation of skin stem cells and molecular mechanisms of epithelial tumorigenesis and skin diseases.