Hacking Dermatology seeks applicants, mentors for 2019 program

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Applications are open for participants and mentors to be involved in Hacking Dermatology 2019, which takes place Sept 13-15, 2019 at District Hall in Boston, according to a press release issued June 27. The event brings together clinical and scientific experts, patients, engineers and innovators who will collaborate throughout the three day hackathon to solve issues related to patient care in dermatology.

Participants will have the opportunity to pitch their solutions to any of the 10 challenge statements during the kickoff event on Friday before they are placed into teams, which will compete throughout the weekend.

Teams of participants will have access to a diverse group of mentors who are responsible for providing guidance and feedback on each group’s project.

“Hacking Dermatology is designed to cultivate an open community of scientists, clinicians, patients and advocates,” says Laura Duerksen, executive director of Hacking Medicine Institute. “We all share a mission to radically improve the dermatological patient journey and to dream big about precision medicine and potential cures for skin conditions.”

For the upcoming  program, the Hacking Dermatology community reflected on the significant hurdles facing dermatology professionals and patients to create 10 challenge statements related to precision medicine.

“Precision medicine aims at identifying the most suitable treatment for each individual patient,” says Alex Ignatius Costa, principal technology and innovation manager, LEO Science & Tech Hub. “We look forward to how this year’s Hacking Dermatology addresses the precision medicine theme, potentially bringing us closer to solutions that can one day support treatment decisions.”

The winning teams will receive $85,000 in grants and will have access to further mentorship and resources that can help bring their solutions to market.

Hacking Dermatology is comprised of a partnership between Advancing Innovation in Dermatology (AID), Hacking Medicine Institute (HMi) and LEO Science & Tech Hub.

Learn more about Hacking Dermatology by visiting http://www.hackingdermatology.org/. If you are interested in becoming a participant or mentor, apply here.