Skip to main content

International Psoriasis Council

International Psoriasis Council
subscribe
4   What's New
Search
subscribe
Search

Advancing Knowledge. Improving Care.

Joel

Gelfand

,

MD, MSCE

James J. Leyden Professor of Dermatology and of Epidemiology; Vice Chair of Clinical Research (Dermatology); Director, Psoriasis and Phototherapy Treatment Center
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia
,
Pennsylvania
,
United States
Councilor Since: January 1, 2011
IPC Treasurer
Request an Update
Joel M. Gelfand, MD, MSCE, is the James J. Leyden Professor (with tenure) of Dermatology and Epidemiology, Director (founding) of the Center for Clinical Sciences in Dermatology, and Director of the Psoriasis and Phototherapy Treatment Center at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine. He is a nationally and internationally recognized expert in psoriasis, clinical epidemiology, drug safety, and clinical trials. Dr. Gelfand is the author of over 330 scientific publications cited over 35,000 times. He is Deputy Editor for Clinical Research of the Journal Investigative Dermatology (JID). He is the recipient of the American College of Epidemiology (ACE) 2023 Outstanding Contributions Award, the American Skin Association’s (ASA) Psoriasis Achievement Award, the Lady Barbara Colyton’s Award for Autoimmune Research, the National Psoriasis Foundation’s (NPF) Scientific Achievement Award, the American DermatoEpidemiology Network’s (ADEN) Founders award. He is an elected member of the American Society for Clinical Investigation. Dr. Gelfand is a member of the Board of Directors for the International Psoriasis Council (IPC) and the Medical Dermatology Society. He has given over ten named lectureships and keynote addresses, including the Society for Investigative Dermatology’s (SID) Eugene M. Farber lecture and the American Academy of Dermatology’s (AAD) Marion B. Sulzberger lecture. He has received grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI), and the NPF to support his independent research program. Dr. Gelfand is a dedicated mentor with over 20 MDs and PhDs, 12 of whom have received a master’s degree in clinical epidemiology, having spent at least one full year under his mentorship. Over 30% of dermatologists receiving K23 awards from the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) over the last decade have been trainees in the Gelfand lab. His research redefined psoriasis as a systemic inflammatory disease that enhances the risk of cardiovascular events and premature mortality, resulting in changes in standard of care guidelines. His research and clinical practice aim to improve psoriasis patient outcomes in the skin and joints while lowering the risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and mortality.
Last Updated:
01/09/2024

Areas of Interest

I do investigator initiated research. I created a cohort in UK called iHOPE (the incident health outcomes and psoriasis events) study – this is a prospective study of 9000 patients in which we are evaluating the GPs estimate of body surface area and how this predict future health outcomes. I have also led a series of multi-center placebo controlled trials evaluating the impact of biologics, phototherapy, and apremilast on cardiovascular biomarkers and I am running a pragmatic trial (N=1050) to evaluate the comparative effectiveness of home vs office phototherapy for plaque or guttate psoriasis.

IPC Committees / Groups

Board Treasurer, Emerging Infectious Diseases Task Force, Executive Committee, Fellowship Program Advisory Committee, Finance Committee

Languages Spoken

English

Involvement with Other Organization(s)

Very active with the National Psoriasis Foundation (NPF); teaches at the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) annually.
Recent publications

Featured

PDF

A Report from the 2026 American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) Annual Meeting.

What were the key takeaways from the 2026 AAD Annual Meeting? IPC shares updates on diagnostic challenges, psoriasis…

View Report

Video

Epidemiology of Metabolic Syndrome, Cardiovascular Disease, and Psoriasis.

IPC Board Member, Dr. Joel Gelfand, highlights the link between psoriasis and cardiometabolic disease, showing how…

Watch Video

PDF

A Report from the 2025 IPC Think Tank Symposium — Advancing Integrated Care: Psoriasis, Metabolic Health, and Future…

The 2025 IPC Think Tank Congress Report highlights psoriasis as a systemic immunometabolic disease, linking obesity,…

View Report

PDF

Joint Position Statement from the National Psoriasis Foundation Medical Board and the International Psoriasis Council…

The International Psoriasis Council (IPC) and the National Psoriasis Foundation (NPC) have released a joint position…

View Report

Blog

Inside IPC's International Fellowship Program: Francis Lai and Ricardo Romiti.

Dr. Francis Lai reflects on his IPC International Fellowship journey with Professor Ricardo Romiti, highlighting their…

Read More

Blog

Announcing IPC’s New Leadership for 2025.

Welcome the newest leadership to the IPC Board of Directors! Meet incoming IPC President Bruce Strober, Vice…

Read More

Blog

Focus on Psoriasis: A Report from the 2024 American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) Annual Meeting.

The 2024 American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) Annual Meeting was held Thursday, March 7 – Tuesday, March 12, 2024,…

Read More

Video

How to Identify Cardiovascular Risk in People with Psoriasis.

Dr. Joel Gelfand examines the process of identifying cardiovascular disease risk in patients with psoriasis, using…

Watch Video

Video

International Panel: Cardiovascular Disease in the Clinic.

International panelists provide their expertise on cardiovascular disease and psoriasis.

Watch Video

Blog

Getting to Know IPC’s Board Member Joel Gelfand: What Inspired Me to Specialize in Psoriasis.

Join Dr. Joel Gelfand, MD, MSCE, a dermatologist, epidemiologist, and tenured professor at the University of…

Read More

Event

Symposium: The Comprehensive Care of Psoriasis.

AMERICAN ACADEMY OF DERMATOLOGY ANNUAL MEETING (AAD) | SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA Thursday, March 7 14:00 - 18:00…

March 7, 2024
Learn More or Register

Blog

Focus on Psoriasis: A Report from the 25th World Congress of Dermatology (WCD).

Discover the latest updates on psoriasis from the World Congress of Dermatology (WCD) 2023, hosted in Singapore from…

Read More

Blog

Opportunities and Limitations of Telemedicine in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Psoriasis.

The patient perspective has become even more important in the wake of the pandemic. Here’s how Clinica Dermacross is…

Read More

Page

Telemedicine and Psoriasis: A Review Based on Statements of the Telemedicine Working Group of the International…

Thirty-six statements on various aspects of telemedicine according to the nominal group technique to reach a consensus…

View Report

Video

Current Knowledge and Future Directions: Psoriasis and Heart Disease (Webinar 1, 2023 Series).

This is the first webinar of the IPC Global Webinar Series. It focuses on psoriasis and heart disease.

Watch Video

Video

Exploring Whether Systemic Therapy for Psoriasis Improves Heart Disease in Clinical Trials (Webinar 1, 2023 Series).

Dr. Gelfand reviews the evidence linking psoriasis with cardiovascular events and discusses current and future clinical…

Watch Video

Event

Global Webinar 1: Current Knowledge and Future Directions: Psoriasis and Heart Disease.

IPC GLOBAL WEBINAR SERIES January 19 3:30 pm - 4:30 pm CET 9:30 am - 10:30 am EST Program chair: Andy Blauvelt,…

January 19, 2023
Learn More or Register

Blog

Focus on Psoriasis: A Report from the 2022 American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) Annual Meeting.

The 2022 American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) Annual Meeting was held Thursday, March 24 – Tuesday, March 29 in…

Read More

PDF

Focus on Psoriasis - A Report from the 2022 American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) Annual Meeting.

View Report

Blog

2020 Virtual Think Tank Meeting Report.

Held virtually on December 11 due to the Coronavirus Pandemic, the 2020 IPC Think Tank convened more than 100…

Read More

What's New

Psoriasis: An Expert Global Perspective Is Now Available for Pre-Order

IPC Board Member and Treasurer Joel Gelfand, MD, MSCE, is the editor of a new textbook, Psoriasis: An Expert Global Perspective, now available for preorder from Elsevier. He worked with associate editors IPC President Bruce Strober, MD, PhD; IPC Vice President/President-Elect Claudia de la Cruz, MD; and IPC Chief Medical Officer Peter van de Kerkhof, MD, PhD. Nearly 50 authors from 20 countries contributed 30 chapters covering psoriasis from its earliest descriptions through genetics, immunology, and current therapies, with clinical images of psoriasis across diverse skin tones. All royalties support IPC.

PRE-ORDER YOUR COPY

Thursday, September 10, 2026

New Video Resource: Early Diagnosis and Treatment of Psoriatic Arthritis (PsA)

In this video, IPC Councilor Rodrigo Garcia Salinas, MD, a rheumatologist from Argentina, explains how to recognize psoriatic arthritis early, including why joint pain, how long a patient has had psoriasis, and family history can matter more than skin severity alone. He also reviews how imaging helps catch early disease and how to choose treatment based on each patient’s joint, spine, and skin involvement.

WATCH NOW

Friday, September 25, 2026

Take Ten Video: Bridging Psoriasis and Metabolic Comorbidities

IPC President Bruce Strober reviews the link between psoriasis and metabolic disease, drawing on findings from IPC’s recent paper in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology (JAAD). He translates this growing body of evidence into five concrete priorities from the 2025 IPC Think Tank for improving cardiometabolic screening and care.

WATCH NOW

Wednesday, September 9, 2026