John Koo, MD

Dr. John Koo is a double board-certified dermatologist and psychiatrist, Professor of Dermatology at the UCSF School of Medicine, and Director of the UCSF Psoriasis and Skin Treatment Center. Widely recognized as a pioneer in the field of psychodermatology, his clinical and translational research centers on advanced psoriasis therapeutics, phototherapy, atopic dermatitis, and the complex psychological interfaces of chronic skin disease.

A renowned educator and scholar, Dr. Koo is the founding editor of the Journal of Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis and has served on the editorial boards of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology and other major medical journals. He is a founding member of the Association for Psychocutaneous Medicine of North America, serves on the Medical Advisory Board of the National Psoriasis Foundation (NPF), and previously chaired the joint AAD/NPF Psoriasis Expert Resource Group (PERG). He has authored or co-authored more than 300 peer-reviewed articles and textbook chapters, and his career honors include the NPF Lifetime Achievement Award, the American Skin Association Research Award, and consistent recognition among the nation's top medical dermatologists.

Dr. Koo earned his medical degree from Harvard Medical School, where he was a Harvard National Scholar. He completed his psychiatry internship and residency at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), serving as Chief Resident, followed by his dermatology residency at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF).