(from left) Dr. Henry Lim, Representative Mark Pocan (D-WI), and Dr. Stephen Katz
(from left) Dr. Henry Lim, Representative Mark Pocan (D-WI), and Dr. Stephen Katz

On July 12, 2017, NIAMS Director Stephen I. Katz, M.D., Ph.D., joined American Academy of Dermatology Association (AADA) President Henry W. Lim, M.D., as an invited guest at a series of meetings with members of Congress and their staff. The meetings updated Congressional stakeholders on the current state of dermatological science and research supported by the NIAMS.

Drs. Lim and Katz met with Senator John Kennedy (R-LA), Representative Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-WA), Representative Katherine Clark (D-MA), and Representative Mark Pocan (D-WI), as well as staff to Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI). During the meetings, Dr. Lim discussed the critical importance of research supported and conducted by NIAMS and NIH in helping dermatologists better care for their patients. Dr. Katz highlighted how basic research supported by NIAMS has led to the development of a wide range of new therapeutics available today. These new treatments have dramatically improved outcomes for patients in the last decade, especially in diseases such as metastatic melanoma and psoriasis.