The annual MONTAGNA SYMPOSIUM ON THE BIOLOGY OF SKIN (MSBS) was initiated at Brown University in 1950 by Dr. William Montagna. The symposium grew from the need to communicate investigative work in cutaneous biology and to provide a link between basic scientists studying the skin in man and animals and the clinically trained scientists in investigative dermatology. Since then, over 5,000 scientists, physicians, and students from around the world have attended the annual symposium, which address a single major topic in cutaneous biology.

In 1965, the symposium moved to Oregon Health & Science University with Dr. Montagna when he became Director of the Oregon Regional Primate Research Center. The meetings were held at Salishan Lodge on the Oregon coast for nearly 20 years. From 1979 to 1992, the symposium was directed by Kirk D. Wuepper, M.D. of Oregon Health & Science University. Dr. David Norris and Dr. Wuepper co-chaired the symposium in 1991 and 1992 at Snowmass Village, Colorado. Dr. Norris assumed directorship of the symposium for the 1993 meeting "Genetics of Skin Diseases."

The 2003 symposium brought a closer affiliation of MSBS with the Society for Investigative Dermatology (SID) and a celebration of the leadership of David Norris. David will continue as Chair Emeritus and member of the MSBS Board of Directors. In 2004, Molly Kulesz-Martin assumed directorship of the symposium with co-chair Jackie Bickenbach and oversaw a move back to Oregon for the meeting “Cancers of Skin."

Past symposium information