Barbara Gilchrest, M.D.


Barbara Gilchrest, M.D.

Barbara Gilchrest, M.D., received her undergraduate and medical training from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Harvard Medical School (HMS), respectively. In 1977 Dr. Gilchrest joined the Department of Dermatology and Division on Aging at the HMS, where she established a tissue culture laboratory to study the aging process in human skin, with support from the National Institute on Aging. From 1985 until 2008, Dr. Gilchrest served as Professor and Chairman of Dermatology at the Boston University School of Medicine, where she directed a large laboratory and an NIH-sponsored post-doctoral research training program. She remains as Professor on a part-time basis while devoting herself primarily to development of treatment concepts arising from her laboratory-based research effort. Dr. Gilchrest is the author of over 400 scholarly articles, reviews, abstracts, and textbook chapters; and author or editor of eight books. She has served in leadership positions for all the major dermatologic organizations; on the National Advisory Council on Aging and the Board of Scientific Counselors of the National Cancer Institute; as associate editor or editorial board member of several major clinical and research journals; as a consultant or scientific advisory board member for pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies; and as a member of the MIT Corporation. In June 2012 she began a 5 year term as Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Investigative Dermatology. Dr. Gilchrest became active in American Skin Association in 1994, chairing its Medical Advisory Committee since that time. In 2011 she assumed the role of ASA Acting President and Vice Chair of its Board of Directors. Dr. Gilchrest is an elected member of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies of Science.