OMB No. 0925-0001 and 0925-0002 (Rev. 10/15 Approved Through 10/31/2018)
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH
Provide the following information for the Senior/key personnel and other significant contributors.
Follow this format for each person. DO NOT EXCEED FIVE PAGES.
NAME: Curiel-Lewandrowski, Clara
eRA COMMONS USER NAME (credential, e.g., agency login): ccuriel
POSITION TITLE:
Associate Professor of Dermatology, University of Arizona
Associate Dermatologist, Banner University Medical Center
EDUCATION/TRAINING (Begin with baccalaureate or other initial professional education, such as nursing, include postdoctoral training and residency training if applicable. Add/delete rows as necessary.)
INSTITUTION AND LOCATION / DEGREE(if applicable) / Completion Date
MM/YYYY / FIELD OF STUDY /
Colegio “Los Campitos,” Caracas, Venezuela / BS / 1984 / Pre-Medicine
Central University of Vzla, Caracas, Venezuela / MD / 1992 / Medicine
Wellman Laboratory of Photomedicine, Boston
Ludwig-Boltzman Institute, Muenster, Germany
Boston University/TUFTS University, Boston
Boston University, Boston / Other training
Other training
Other training
Other training / 1995
1996
2000
2001 / Photobiology Fellow
Tumor Immunology Fellow
Dermatology Residency
Skin Oncology Fellow
A. Personal Statement
My role as the Contact MPI for the “Targeted Prevention for Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer” P01 includes contributing to the overall vision, design, and oversight of the proposed PPG while being specifically responsible for the strategy and supervision of the clinical translational aspects of the proposed study aims. Some of these tasks include but are not limited to maintaining a close interaction with Dr. Dong to guarantee an effective collaboration between projects and cores, leadership in the design, execution, and interpretation of results, manuscript preparation, and regulatory coordination of clinical studies. In addition, my previous involvement as an MPI of the Skin Cancer Chemoprevention PO1 (2010-16) has prepared me to assume the role of contact PI for this application. I have brought to our UACC Skin Cancer Prevention Team the academic-clinical expertise necessary to lead the proposed clinical translational studies to completion. I have taken the initiative to address important clinical gaps in the skin cancer prevention field through innovative clinical study designs, and effective execution of clinical studies. My research interests have focused in photobiology, early skin cancer detection, biomarker development, and primary prevention. I have now served as a lead dermatologist in eight clinical studies and as a PI in seven clinical trials (4 pilot, 3 Phase 1, and 3 Phase 2 studies, 1 phase 3 study) as part of the Skin Cancer Chemoprevention, the UA NCI/DCP Cancer Chemoprevention Consortium Agreement, PO1 Skin Cancer Prevention studies, and sponsored studies. As a result of these experiences, I am aware of the importance of effective leadership, frequent communication among project members, and of constructing a realistic research plan, timeline, and budget.
a. Curiel-Lewandrowski, C., Nijsten, T., Gomez, M.L., Hollestein, L.M., Atkins, M.B. Stern, R.S. (2011). Long-term use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs decreases the risk of cutaneous melanoma: results of a United States case-control study. J Invest Dermatol. Jul;131(7):1460-8. PMID: 21390049
b. Curiel-Lewandrowski, C., Swetter, S., Einsphar, J., Hsu, C.H., Nagle, R., Sagerman, P., Tangrea, J, Parnes, H., Alberts, D.S. & Chow, H.H.S. (2012). Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo Controlled Trial of Sulindac in Individuals at Risk for Melanoma: Evaluation of Potential Chemopreventive Activity. Cancer. 118(23):5848-56. PMCID: PMC3517927
c. Curiel-Lewandrowski, C., Tang, J.Y., Einspahr, J.G., Bermudez, Y., Hsu, C.G., Rezaee, M., Lee, A.H., Tangrea, J., Parnes, H.K., Alberts, D.S. & Chow, H.H.S. (2015). Pilot Study on the Bioactivity of Vitamin D in the Skin after Oral Supplementation, Cancer Prev Res. Jun;8(7):563-9. PMCID: PMC4511849
d. Curiel-Lewandrowski C, Einspahr J, Calvert V, Stratton S, Alberts D, Warneke J, Hu C, Saboda K, Wagener E, Dickinson S, Dong Z, Bode AM, Petricoin EF. Protein activation mapping of human sun-protected epidermis after an acute dose of erythemic solar simulated light. Nature Precision Oncology. 2017(In Press).
B. Positions and Honors
Positions and Employment
1995-1996 Research Fellow, Department of Dermatology, Wellman Laboratories of Photomedicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston MA. Supervisor: Irene Kochevar, PhD
1995-1996 Research Fellow, Department of Dermatology/Haut Klinik, Ludwig Boltzman Institute and Immunobiology of the Skin. Münster University, Germany. Supervisor: Stephan Grabbe, MD
1996-1997 Internship in Internal Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA
1997-2000 Resident in Dermatology, TUFTS/Boston University Training Program, Boston MA
2000-2001 Skin Oncology Fellow, Department of Dermatology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA
2000-2001 Instructor in Dermatology. Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA
2001-2004 Instructor in Dermatology/Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston MA
2004-2011 Assistant Professor of Dermatology. University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ
2012-2013 Visiting Professor, Dept. of Dermatology, University of Graz. Austria (1 year)
2011- Associate Professor of Dermatology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ
2005- Faculty, Arizona Cancer Center, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ
Other Experience and Professional Memberships
2000 Diplomate, American Academy of Dermatology
2001-2004 Member, BIDMC Cancer Center, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA
2001-2004 Director, Pigmented Lesion Clinic, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA
2002-2004 Co-Director, Cutaneous Oncology Program, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA
2005-2008 Co-Chair, Academic Research Grant Program, Women’s Dermtological Society
2004- Director, Pigmented Lesion Clinic, University Medical Center, Tucson, AZ
2004- Director, Cutaneous Oncology Program, University Medical Center, Tucson, AZ
2006- Co-Director, University of Arizona Skin Cancer Institute Clinical Services, Tucson, AZ
Current- Member, American Academy of Dermatology, Eastern Oncology Cooperative Group, Society for
Investigative Dermatology, Dermatology Foundation, Society of Biological Therapy, Melanoma
Prevention Working Group, Women Dermatological Society, American Dermatological Association. Steering committee member: Melanoma Research Foundation.
Honors and Awards
1990 Award for Excellence in Medical Reasearch (medical student). Central University of Venezuela, Medical School, Caracas, Venezuela
1992 Suma Cum Laude, Central University of Venezuela (Ranked 2nd among 250 students)
1998 European Society of Dermatology, Sponsorship for the IID’ 98. Cologne, Germany
1999 Award for Academic Contributions, Tufts/BU Dermatology Residency Training Program
1999 Best Oral Presentation, “Thymidine Dinucleotides Induce Expression of IL-10 in Primary Human Keratinocytes,” Annual Photomedicine Meeting, San Francisco CA
2003 Career Development Award, NCI/Spore in Skin Cancer Grant
2005 Research Grant Award, Skin Cancer Foundation
2005 Masters in Academic Leadership American Academy of Dermatology
2007 Best Doctors in America
2008 Arizona Clinical and Translational Research and Education Consortium Clinical Scholars Award
2009 Arizona Cancer Center Levin Family Endowed Chair for Excellence in Cancer Research
2009-2016 Best Doctors in America, consecutively, every year.
C. Contribution to Science
1. My clinical experience in skin cancer is highlighted by the completion of a fellowship in skin cancer at TUFTS/ Boston University following my residency training in Dermatology. Subsequently I have successfully executed a leading role for the past fourteen years as Co-Director of two Multidisciplinary Cutaneous Oncology Programs (COP), as a Director of two specialized Pigmented Lesion Clinics (PLC) (BIDMC/HMS and UACC), and most recently as the Clinical Director of the UACC/Skin Cancer Institute. Both the COP and PLC clinical activities have been integrated with translational research studies, making them a unique setting for high-quality patient care and a critical resource for accrual into clinical studies and establishment of patient registries and tissue bank. Through local and national collaborations with colleagues leading similar efforts we are able to identify and address as dermatologists critical gaps in the skin cancer field through multi-institutional studies, consensus and opinion statements to guide future investigations.
a. Leachman, S.A., Carucci, J., Kohlmann, W., Banks, K.C. & Curiel-Lewandrowski, C. (2009). Selection criteria for genetic assessment of patients with familial melanoma; J Am Acad Dermatol; 61(4):677. PMCID: PMC3307795
b. Curiel-Lewandrowski, C., Kim, C.C., Swetter, S.M., Chen, S.C., Halpen, A.C., Kirkwood, J.M. Leachman, S.A. Marghoob, A.A., Ming, M.E. Grichnik, J.M. & Melanoma Prevension Working Group. (2012). Survival is not the only valuable end point in melanoma screening. Journal of Investigative Dermatology. 132(5):1332-7. PMID: 22336950
c. Kim, C.C., Swetter, S.M., Curiel-Lewandrowski, C., Grichnik, J.M., Grossman, D., Halpern, A.C., Kirkwood, J.M., Leachman, S.A., Marghoob, A.A., Ming, M.E., Nelson, K.C., Veledar, E., Venna, S.S. & Chen, S.C. (2014). Addressing the Knowledge Gap in Clinical Recommendations for Management and Complete Excision of Clinically Atypical Nevi/Dysplastic Nevi: Pigmented Lesion Subcommittee Consensus Statement. JAMA Dermatol. PMID: 25409291
d. Curiel-Lewandrowski C, Swetter SM. (2016). Lack of harms from community-based melanoma screening by primary care providers. Cancer. 2016 Oct 15;122(20):3102-3105. PMID: 27392136.
2. Within the area of skin cancer prevention, I have extensively lead and participated in the development and execution of epidemiological and interventional studies, many of them specifically related to skin cancer chemoprevention studies. I lead the first case-control study with over 400 cases melanoma at the Harvard Cancer Center indicating a potential role of NSAIDs as a preventive agent. This effort was followed by the first NCI/DCP funded interventional study to evaluate the safety and tolerability of Sulindac in high-risk nevi phenotypes at risk for melanoma development. I am also one of the founder dermatologists of the Oncology Cooperative/Melanoma Prevention Working Group in 2002 seeking to enhance a multidisciplinary approach nation-wide to the increasing need for skin cancer prevention. Of significant relevance to this application I have served as a Co-PI on the previously funded Skin Cancer Chemoprevention Program Project Grant at the UACC, and effectively lead the completion of the proposed translational studies.
a. Stratton, S.P., Alberts, D.S., Einspahr, J.G., Sagerman, P.M., Warmeke, J.A., Curiel-Lewandrowski, C., Myrda, P.B., Karlage, K.L., Nickoloff, B.J., Brooks, C., Saboda, K., Yozwiak, M.L., Krutzsch, M.F., Hu, C., Lluria-Prevatt, M., Dong, Z., Bowdent, G.T., & Bartels, P.H. (2010). A Phase 2a Study of Topical Perillyl Alcohol Cream for Chemoprevention of Skin Cancer; Cancer Prev Res 3(2):160-9. PMCID: PMC3270887
b. Curiel-Lewandrowski, C., Nijsten, T., Gomez, M.L., Hollestein, L.M., Atkins, M.B. & Stern, R.S. (2011). Long-term use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs decreases the risk of cutaneous melanoma: results of a United States case-control study. J Invest Dermatol. Jul;131(7). PMID: 21390049
c. Curiel-Lewandrowski, C., Swetter, S., Einsphar, J., Hsu, C.H., Nagle R., Sagerman, P., Tangrea, J., Parnes, H., Alberts, D.S. & Chow, H.H.S. (2012). Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo Controlled Trial of Sulindac in Individuals at Risk for Melanoma: Evaluation of Potential Chemopreventive Activity. Cancer. 118(23):5848-56. PMCID: PMC3517927
d. Curiel-Lewandrowski, C., Tang, J.Y., Einspahr, J.G., Bermudez, Y., Hsu, C.G., Rezaee, M., Lee, A.H., Tangrea, J., Parnes, H.K., Alberts, D.S. & Chow, H.H.S. (2015) Pilot Study on the Bioactivity of Vitamin D in the Skin after Oral Supplementation, Cancer Prev Res. PMCID: PMC4511849
3. In addition to leading the above mentioned epidemiological and clinical studies, involvement in the identification and validation of biomarkers and molecular technologies that can be effectively implemented in experimental and clinical studies have been an important focus of my work. Surrogate indicators of disease progression and targeted therapy have been proven to be critical in the effective and innovative design of clinical studies in the skin cancer filed.
a. Einspahr, J, Bowden, GT, Alberts, DS, McKenzie, N, Soboda, K., Warmeke, J. Salasche, S., Ranger-Moore, J., Curiel-Lewandrowski, C., Nagle, R.B., Nickoloff, B.J., Brooks, C., Dong, Z. & Stratton, S.P. (2008). Cross-validation of murine UVB signal transduction pathways in human skin; Photochem Photobiol; 84(2):463-76. PMID: 18248498
b. Einspahr, J.G., Calvert, V., Alberts, D.S., Curiel-Lewandrowski, C., Warneke, J., Krouse, R., Stratton, S.P. Liotta, L. Longo, C, Pellacani, G., Prasad, A., Sagerman, P., Bermudez, Y., Deng, J., Bowden, G.T. & Petricoin, E.F. (2012). Functional Protein Pathway Activation Mapping of the Progression of Normal Skin to Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Cap rev Res. Mar;5(3):403-13. PMCID: PMC3297971
c. Bermudez, Y., Stratton, S.P., Curiel-Lewandrowski, C., Warneke, J., Hu, C., Bowden, G.T., Dickinson, S.E., Dong, Z., Bode, A.M. Saboda, K. Brooks, C.A., Petricoin, E.F., Hurst, Ca.a., Alberts, D.S. & Einspahr, J.G. (2015). Activation of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR and MAP kinase Signaling Pathways in Response to Acute Solar Simulated Light Exposure of Human Skin, Cancer Prev Res. Aug;8(8);720-8. PMCID: PMC4526338
d. Janda J, Burkett NB, Blohm-Mangone K, Huang V, Curiel-Lewandrowski C, Alberts DS, Petricoin EF, 3rd, Calvert VS, Einspahr J, Dong Z, Bode AM, Wondrak GT, Dickinson SE. Resatorvid-based Pharmacological Antagonism of Cutaneous TLR4 Blocks UV-induced NF-kappaB and AP-1 Signaling in Keratinocytes and Mouse Skin. Photochem Photobiol. 2016;92(6):816-25. 27859308; PMCID: PMC5161657.
4. Implementation of imaging and other non-invasive technologies to enhance early skin cancer detection and implementation in experimental and clinical studies. This particular area has been an additional focus of my career. In many instances interventional prevention studies in skin cancer are strengthen by the combination of novel non-invasive monitoring tools coupled with relevant biomarker assessment. Specifically, I have been engaged in the use of in vivo reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM), optical coherence tomography, epiluminescence microscopy, and spectropolarimetry within the skin cancer field. Most recently, our PPG team acquired a multilaser RCM instrument for implementation in ongoing actinic keratoses (AKs) studies. We are also in the process of standardizing RCM criteria for the long term evaluation of photodamaged skin and AKs.
a. McKenzie, N.E., Saboda, K., Duckett, L., Goldman, R. & Curiel-Lewandrowski C. (2011). Development of a photographic scale for consistency and guidance in dermatological assessment of forearm sun damage; Arch Dermatol. Jan;147(1):31-6. PMCID: PMC4133014
b. Malvehy, J., Hauschild, A., Curiel-Lewandrowski, C., Mohr, P., Hofmann-Wellenhof, R., Motley, R., Berking, C., Grossman, D., Paoli, J., Loquai, C., Olah, J., Reinhold, U., Wenger H., Dirschka T., Davis, S., Henderson, C., Rabinovitz, H., Welzel, J., Schadendorf, D. & Birgersson, U. (2014). Clinical performance of the Nevisense system in cutaneous melanoma detection: an international, multi-centre, prospective and blinded clinical trial on efficacy and safety. Br J Dermatol. May 19. PMCID: PMC4257502
c. Curiel-Lewandrowski, C., Legat, F.J., Pellecani, G., Hofer, A., Arzberger, E. & Hofmann-Wellenhof, R. (2013). Reflectance Confocal Microscopy for the Monitoring of Actinic Keratoses Undergoing Photodynamic Therapy. 2013 International Investigative Dermatology. Copenhagen, Denmark.
d. Chao, J., Hofmann-Wellenhof, R. & Curiel-Lewandrowski, C. (2014). Role of Reflectance Confocal Microscopy in Cryotherapy. Cryosurgery. Springer. Sept. pp173-183.