Biography:

Anna Kersh completed the Medical Scientist Training Program at Emory University and earned her PhD in Immunology and Molecular Pathogenesis studying T-cell phenotype and receptor affinity for antigen in autoimmune disease. She simultaneously started a project within the Department of Dermatology with Dr. Robert Swerlick and Dr. Salma de la Feld investigating systemic contact allergy to medication dyes and excipients. She received a Clinical Research Award from the American Contact Dermatitis Society to support this work.

Subsequently Anna completed her dermatology residency training at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, matriculating to the research track of the program. During her PGY-4 year, Anna joined the lab of Dr. Thomas Leung as a post-doctoral fellow to study the pathogenesis of lichen planus and other lichenoid dermatoses. Anna obtains samples of lesional and nonlesional skin from patients with lichen planus and other lichenoid dermatoses. Using single cell RNA sequencing and flow cytometry, she is working to identify cell types and signaling pathways that are unique to lesional skin and elucidate their role in disease pathogenesis.

T32-Funded research supported the following:

Grants:

Dermatologist Investigator Research Fellowship; Dermatology Foundation, 2021-2022