Dermatologists Give Almost $1 Million to Establish Endowed Chair

Two University of Cincinnati (UC) faculty members have together donated $900,000 to the College of Medicine to complete the establishment of an endowed chair in dermatology.

With this latest funding from Diya Mutasim, MD, chairman of dermatology, and Hugh Gloster, MD, an associate professor, the chair will honor Harry Claassen, MD, the dermatology department’s fourth chairman who died in 1947 at the age of 55.

The chair will be officially named the Drs. Diya F. Mutasim and Hugh M. Gloster, Jr., and Harry L. Claassen Endowed Chair of Dermatology.

The gift—which will reach full maturation in 2012—will supplement the already established Harry L. Claassen Memorial Fund, raising the total fund to the level to endow a chair. Mutasim and Gloster will contribute equally to the endowment over the next five years.

Mutasim, who will assume the new chair, says establishing it is an important first step in securing the department’s long-term independence.

“With the ever-increasing demand for more money to support research and education,” he says, “our hope is that this combined gift will help the department better accomplish its research and education missions.”

“At the personal level,” Mutasim adds, “the department and the College of Medicine have always given me a positive environment for accomplishing my academic goals. This will support the department’s academic mission as well as help recruit future high-quality chairs.”

Mutasim has been the dermatology chair since 1998. An expert in immunodermatology and dermatopathology, he has authored over 100 publications and given more than 170 scientific presentations.

Gloster, who joined UC in 1994, specializes in Mohs micrographic dermatologic surgery and has research interest in ethnic skin cancer. He has authored 34 publications and given more than 100 presentations.

“I’m dedicated to medical education,” says Gloster, “and financially supporting an endowed chair for the department was a direct way for me to ensure that excellent education is available to future dermatologists. This is my way of helping to stabilize our department and secure its long-term future.”

UC’s dermatology education program is highly competitive, accepting just three dermatology residents, one dermatologic surgery fellow and one dermatopathology fellow annually.

A small but robust department, its faculty comprises 11 members who treat or research a wide variety of dermatologic conditions—including skin cancer and cutaneous lymphoma, skin pigmentation disorders and inflammatory skin diseases such as psoriasis and acne. They also perform cosmetic dermatologic procedures, such as laser hair removal, botox injections and skin rejuvenation.

The department currently holds nearly $3 million in clinical and basic research funding and has nine active clinical research trials. In addition, UC dermatologists see patients at clinics in Montgomery, West Chester, Northern Kentucky and Clifton as well as at University Hospital.

The UC Academic Health Center—which includes the Colleges of Medicine, Allied Health, Pharmacy and Nursing—has 51 endowed chairs.