Baltimore, Maryland, USA: Three Indian-origin students — Saloni Patel, Jaanvi Mehta, and Maya Deshmukh — have been honoured with medical student research grants from the American Skin Association (ASA).
The ASA announced 15 awardees for its 2025 annual research grants, with Patel, Mehta, and Deshmukh representing Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and Yale University, respectively.
Saloni Patel received the Mulvaney Family Foundation Medical Student Grant in Vitiligo for her work examining the link between cardiovascular risk and immune system irregularities in cutaneous lupus erythematosus.
Jaanvi Mehta was awarded the Christopher Andrew Te-Jiong James Medical Student Grant in Melanoma for her project applying machine learning to analyze non-invasive reflectance confocal microscopy images to improve melanoma diagnosis.
Maya Deshmukh also secured the James Medical Student Grant in Melanoma for her study exploring how DNA hypomethylation may enhance anti-tumor CD8+ T cell responses.
Howard P. Milstein, ASA Chairman, underlined the significance of these awards in pushing dermatological science forward. “Our annual grant program is critical in advancing research and aligns with ASA’s mission to fight skin cancers like melanoma,” he said, adding that the discoveries funded through these grants could bring new hope to patients worldwide.
ASA President and Co-Chair of its Medical Advisory Committee, Dr. James G. Krueger, echoed the sentiment, recognising the dedication of researchers. “We applaud scientists striving to uncover therapies for vitiligo, psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, melanoma, and other skin diseases. These grants represent an important step toward achieving long-awaited cures,” he noted.
The 2025 grant cycle also awarded investigative scientist honors, a research scholar award in psoriasis, and funding for studies in atopic dermatitis and vitiligo. Since its founding 38 years ago, ASA has distributed more than $50 million in research funding, backing both emerging and established investigators.
According to the ASA, its Medical Advisory Committee, comprising top scientists and physicians, oversees the rigorous review process for these grants. The organization reaffirmed that its mission remains centered on advancing treatments for skin diseases that affect over 100 million Americans.
