Dermatology

April Armstrong Lab

April Wang Armstrong, MD, MPH

Research: April Armstrong Lab at UCLA

Our research team is dedicated to advancing the understanding and treatment of chronic inflammatory skin diseases. We focus on conditions such as psoriasis, atopic dermatitis and hidradenitis suppurativa, aiming to improve patient outcomes through evidence-based research.

Key research areas

In our research, we:

  • Evaluate novel systemic and topical therapies for inflammatory skin diseases, including psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, hidradenitis suppurativa and chronic urticaria
  • Advocate for dermatologists on issues within the Medicare physician service payment system and to safeguard physicians’ ability to provide patient access to care
  • Develop and validate health outcome measures useful for clinical trials and practice
  • Investigate comorbid conditions associated with inflammatory skin diseases, including cardiovascular, mental health and rheumatologic comorbidities
  • Examine treatment patterns and disease burden using advanced epidemiological methods
  • Increase access to therapies for underserved patients and facilitate achievement of treatment goals

Research methods

We study these questions using a range of advanced clinical research methods spanning dermatoepidemiology, health outcomes evaluation and measurement science (development and validation of patient- and clinician-reported instruments), with clinical trials as a central pillar. Our team integrates real-world data with prospective studies to quantify disease burden, treatment effectiveness, safety and value. Our research is regularly featured in high impact scientific journals.

Clinical trials

We also conduct leading-edge clinical trials of the latest topical and systemic therapies for skin disease, including atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, chronic spontaneous urticaria and other immune-mediated conditions. These studies evaluate novel mechanisms of action, optimize dosing and sequencing, and generate high-quality evidence to guide everyday dermatologic care.

Advocacy

Professor Armstrong also leads health policy advocacy to protect dermatologists’ ability to deliver timely, high-quality care. Her efforts focus on improvements within the Medicare physician payment system and on policies that safeguard patient access to dermatologic services. As a board member of the California Society of Dermatology & Dermatologic Surgery (CalDerm) and a supporter of the American Academy of Dermatology Association (AADA) and SkinPAC, Professor Armstrong devotes time at both the state level and on Capitol Hill to advance the interests of our specialty.

For more information or to become a part of our team, visit the Armstrong Research Team Website.