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ASLMS 45th Annual Conference (2026) Main banner

    Rox Anderson, MD

    Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
    Harvard Medical School

    Dr. Rox Anderson, MD is the Lancer Endowed Chair in Dermatology and Director of the Wellman Center for Photomedicine at Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School in Boston MA, where he practices dermatology, teaches and performs research. Many of the medical laser and optical diagnostic systems now in widespread use, stem from research and development in his laboratory. These include lasers that use selective photothermolysis for treatment of cutaneous vascular and pigmented lesions, hair removal, tattoos, scars and acne. Fractional laser treatments, tissue cooling for selective fat reduction, and the first reflectance confocal microscope for human use also came from Dr. Anderson's laboratory. He also contributed to vascular-selective laser treatments in the larynx, and laser lithotripsy. His early work includes basic research on the optics of human tissues, optical radiation transport, and mechanisms of photosensitization. Current work includes new treatments for skin tumors of NF-1 neurofibromatosis, and development of injectable ice for cryolipolysis treatment of pain and sleep apnea. All of these contributions were made possible by teamwork and extensive collaborations, from early resesarch through clinical applications. Dr. Anderson has trained more than 50 full-time MD fellows in dermatology, many students and postdoctoral ressearch fellows, and has contributed about 300 original scientific and clinical research publications. He co-founded, teaches and serves at laser treatment clinics in Vietnam and Armenia that provide free care for children. He is a past president of ASLMS.

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