Rossitza Z. Lazova MD

Dr. Rossitza Lazova is a nationally and internationally recognized board-certified dermatopathologist. She graduated from Sofia Medical University, Sofia, Bulgaria in 1985, immigrated to the United States and completed a residency in Anatomic and Clinical Pathology at the University of Rochester Medical Center in Rochester, New York in 1996. Dr. Lazova trained in Dermatopathology with one of the best dermatopathologists in the world, Dr. A. Bernard Ackerman, at the Institute for Dermatopathology at Thomas Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia. After completion of her fellowship, Dr. Lazova joined the Department of Dermatology at Yale University School of Medicine, where she worked and taught for almost 20 years. 

Dr. Lazova was Director of the Yale Dermatopathology Fellowship Program for 14 years. Under her leadership, the Yale Dermatopathology program has distinguished itself as one of the best in the US and in the world. She developed an international program to train visitors from all over the world in the field of Dermatopathology and mentored over fifty foreign physicians from twenty-six countries throughout the world. 

Dr. Lazova has over 100 publications and is a co-author of two textbooks: Differential Diagnosis in Dermatopathology II, Second Edition, and Atlas of Practical Mohs Histopathology. Dr. Lazova’s main interest is melanocytic lesions, in particular Spitzoid neoplasms. She founded and was the principal investigator of the Yale Spitzoid Biospecimen and Data Repository. Dr. Lazova continues to do groundbreaking research in the area of Spitzoid and other types of melanocytic neoplasms applying mass spectrometry as an ancillary diagnostic test. 

Dr. Lazova has held many leadership positions at the American Society of Dermatopathology and the International Society of Dermatopathology. She has taught many courses and directed numerous sessions at national and international meetings in the US and throughout the world.