Mary Tomayko, MD, PhD

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.