Joseph Merola, M.D., M.M.Sc. Titles and Appointments Professor & Chair Endowed Title Mary Kay Inc. Distinguished Chair in Dermatology School Medical School Department Dermatology | Internal Medicine | Public Health You have reached the Academic Profile. For more information on the doctor and patient care, please visit the clinical profile. Biography Joseph F. Merola, M.D., M.M.Sc. is Professor and Chair of the Department of Dermatology, Professor of Internal Medicine in the Division of Rheumatic Diseases, and Professor in the Peter O’Donnell Jr. School of Public Health at UT Southwestern Medical Center. He holds the Mary Kay Inc. Distinguished Chair in Dermatology. He is an international expert in psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, connective tissue diseases including lupus and dermatomyositis, and complex medical dermatology such as atopic dermatitis requiring systemic therapy. Dr. Merola earned his medical degree at the New York University School of Medicine and his Master of Medical Sciences at Harvard Medical School. He completed an internship in internal medicine at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, followed by a residency in dermatology at New York University Medical Center, where he served as Chief Resident. He then completed a residency in internal medicine and a fellowship in rheumatology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School. One of only a few physicians in the country who are triple board-certified in dermatology, internal medicine, and rheumatology, Dr. Merola joined the UT Southwestern faculty in 2023. Previously, he was Vice Chair of Dermatology and Founding Director of the Unit for Clinical Trials and Innovation at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, where he also directed the Center for Skin and Related Musculoskeletal Diseases. At UT Southwestern, Dr. Merola continues to lead clinical and translational research in inflammatory and autoimmune skin diseases, including studies in pharmacoepidemiology, clinical trials, trial design, and the development and validation of novel outcome measures such as digital health tools for use in both clinical research and patient care. He serves on the Board of the American Academy of Dermatology and is the founding President of the Psoriasis & Psoriatic Arthritis Clinics Multicenter Advancement Network (PPACMAN) Consortium, President of the Rheumatology Dermatology Society (RDS), Co-President of the Group for Research and Assessment of Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis (GRAPPA), Treasurer and Board Member of the International Dermatology Outcome Measures Group (IDEOM), and President-Elect of GRAPPA. He is past President of the Medical Dermatology Society and serves on the medical and scientific boards of the National Psoriasis Foundation, the Lupus Foundation of America, and the American Skin Association. He is also a member of the International Eczema Council and the International Psoriasis Council and has served on multiple national committees, including the Guidelines Committee for the American Academy of Dermatology. Dr. Merola has published more than 400 peer-reviewed papers and has received numerous awards, including the National Psoriasis Foundation’s Outstanding Educator Award, the Mass General Brigham Distinguished Clinician Award, and the Pillars of Excellence Award in Research Leadership. He was named one of Boston’s Top Doctors for nearly a decade and was honored in 2024 at the National Psoriasis Foundation’s Commit to a Cure Gala in Dallas. As Chair of the Department of Dermatology at UT Southwestern, Dr. Merola is dedicated to supporting the department’s exceptional faculty, researchers, trainees, and staff. He is deeply committed to advancing a patient-centered mission across all departmental decisions, ensuring that clinical excellence, education, and discovery remain closely aligned. Under his leadership, the department continues to expand its impact and reputation as one of the nation’s leading dermatology programs, driven by collaboration, innovation, and a shared commitment to improving patients’ lives through compassionate care, scientific discovery, and outstanding training. Education Medical School New York University (2005) Graduate School Harvard University (2013) Undergraduate New York University (2021), Biology Research Interest Atopic dermatitis Clinical trials, clinical trial design Connective tissue disease and autoimmune skin diseases Cutaneous and systemic lupus erythematosus Outcome measures development, validation Pharmacoepidemiology Psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis Publications Psoriasis Armstrong AW, Blauvelt A, Callis Duffin K, Huang YH, Savage LJ, Guo L, Merola JF Nature Reviews Disease Primers 2025 Dec 11 Practical Recommendations on Cardiovascular Risk Evaluation in Patients With Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis for Dermatologists, Rheumatologists, and Primary Care Physicians by the Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis Clinics Multicenter Advancement Network Sheth S, Inestroza K, Merola JF, Weber B, Garshick M Journal of Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis 2025 Oct 10 124-130 From the Masterclasses in Dermatology 2025 Meeting: Practical Approaches to Cutaneous and Systemic Lupus for Dermatologists Childs B, Merola JF Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology 2025 Oct 18 40-47 Cutaneous lupus matters: Independent and additive quality-of-life burden shown by 2022 WLFGI Survey Zhang AJ, Ezeh N, Childs B, Farah S, Buie J, Donnelly M, McClamb D, Oberholtzer L, Sharp J, Merola JF Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology 2025 Oct 39 e908-e911 Hidradenitis Suppurativa Patients Experience a Significant Musculoskeletal Symptom Burden: A Quality Improvement Initiative Using the IDEOM MSK-Q Romanelli S, Ball GD, Hamade H, Taliercio M, Levy Z, Perez-Chada L, Merola JF, Gottlieb AB Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology 2025 Sep 18 22-25 Defining On-Treatment Remission in Plaque Psoriasis: A Consensus Statement from the National Psoriasis Foundation Armstrong AW, Gondo GC, Merola JF, Roberts AM, Pérez-Chada LM, Balak DM, Eakin GS, Read C, Le ST, Gutierrez Y, Bhutani T, Blauvelt A, Duffin KC, Fakharzadeh S, Feldman SR, Gelfand JM, Gladman DD, Glick B, Green LJ, Han G, Hawkes JE, Hwang ST, Johnsen N, Kalb RE, Kircik L, Langley RG, Lebwohl MG, Lewitt GM, Maverakis E, Prussick R, Reddy SM, Rosen CF, Scher JU, Siegel EL, Wallace EB, Weinberg JM, Yamauchi PS, Yosipovitch G, Liao W JAMA Dermatology 2025 Aug 161 863-869 Real-world use of biologic and targeted synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs in US patients with psoriatic arthritis: Persistence, patient characteristics associated with discontinuation, and dosing patterns Merola JF, Welby S, Roque H, Song J, Pilipczuk O, Lu C, Walsh JA Journal of managed care & specialty pharmacy 2025 Aug 31 808-821 Real-world use of biologic and targeted synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs in US patients with psoriatic arthritis: Persistence, patient characteristics associated with discontinuation, and dosing patterns Merola JF, Welby S, Roque H, Song J, Pilipczuk O, Lu C, Walsh JA Journal of managed care & specialty pharmacy 2025 Aug 31 808-821 Novel Therapeutic Targets in the Management of Psoriatic Disease Childs BA, Merola JF Rheumatic Disease Clinics of North America 2025 Aug 51 447-468 Summary of Research: Safety and Efficacy of Bimekizumab in Patients with Psoriatic Arthritis: 2-Year Results from Two Phase 3 Studies Mease PJ, Merola JF, Tanaka Y, Gossec L, McInnes IB, Ritchlin CT, Landewé RB, Asahina A, Ink B, Heinrichs A, Bajracharya R, Shende V, Coarse J, Coates LC Rheumatology and Therapy 2025 Aug 12 609-612 Results 1-10 of 422 1 2 3 4 5 Next Last Books Featured Books Interdisciplinary Approaches to Overlap Disorders in Dermatology & Rheumatology (1st ed.) Garg A, Merola JF, Fitzpatrick L (2022). Springer Publishing Drug-induced lupus erythematosus in Clinical Management of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (2nd ed.) Merola, JF (1996). Philadelphia, PA, Lippincott-Raven Honors & Awards Honoree National Psoriasis Foundation Gala (2024) Distinguished Clinician AwardBrigham and Womens Hospital, Harvard Medical School (2022) Educator of the Year AwardWinter Clinical Dermatology Conference (2022) Nominee, Senior Faculty Mentorship Award / Pillars of Excellence AwardMass General Brigham (2022) Outstanding Educator in Psoriatic Disease AwardNational Psoriasis Foundation Annual Meeting (2022) Pillars of Excellence Award in Research LeadershipBrigham and Womens Hospital (2020) Boston Top Doctors8 Consecutive Years Nominated for Multiple Teaching AwardsBernard Lown Award, Harvard Mentoring Award, and Charles McCabe Award Professional Associations/Affiliations American Academy of Dermatology American College of Rheumatology American Dermatological Association Association of Professors of Dermatology Association of Program Directors in Internal Medicine Group for Research and Assessment of Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis International Eczema Council International Psoriasis Council Lupus Foundation of America Medical Dermatology Society National Psoriasis Foundation Noah Worcester Dermatological Society Psoriasis & Psoriatic Arthritis Clinics Multicenter Advancement Network Rheumatologic Dermatology Society Society for Investigative Dermatology
