Skip to main content

International Psoriasis Council

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

Advancing Knowledge. Improving Care.

Wilson

Liao

,

MD

Professor and Associate Vice Chair of Research
University of California San Francisco
San Francisco
,
California
,
United States
Councilor Since: June 22, 2023
IPC Councilor
Request an Update
Dr. Wilson Liao is a Professor and Associate Vice Chair of Research in the UCSF Department of Dermatology. He serves as Director of the UCSF Psoriasis and Skin Treatment Center and is deeply engaged in patient care, clinical trials, and translational research. The Liao Laboratory studies the genetics, immunology, and environmental triggers of psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, and hidradenitis suppurativa and uses machine learning and precision medicine approaches to advance dermatologic care. Dr. Liao directs the UCSF Psoriasis Research Initiative and Biobank with over 1,500 subjects, contributing to discovering over 60 psoriasis genes. He serves as Co-Principal Investigator of the NIH Accelerating Medicines Project Psoriatic Disease Team, leveraging single-cell and spatial profiling technologies to identify the cellular drivers of psoriasis. He co-founded Trex Bio, a biotechnology company developing novel therapeutics for inflammatory skin disease, and Solay, a telehealth company offering in-home therapy for psoriasis and eczema. Dr. Liao is also engaged in digital health initiatives and has developed SkinTracker, a mobile app allowing remote dermatology trials.
Last Updated:
04/21/2026

Areas of Interest

Genetics, genomics, immunology, precision medicine, digital health, biologic therapy, comorbidities, sleep, and environmental triggers

IPC Committees / Groups

Fellowship Program Advisory Committee, Palmoplantar Pustulosis (PPP) Working Group

Languages Spoken

English

Involvement with Other Organization(s)

National Psoriasis Foundation, Medical Board; National Psoriasis Foundation, Scientific Advisory Committee; Group for Research and Assessment of Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis (GRAPPA), Co-Chair of Research Committee; Arthritis Foundation, Psoriatic Arthritis Expert Panel; Skin of Color Society, Member
Recent publications

Featured

Video

Clinical Escape in Psoriasis: Paradoxical Reactions and Flip-Flop Phenomena.

Professor Wilson Liao discusses paradoxical reactions, including unexpected phenotypes and immune switching, and…

Watch Video

PDF

IPC Symposium Report from the 2026 Society for Investigative Dermatology (SID) Annual Meeting.

IPC summarizes presentations from its symposium at the 2026 SID Annual Meeting, including disease interception,…

View Report

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

Blog

Meet Our 2025 Volunteers of the Year.

The International Psoriasis Council's global network of expert volunteers dedicates time each year to educating…

Read More

Blog

Focus on Psoriasis: A Report from the 2024 Society for Investigative Dermatology (SID) Annual Meeting.

The 2024 Society for Investigative Dermatology (SID) Annual Meeting was held from May 14 to 18, 2024, in Dallas, Texas,…

Read More

Video

The Microbiome and Psoriasis.

Dr. Wilson Liao addresses four key questions concerning psoriasis and the microbiome: onset and severity, comorbidity,…

Watch Video

Event

Symposium: Advances in Technologies and Analytics in Understanding Psoriasis Pathophysiology.

SOCIETY FOR INVESTIGATIVE DERMATOLOGY (SID) | DALLAS, TEXAS Wednesday, May 15 9:00 - 12:00 CDT Program chairs:…

May 15, 2024
Learn More or Register

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

Blog

Introducing IPC’s Newest Councilors.

Please join us in warmly welcoming Daniela Armijo, Ncoza Dlova, Benjamín Hidalgo Matlock, and Wilson Liao as IPC’s…

Read More

What's New

When Your Patient with Psoriasis Is Diagnosed with Cancer

A patient doing well on an IL-17 inhibitor is diagnosed with cancer, and the oncologist wants the biologic stopped. It is a call most dermatologists have made without much to stand on: patients with cancer are excluded from psoriasis trials, so the entire evidence base is observational. A new IPC paper in JAAD Reviews takes a position anyway. Per the summary of product characteristics, active malignancy is not a contraindication to any biologic. IL-17 and IL-23p19 inhibitors are first-line, TNF inhibitors and deucravacitinib warrant caution, and cyclosporine is the one to avoid outright. The authors also warn that psoriasis severity is routinely underestimated once a patient is in oncology care: if they meet IPC’s criteria, they are a candidate for systemic therapy regardless of what else is on their problem list. “Too often, systemic psoriasis therapy is discontinued or never initiated in patients with cancer, even when the evidence supports safe and effective options,” says Paolo Gisondi, MD, IPC Councilor and lead author. The post includes the therapeutic options figure, designed as a reference for both specialties to work from, and a slide set for teaching and presentations.

READ NOW

Thursday, August 27, 2026

Apply Now: 2027 IPC International Fellowship Program

IPC is accepting applications for the 2027 International Fellowship Program, a 12-month opportunity for early-career dermatologists and researchers focused on psoriasis. Fellows are matched with IPC Board Members or Councilors for hands-on clinical or research experience, along with virtual mentoring, skills-development classes, and ongoing connections to IPC’s global network throughout the fellowship year. Applications are open until September 30, 2026.

APPLY NOW

Monday, August 31, 2026

IPC Generalized Pustular Psoriasis (GPP) Training Modules

Recognizing GPP in clinical practice can be a challenge, even for experienced dermatologists. IPC’s new five-part training series walks clinicians through the practical skills needed to diagnose and assess GPP with confidence: distinguishing it from plaque psoriasis and other mimicking conditions, and scoring its severity using tools such as the GPPGA and GPPASI. Each module pairs an expert-led video with a case-based exercise, and the series is built to be completed in sequence at your own pace. All five modules are free and open to everyone; watch the videos on your own or work through the assessments as you go. Score 80% or higher on each of the five assessments to earn a Certificate of Completion.

LEARN MORE

Thursday, August 13, 2026

IPC Summary Slides: Psoriasis and Metabolic Health

IPC has released a set of summary slides distilling the key findings from its recent publication on psoriasis and metabolic health, published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology (JAAD). The paper outlines five priorities for improving cardiometabolic risk screening and care in patients with psoriasis. Designed for sharing, the slides give clinicians and colleagues an easy way to disseminate the findings.

LEARN MORE

Wednesday, August 5, 2026

Paradoxical Psoriasis - María Julia Cura, MD

In this Take Ten with IPC video, IPC Junior Councilor Dr. María Julia Cura discusses paradoxical psoriasis, including its definition and pathogenesis, and reviews clinical case examples, key clinical features, histopathology, predictors of disease severity, and potential treatment options.

WATCH NOW

Monday, August 3, 2026