Dr. Dirk Elston is professor and chairman of the Department of Dermatology and Dermatologic Surgery at the Medical University of South Carolina, in Charleston. He is the editor of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, and served as president of the American Academy of Dermatology and the American Society of Dermatopathology. He is an honorary professor at China Medical University in Shenyang, China and guest professor at the Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University in Changsha, China. He is an honorary member of the German Society of Dermatology., Dr. Elston is a graduate of Jefferson Medical College, did his dermatology residency at Walter Reed Medical Center and a dermatopathology fellowship at the Cleveland Clinic. He is the author of over 400 peer reviewed publications, is one of three authors of Andrews Diseases of the Skin, the lead author of Dermatopathology (Elston and Ferringer) and editor in chief of the Requisites in Dermatology series of textbooks. Dr. Elston is also the associate editor in chief of eMedicine: Dermatology. He has received numerous American Academy of Dermatology Presidential Citations for his work on behalf of patients with skin diseases, the 2008 Walter Nickel Award for excellence in dermatopathology education and is the 2013 Founder’s Award of the American Society of Dermatopathology, the highest honor given by the society. He has served on the board of directors of the American Board of Dermatology, the American Academy of Dermatology, the American Society of Dermatopathology, International Society of Dermatopathology and the American Hair Research Society.