Mathew M. Avram, MD, JD
President's Address
Mathew M. Avram, MD, JD
Twenty-one years ago, I left the practice of law to become a doctor. My education and training led me to the field of dermatology and, eventually, to laser surgery. Over the past 12 years, I have been privileged to learn from the leaders, innovators, and inventors in the field of laser surgery through the ASLMS. I am honored to serve a Society of over 4,000 scientists, engineers, allied health professionals, physicians, and members of industry who continue to define and expand the cutting-edge use of lasers, light sources and energy-based devices. It is a true honor and privilege to safeguard and promote ASLMS, the most important and innovative society for the development of our field.
A core focus for us in the coming year will be to increase international outreach and build membership in other countries. There is an overwhelming thirst for knowledge internationally and the ASLMS is the logical place for those wanting to learn. It is interesting to note that 70% of the manuscript submissions to our journal are from outside the US. There is definite international interest and ASLMS must be creative to determine how we can best capture this interest to advance the organization.
While it would be ideal if all those interested could participate in the Annual Conference, the high cost of travel is a barrier to many and we need to explore other ways to promote participation. We will be working on the appointment of international ambassadors to promote ASLMS by speaking at local meetings around the world to recruit new members. We will also further develop virtual educational content to increase awareness and value for international members.
I am very excited about the 2018 Annual Meeting in Dallas. What distinguishes the ASLMS meeting is that it is a multi-specialty society. We have practicing physicians representing over 50 specialties, research scientists, allied health professionals, students, residents and fellows. There is an incredible diversity of interests among these different groups, and we are all brought together by the science. For people who are passionate about lasers, light sources, and energy-based devices, the Annual Meeting is a must-attend event. While I am privileged to practice at an institution that strives to advance clinical innovation and research, the Annual Meeting provides an extraordinary learning opportunity because I have the opportunity to interact with the leaders from not only here in the United States but around the world.
The meeting provides the unique experience of speaking with students, researchers and leading scientists in this area and exploring all the new technologies and new treatments that are being pioneered. I am excited about the advances in treating non-melanoma skin cancers, such as basal cell carcinoma, with lasers. A revolution in the treatment of acne is on the horizon, and, like many other revolutions in the field of laser surgery, it will likely debut at the ASLMS meeting. There are also advances in skin rejuvenation, tattoo removal, laser hair removal and noninvasive fat removal that expand each year. Each of these treatments was first reported at the ASLMS Annual meeting.
If you are a student, researcher, or a fellow, this meeting is a wonderful opportunity for you. I first came to the ASLMS meeting when I was a fellow in 2005. The multispecialty and multidisciplinary spirit of innovation sparked my interest. There are so many different advances that are part of our Society including: non-invasive optical imaging, photodynamic therapy, aesthetic treatments and gynecologic treatments, to name a few. The diversity of interests within this Society is unified by a passion for science and innovation that is translated from the lab to the clinic to directly impact patient care.
Recently, there has been a major effort to provide funding for student travel to this meeting. With help from our industry sponsors, travel grants are awarded to presenters to enable their attendance. This is an area to which we continue to devote a great deal of effort. The ability for students to attend this meeting will be enhanced by the ability of the society to provide financial support.
I am very excited that the 2018 meeting will be in Dallas. Dallas is fun and energetic, and the Hilton Anatole is a great property. For convenience, Dallas has an incredible international airport that will easily accommodate national and international travelers.
There are always so many great reasons to attend the Annual ASLMS meeting. Stay tuned for more details about ASLMS 2018. The program planning committee is working hard to develop an outstanding offering of courses, workshops and sessions based upon your feedback and guided by the future developments within our field.
Dr. Avram's Bio
Mathew M. Avram, M.D., J.D. is the Director of the Massachusetts General Hospital Dermatology Laser & Cosmetic Center, Faculty Director for Laser and Cosmetic Training in the Department of Dermatology, Harvard Medical School, and Associate Professor of Dermatology at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Avram is President of the American Society for Laser Medicine & Surgery (ASLMS) for 2017-2018. He has been elected Treasurer of the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery (ASDS) where he also serves on the Executive Committee.
Dr. Avram was the recipient of the ASLMS 2015 Annual Leon Goldman Award for excellence in research, patient care and education and the 2016 recipient of the ASLMS Annual Ellet Drake Award for innovation in laser surgery. Dr. Avram served as the Program Co-Chair of the 2010 ASLMS annual meeting in Phoenix, Arizona. Dr. Avram has also served as Co-Chair for an annual laser teaching session for the FDA in Silver Spring, Maryland since 2009. He has served as Co-Chair of the Cutaneous Laser Surgery Section of the ASLMS meeting in 2009, 2011, 2015, 2016 and 2017.
Dr. Avram has co-authored and/or edited six textbooks. He is co-author of the First and Second Editions of A Color Atlas of Cosmetic Dermatology published by McGraw-Hill (which has been translated into 5 languages) as well as its “iPhone app.” He is co-editor of Lasers and Lights, a textbook published by Elsevier and Laser & Light Source Treatments for the Skin by Jaypee. More recently, he has edited Fat Removal published by Wiley and was co-editor of Procedural Dermatology published by McGraw-Hill. He has published 58 peer-reviewed papers in each of the New England Journal of Medicine, the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, JAMA Dermatology, Lasers in Surgery & Medicine and Dermatologic Surgery as well as other journals as well as multiple chapters in leading dermatology textbooks. He has served Special Guest Editor of Lasers in Surgery & Medicine in 2009, 2014 and 2015.
Dr. Avram is co-director of the MGH/Wellman Laser & Cosmetic Fellowship, where he has trained 20 fellows to date. He is an affiliate faculty member of the Wellman Center for Photomedicine. He is an associate editor of both Dermatologic Surgery and the Journal of Cosmetic and Laser Therapy. He serves on the Editorial Boards of Lasers in Surgery & Medicine, Dermatologic Surgery and Lasers in Medical Science. He also serves on the Surgical Advisory Board of JAMA Dermatology. Dr. Avram is a frequent guest on the Dr. Oz show, ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX and has appeared multiple times in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, and numerous other media. Dr. Avram has chaired 23 national meetings and has delivered over 400 invited lectures at national and international meetings.
Dr. Avram attended college at Princeton University and completed his dermatology residency training at Harvard, where he served as chief resident. Subsequently, he completed his Mohs micrographic surgery, laser & cosmetics fellowship at UCLA.