Mount Sinai to Receive $5 Million Gift From the Asness Family to Advance Eczema and Allergy Research and Treatment
Mount Sinai has received a transformative $5 million gift from Clifford S. Asness, PhD, and Laurel Asness to advance research and clinical care for eczema and related allergic conditions. In recognition of this generosity, Mount Sinai will rename its Center of Excellence in Eczema to the Asness Family Center of Excellence in Eczema and Allergic Conditions, housed within the Kimberly and Eric J. Waldman Department of Dermatology.
Eczema, also known as atopic dermatitis, is a chronic inflammatory skin condition that affects more than 31 million people in the United States, including 1 in 10 children. It causes intense itching, redness, dryness, and skin lesions that can significantly impact quality of life.
For many patients, eczema is more than a skin condition—it is a systemic, immune-driven disease often linked to other allergic conditions such as asthma and food allergies. Severe cases can lead to sleep disturbances, social stigma, mental health challenges, and substantial financial burden due to long-term treatment needs. Despite its prevalence, eczema remains underdiagnosed and undertreated in many communities, underscoring the urgent need for continued research and innovation.
This gift will support the recruitment of a multidisciplinary research and clinical team, and accelerate the development of new therapies for patients with eczema and other associated allergic diseases such as asthma. Emma Guttman-Yassky, MD, PhD, Waldman Professor and System Chair of Dermatology and a global leader in dermatologic immunology, will serve as Director of the Asness Family Center.
“This work is near and dear to our hearts,” said Dr. and Ms. Asness. “Our son, Charlie, has experienced firsthand the challenges of severe eczema—and also the relief that comes from new treatments and compassionate care. We are proud to support the groundbreaking work at Mount Sinai and excited by the real progress being made.”
Under Dr. Guttman-Yassky’s leadership, the Department of Dermatology has helped define atopic dermatitis as an immune-driven condition and identified key molecules involved in its pathogenesis, leading to the development of biologic and small-molecule therapies that have changed the standard of care worldwide. The department’s clinical trials unit is now among the largest in the country for eczema and allergic conditions.
“I am deeply grateful to Clifford and Laurel Asness for their extraordinary generosity,” said Dr. Guttman-Yassky. “Their commitment will help us fast-track research, bring hope to families like theirs, and continue our mission to improve the lives of patients with eczema and allergic diseases.”
This gift builds on the Asness family’s previous support of early-career dermatology researchers at Mount Sinai. In addition to their philanthropy in medicine, the Asness family also supports scientific and academic initiatives at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, the Broad Institute, and the Duke/Tisch Brain Center.
To learn more about Mount Sinai’s Department of Dermatology visit: https://www.mountsinai.org/dermatology
About the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai is internationally renowned for its outstanding research, educational, and clinical care programs. It is the sole academic partner for the seven member hospitals* of the Mount Sinai Health System, one of the largest academic health systems in the United States, providing care to New York City’s large and diverse patient population.
The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai offers highly competitive MD, PhD, MD-PhD, and master’s degree programs, with enrollment of more than 1,200 students. It has the largest graduate medical education program in the country, with more than 2,600 clinical residents and fellows training throughout the Health System. Its Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences offers 13 degree-granting programs, conducts innovative basic and translational research, and trains more than 560 postdoctoral research fellows.
Ranked 11th nationwide in National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding, the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai is among the 99th percentile in research dollars per investigator according to the Association of American Medical Colleges. More than 4,500 scientists, educators, and clinicians work within and across dozens of academic departments and multidisciplinary institutes with an emphasis on translational research and therapeutics. Through Mount Sinai Innovation Partners (MSIP), the Health System facilitates the real-world application and commercialization of medical breakthroughs made at Mount Sinai.
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* Mount Sinai Health System member hospitals: The Mount Sinai Hospital; Mount Sinai Brooklyn; Mount Sinai Morningside; Mount Sinai Queens; Mount Sinai South Nassau; Mount Sinai West; and New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai.
About the Mount Sinai Health System
Mount Sinai Health System is one of the largest academic medical systems in the New York metro area, with 48,000 employees working across seven hospitals, more than 400 outpatient practices, more than 600 research and clinical labs, a school of nursing, and a leading school of medicine and graduate education. Mount Sinai advances health for all people, everywhere, by taking on the most complex health care challenges of our time—discovering and applying new scientific learning and knowledge; developing safer, more effective treatments; educating the next generation of medical leaders and innovators; and supporting local communities by delivering high-quality care to all who need it.
Through the integration of its hospitals, labs, and schools, Mount Sinai offers comprehensive health care solutions from birth through geriatrics, leveraging innovative approaches such as artificial intelligence and informatics while keeping patients’ medical and emotional needs at the center of all treatment. The Health System includes approximately 9,000 primary and specialty care physicians and 11 free-standing joint-venture centers throughout the five boroughs of New York City, Westchester, Long Island, and Florida. Hospitals within the System are consistently ranked by Newsweek’s® “The World’s Best Smart Hospitals, Best in State Hospitals, World Best Hospitals and Best Specialty Hospitals” and by U.S. News & World Report's® “Best Hospitals” and “Best Children’s Hospitals.” The Mount Sinai Hospital is on the U.S. News & World Report® “Best Hospitals” Honor Roll for 2024-2025.
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