National Psoriasis Foundation Welcomes New Chief Scientific and Medical Officer

May 10, 2023 – Alexandria, Virginia

The National Psoriasis Foundation (NPF) is pleased to announce the hiring of Guy Eakin, Ph.D., as Chief Scientific and Medical Officer (CSMO), effective immediately. Dr. Eakin comes to NPF with more than 20 years of scientific leadership experience at top nonprofit health and research organizations throughout the U.S.

“We are thrilled to bring such an accomplished leader to into the NPF community,” said Leah M. Howard, J.D., President and CEO of NPF. “Our community of people impacted by this chronic disease will benefit greatly as Guy takes NPF research and medical programs and initiatives to even higher levels of success.”

Dr. Eakin works from a strategy of collaboration – viewing funders of research not only as financiers but also teammates who bring their own expertise, connections, and commitment to each research project.

In recent years, this approach has helped Dr. Eakin lead more than $139 million in research programs for the Arthritis Foundation, Lipedema Foundation, and the BrightFocus Foundation. These programs led to novel biomarker development and drug discovery efforts in addition to the creation of a 30,000-person home-based patient reported outcomes program.

His experience includes leading the development of clinical research networks on a range of conditions, as well as convening international workshops and conferences to align research strategies across diverse stakeholder communities.

Dr. Eakin earned his Ph.D. in developmental biology from Baylor College of Medicine before continuing that work at MD Anderson and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centers. He earned his undergraduate degree from Indiana University.


Serving the community of people impacted by psoriatic disease for more than 55 years with patient support, advocacy, research, and education, the National Psoriasis Foundation is the leading nonprofit representing individuals with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. The mission of NPF is to drive efforts to cure psoriatic disease and improve the lives of more than 8 million individuals in the United States affected by this chronic immune-mediated disease. As part of that effort, NPF created the Patient Navigation Center to offer personalized assistance to everyone with psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis. In recent years, NPF has funded more than $30 million in research grants and fellowships that help drive discoveries that may lead to more and better treatments and ultimately a cure. Learn more at psoriasis.org.

Stay in the Know

Expert tips, can’t-miss events, and the latest news, straight to your inbox.

National Health Council Standards of ExcellenceCharity NavigatorCommunity Health Charities logo

Copyright © 1996-2024 National Psoriasis Foundation/USA


Duplication, rebroadcast, republication, or other use of content appearing on this website is prohibited without written permission of the National Psoriasis Foundation (NPF).


NPF does not endorse or accept any responsibility for the content of external websites.


NPF does not endorse any specific treatments or medications for psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis.

We use cookies to offer you a better experience and analyze our site traffic. By continuing to use this website, you consent to the use of cookies in accordance with our Privacy Policy.