Eugene J. Van Scott MD

Eugene Van Scott, SB’45, MD’48, started his scientific career at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) immediately after completing his residency in dermatology. He founded and became the first chief of the dermatology branch at NCI and, among other accomplishments, developed the first effective treatment for cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, an achievement that resulted in him receiving the Lasker Award. Both at NCI and in his subsequent career at Temple University, he trained many of the brightest lights in dermatology.

Along with his longtime collaborator, dermatopharmacologist Ruey Yu, Van Scott founded the entire science of alpha hydroxy acids. These compounds underlie hundreds of prescription and over-the-counter drugs and cosmeceuticals, and formed the basis for Van Scott and Yu’s very successful commercial venture in these areas, NeoStrata. Among many other honors, Van Scott was named a Master Dermatologist by the American Academy of Dermatology in 1998 and received the Dermatology Foundation’s Distinguished Service Medallion in 2004.