Lowell A. Goldsmith, MD, MPH, former Dean of the University of Rochester School of Medicine and a pioneering dermatologist, died on July 10, 2024, at the age of 86.

"Below the easygoing exterior, Lowell was always determined to accomplish something of value, and he never gave up until he had achieved his goal," said Howard Baden, MD, Professor of Dermatology at the Massachusetts General Hospital.

Dr. Goldsmith served as founding Chair of Dermatology at the University of Rochester and held faculty positions at Harvard Medical School, Duke University, and the University of North Carolina. He was recognized as a Master in Dermatology by the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) and received both the AAD Presidential Citation and Outstanding Service Award.

His academic contributions included serving as senior editor of Fitzpatrick's Dermatology in General Medicine's 8th edition and sole editor of the two-volume Biochemistry and Physiology of the Skin. He also edited the Journal of Investigative Dermatology for 5 years.

Dr. Goldsmith earned his MD from the State University of New York at Brooklyn and completed his internship at University of California, Los Angeles Medical Center. His training included research fellowships at the National Institutes of Health, Harvard, and Brandeis University.

He was president of both the American Dermatological Association and the Society for Investigative Dermatology. The Association of Professors of Dermatology established the Lowell Goldsmith Lectureship in 2013. His international influence was evidenced by honorary positions in dermatology societies across Poland, England, Germany, the Netherlands, and Japan.

Dr. Goldsmith retired from the University of North Carolina in 2009 after serving on their faculty since 2002.

Published online November 16, 2024, in JAMA Dermatology. doi:10.1001/jamadermatol.2024.5359