Warshaw, Erin M., M.D.

DERMATOLOGY/HEALTH SERVICES

Erin M. Warshaw, MD, MS, Associate Professor of Dermatology, has conducted numerous clinical trials in dermatology including those evaluating treatments for onychomycosis, psoriasis, allergic contact dermatitis, tinea pedis, tinea cruris, venous stasis dermatitis, and actinic keratosis. Her health services research has focused on quality of life as well as teledermatology. She recently completed a VA Cooperative Studies Clinical Research Career Development Award and is currently PI on a VA HSRD study evaluating store and forward teledermatology for skin neoplasms. She also currently serves as a co-investigator on an NIH grant evaluating indoor tanning use, DNA repair and risk of melanoma. In the past, she has also received three American Contact Dermatitis Society Research Grants. She has a network of national and local collaborators and a distinguished record of mentoring. My research focus is clinical trials and outcomes research in dermatology and teledermatology. In FY 2003, I continued work supported by a VA Cooperative Studies Clinical Research Career Development Award (CRCD #711B). This award provides full salary support and protected time for clinical research from July 2001 – June 2004. As part of this award, I have continued coursework in the University of Minnesota’s Master’s Program in Clinical Research. Thus far, I have completed the following courses: Biostatistics I and II, Epidemiology I and II, Clinical Trials, Fundamentals of Clinical Research, Grant Writing, Data Collection Methods, Literature Review, Clinical Research Seminar, Cost-Effectiveness Analysis and Ethics. We have also completed a non-proprietary, locally funded project “Evaluation of an Inexpensive Regimen for Onychomycosis” for which I serve as principal investigator. We are currently analyzing data from the 306 patients enrolled in this trial and I plan to present this research as my Master’s Thesis. This data was presented as a poster at the American Academy of Dermatology Annual Meeting in Washington DC February 2004. The pilot project for the Clinical Research Career Development Award, “Evaluation of Store and Forward Teledermatology for Skin Neoplasms,” was developed into a full project, which received funding from VA HSR&D in FY 2002 (Project IIR 01-072-2). Since July 1, 2002 we have been involved with start-up activities for this 2,080 patient trial, of which I serve as principal investigator. Thus far, we have enrolled approximately 800 patients. I successfully mentored a dermatology resident in obtaining a 2003 American Contact Dermatitis Society Research Fellowship Grant entitled “A Double-blind, Randomized, Placebo Controlled Trial Comparing Topical Immunomodulating Agents and Corticosteroids for Treatment of Experimentally Induced Nickel Contact Dermatitis” which will be completed in FY 2004. I also initiated and mentored a medical student in obtaining a 2003 Minnesota Medical Foundation Grant entitiled “Evaluation of Diagnostic Tests for Onychomycosis,” a 206 patient study which has been completed and was presented as a poster at the American Academy of Dermatology Annual Meeting in Washington, DC February 2004. Future Research Plans: I plan to continue efforts in the field of teledermatology, focusing on developing the teledermatology project already submitted to CSP.