Ponciano Cruz, M.D.

In addition to serving as Vice Chairman, Dr. Cruz directs the Dermatology Residency Training Program at UT Southwestern. He also serves as Chief of Dermatology at the Dallas VA Medical Center. He directs the Photosensitivity/Phototesting Clinic and the Occupational Skin Disease and Contact Allergy Clinic at UT Southwestern. Dr. Cruz is the recipient of numerous awards and grants for research and teaching, including the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) Excellence in Education Award; NIH research grants; Animal Alternatives Research funding from Procter & Gamble; the Stelwagon Award given by the AAD; and the first Fitzpatrick Research Award given by the Kao Corporation of Japan; gold, silver and bronze awards for teaching posters from the AAD; and the 1989 Outstanding Research Award from the Upjohn Company and the Department of Dermatology at UT Southwestern.

Medical School

University of the East (1979)

Internship

Makati Medical Center (1980), Rotating

Residency

Kettering Medical Center (1984), Internal Medicine

Residency

UT Southwestern Medical Center (1986), Dermatology

Fellowship

UT Southwestern Medical Center (1987), Immunodermatology

Fellowship

UT Southwestern Medical Center (1989), Dermatology

Featured Publications

DC-HIL is a negative regulator of T lymphocyte activation.

Chung J-S, Sato K, Dougherty I, Cruz PD Jr., Ariizumi K Blood 2007 109 4320-7

Syndecan-4 mediates the co-inhibitory function of DC-HIL on T cell activation.

Chung J-S, Dougherty I, Cruz PD Jr, Ariizumi K J Immunol 2007 179 5778-84

Identification and expression of dectin-2 promoter in transgenic mouse.

Gavin ACP, Chung J-S, Sato K, Ariizumi K, Cruz PD Jr. Exp Dermatol 2005 14 281-8

Ultraviolet B radiation upregulates expression of dectin-2 in epidermal Langerhans cells by activating the gene promoter.

Bonkobara M, Yagihara H, Chung J-S, Washizu T, Ariizumi, K, Cruz PD Jr Photochem Photobiol 2005 81 944-8

Freshly isolated spleen dendritic cells and epidermal Langerhans cells undergo similar phenotypic and functional changes during short term culture.

Girolomoni G, Simon JC, Bergstresser PR, Cruz PD Jr. J Immunol 1990 145 2820-6

Acanthosis nigricans

Kia K, Cruz PD Jr. Treatment of Skin Disease 2009 3rd Edition, in press

Recognition of non-self polysaccharides by C-type lectin receptors dectin-1 and dectin-2.

Hollmig ST, Ariizumi K, Cruz PD Jr. Glycobiology 2009 19/6 568-575

The DC-HIL/syndecan-4 pathway inhibits human allogeneic T cell responses

Chung J-S, Bonkobara M, Tomihari M, Cruz PD Jr., Ariizumi K. Eur J Immunol 2009 in press

Phototherapy and HIV Infection

McDonald H, Cruz PD Jr. Dermatological Phototherapy and Photodiagnostic Methods 2008 2nd Edition 229-37

Syndecan-4 mediates the co-inhibitory function of DC-HIL on T cell activation.

Chung J-S, Dougherty I, Cruz PD Jr., Ariizumi K. J Immunol 2007 179 5778-84

• Excellence in Education Award
  American Academy of Dermatology (1992)
• Fitzpatrick Research Award
  Kao Corporation of Japan (1991)
• Teacher of the Year
  Voted by Derm Residents at UT Southwestern (1991)
• Outstanding Research Award
  Upjohn Company (1988)
• Stelwagon Award
  American Academy of Dermatology (1988)

• American Academy of Dermatology
• American Board of Dermatology
• American Contact Dermatitis Society
• American Dermatological Association
• Society for Investigative Dermatology