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Mary Tomayko, MD, PhD

Associate Professor of Dermatology and of Pathology
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Additional Titles

Director Yale Immunobullous Clinic, Dermatology

Director Dermatology Medical Student Education, Dermatology

Contact Info

Dermatology

PO Box 208059, 333 Cedar Street

New Haven, CT 06520-8059

United States

About

Titles

Associate Professor of Dermatology and of Pathology

Director Yale Immunobullous Clinic, Dermatology; Director Dermatology Medical Student Education, Dermatology

Biography

Mary Tomayko M.D., Ph.D., is a physician scientist who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of autoimmune blistering disease and other immune-mediated skin disease. Dr. Tomayko directs the Yale Immunobullous Clinic. Upon consultation requests from colleagues, Dr. Tomayko evaluates individuals with complex cutaneous autoimmune and inflammatory disorders such as pemphigus, pemphigoid, epidermolysis bullosa acquisita, atopic dermatitis, vitiligo, alopecia areata and psoriasis. She employs a range of treatment modalities, including the systemic immunomodulators rituximab, intravenous immunoglobulin, omalizumab, dupilumab and ustekinumab, targeted “biologic” agents mycophenolate mofetil, azathioprine and methotrexate and phototherapy. She also performs surgical excisions of skin cancers and skin lesions. Dr. Tomayko is an attending physician at Yale Medicine Dermatology, Yale Health and Yale New Haven Hospital.

Dr. Tomayko’s research laboratory has 2 intertwined missions. The first is to undercover the underlying mechanism of immune dysregulation in bullous pemphigoid, in order to develop effective targeted and safe treatments for this autoimmune blistering disease. The second is to understand how long-lasting immunity to infection and immunization is established and maintained. In seminal work, she has uncovered unexpected diversity in phenotype and function of the cells that maintain B lymphocyte immunity and has identified novel molecular pathways essential for lasting immunity. This work, funded by the National Institute of Health, suggests exciting new approaches to enhance and suppress immunity therapeutically. Dr. Tomayko publishes peer-reviewed articles and chapters and regularly presents her work at national and international meetings. She is a reviewer for scientific and medical journals and foundations. She is a Medical Editor for Dermatology Focus, a publication that highlights recent advances in the field.

Dr. Tomayko is a director of dermatology education at Yale University School of Medicine. She mentors undergraduate, graduate and medical students in her laboratory, and trains resident physicians and fellows.

Appointments

Education & Training

Postdoctoral Fellow
Yale University School of Medicine (2005)
Resident
Yale University School of Medicine (2004)
Intern
University of Pennsylvania Hospital (2001)
MD
Univ. of Pennsylvania School of Medicine (2000)
PhD
Univ. of Pennsylvania School of Medicine (1998)

Research

Overview

Memory B cells that differentiate into antigen presenting and antibody-producing cells are important in natural and vaccine-mediated protection and are targets of B cell-directed therapies for malignancy and autoimmune disease. Thus, there is great interest in elucidating their unique biological properties in order to understand how they form, function and modulate recall responses. However, progress in elucidating these properties has been limited, particularly in mice, by the lack of adequate markers to distinguish memory cells. Our group has had a long-standing interest in this area and has made a number of contributions.

Using mouse systems developed in our laboratory that overcome significant barriers to the study of B cell memory, we compared gene expression between memory B cells and their naïve precursors using Affymetrix microarrays. We confirmed the differential expression of several conceptually important families at the mRNA and protein level. These initial findings were the foundation of several research projects. Some key findings and areas of ongoing research include:

1. Memory B cells are wired to signal differently than their naïve precursors.

2. There are subsets of murine memory B cells that form a spectrum from more naïve-like to more-memory-like.

3. Specific pathways regulate self-renewal and differentiation to antibody forming cells.

4. Specific pathways regulate the quality of the T-dependent B cell immune response.

Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)

Autoimmunity; Dermatology; Immunologic Memory; Pemphigoid, Bullous; Pemphigus

Research at a Glance

Yale Co-Authors

Frequent collaborators of Mary Tomayko's published research.

Publications

2024

2023

2021

Clinical Trials

Current Trials

Clinical Care

Overview

Clinical Specialties

Dermatology

Fact Sheets

Board Certifications

  • Dermatology

    Certification Organization
    AB of Dermatology
    Latest Certification Date
    2016
    Original Certification Date
    2005

Yale Medicine News

Get In Touch

Contacts

Appointment Number
Clinic Fax Number
Mailing Address

Dermatology

PO Box 208059, 333 Cedar Street

New Haven, CT 06520-8059

United States

Locations

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