NIH 1998 Almanac/The Organization/NIAMS/
National Institute of Arthritis & Musculoskeletal & Skin Diseases: Biographical Sketch of NIAMS Director
Stephen I. Katz, M.D., Ph.D.
Dr. Katz was born in New York City in 1941 and grew up in the Washington, D.C., and
Bethesda, Md., areas. He earned a B.A. degree cum laude in history from the University of
Maryland, College Park; an M.D. degree cum laude from Tulane University Medical School,
New Orleans; and a Ph.D. degree in immunology from the University of London, England. He
com-pleted a medical internship at Los Angeles County Hospital, a residency in dermatology
at the University of Miami School of Medicine, Florida, military service at Walter Reed
General Hospital in Washington, D.C., and postdoctoral work at the Royal College of
Surgeons of England.
In 1974 he joined NIH as a senior investi-gator in the Dermatology Branch of NCI,
becoming acting chief in 1977 and chief in 1980. From 1989 to 1995, he also served a
Marion B. Sulzberger professor of dermatology at the Uniformed Services University of the
Health Sciences in Bethesda. On August 1, 1995, he was appointed director of NIAMS. He
continues to serve as chief of the NCI Dermatology Branch.
Dr. Katz’ stuides of Langerhans cells and epidermally derived cytokines have
demonstrated that skin is a critical component of the immune system both in its normal
function and as a target in immunologically mediated diseases. He has also made seminal
discoveries in the field of inherited and acquired blistering skin diseases.
At NCI, he has led a program of investigations in fundamental biological and clinical
problems in neoplastic and inflammatory diseases of the skin. He has trained a large
number of immunodermatologists from the U.S. and abroad. These individuals are now leading
thie own independent research programs.
Dr. Katz has received many government and private sector honors and awards, in-cluding
the Presidential Executive Meritorious Rank Award, the PHS Superior Service Award, the NIH
Director’s Award, the Sulzberger Lecture Award, the D. Martin Carter Mentor Award
from the American Skin Association, the Outstanding Alumnus Award of Tulane University
Medical School, honorary membership in many international dermatologic societies, and 1992
election into the National Academy of Sciences Institute of Medicine.
He has served many scientific organizations in leadership positions such as president
of the Society for Investigative Dermatology (SID), membership on the board of directors
of SID and of the Association of Professors of Dermatology, secretary-general of the 18th
World Congress of Dermatology in New York in 1992, and secretary-treasurer of the Clinical
Immunology Society. He has also served on the editorial boards of most clinical and
investigative dermatology journals and many immunology journals. He has authored or
coauthored more than 180 scientific articles and 50 book chapters and edited several
conference proceedings.
Directors of NIAMS
