Joseph Merola, M.D., M.M.Sc.

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’s an international expert in psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis; connective tissue diseases, including lupus and dermatomyositis; and complex medical dermatology, including 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 was Chief Resident. He continued with a residency in internal medicine and a fellowship in rheumatology at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School.

One of only a handful of 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 the Brigham and Women’s Hospital, where he also directed the Center for Skin and Related Musculoskeletal Diseases.

At UT Southwestern, Dr. Merola is the Director of Clinical Trials and Innovation and continues clinical translational research in inflammatory and autoimmune skin disease, pharmacoepidemiology, and the development of novel outcome measures, including digital health measures for use in both clinical research and clinical care.

He serves as the founding President of the Psoriasis & Psoriatic Arthritis Clinics Multicenter Advancement Network (PPACMAN) Consortium. He is also the current President of the Medical Dermatology Society (MDS), Treasurer and board member of the International Dermatology Outcome Measures Group (IDEOM), and President-Elect of the Group for Research and Assessment of Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis (GRAPPA).

Additionally, he is a member of the medical and scientific boards of the National Psoriasis Foundation and the Lupus Foundation of America, and President-Elect of the Rheumatologic Dermatology Society.

Dr. Merola is also a member of the International Eczema Council and the International Psoriasis Council. He’s served on multiple national committees, including the Guidelines Committee for the American Academy of Dermatology.

He has published more than 300 peer-reviewed publications and received numerous awards, including the National Psoriasis Foundation’s Outstanding Educator Award, the Winter Clinical Educator of the Year Award, the Brigham and Women’s Hospital Distinguished Clinician Award, and the Mass General Brigham Pillars of Excellence Award in Research Leadership. He was named one of Boston’s Top Doctors for nearly a decade.

Dr. Merola will be honored in 2024 at the National Psoriasis Foundation’s Commit to a Cure Gala in Dallas.

Personal Note

When he’s not at work, Dr. Merola enjoys spending time with family, traveling, cooking, and playing the piano.