Alani Named Chief and Chair of Dermatology

Rhoda M. Alani, MD, has been appointed chair of the Department of Dermatology, Herbert Mescon Chair and professor of dermatology at Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) and chief of the Department of Dermatology at Boston Medical Center (BMC). She will assume these positions in January 2010.

Prior to these appointments, Alani was a faculty member in Oncology, Dermatology, and Molecular Biology and Genetics at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, where she currently serves as Director of The Laboratory of Cutaneous Oncology in the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center. Alani’s research focus is in understanding the molecular basis of melanoma development and progression with the aim of translating her laboratory findings to better prevention, detection, diagnosis, and treatment of melanoma. Alani’s clinical interests are focused on pigmented lesions and melanoma and she is currently Director of the Pigmented Lesion and Melanoma Clinic in Dermatology at Johns Hopkins. She is also actively involved in teaching medical students, graduate students, and dermatology residents and has served as Director of the Dermatology Residency Training Program at Johns Hopkins.

“Dr. Alani is an outstanding academician who has been a leader in research and education, and a outstanding addition to our faculty leadership,” said BUSM Dean Karen Antman, MD, provost of the Boston University Medical Campus.

“Dr. Alani brings a wealth of clinical experience to this role, which will be of great benefit to our patients. We look forward to the leadership she will provide to the department of dermatology and the hospital,” said Elaine Ullian, BMC president and CEO.

Alani received her medical degree from the University of Michigan Medical School, where she received the Graduation with Distinction in Research Award. She completed an internship in internal medicine at Yale University School of Medicine, and a residency in dermatology at Harvard Medical School. From 1995 to1997 Alani served as an instructor in dermatology at Harvard Medical School and from 1997 to 1999 as an instructor in dermatology at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City.

She was elected to the American Society for Clinical Investigation (ASCI) in 2005 and currently serves as the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine representative to this organization. She is also a member of the American Academy of Dermatology, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the Society for Investigative Dermatology and a Founding member of the Society for Melanoma Research.