Dr. Donna Culton, MD, PhD

Dr. Culton completed her medical degree at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.  While there she also earned her PhD in Immunology with a focus on autoimmunity, autoreactive B cell development, and regulation mechanisms of autoreactive lymphocytes. Following her Dermatology residency, she began researching the pathophysiology to pemphigus and pemphigoid through basic science and translational research. 

Her research interests include understanding dysregulated immune mechanisms and improving treatments for a variety of chronic mucocutaneous diseases. In her current position as Professor of Dermatology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, she serves as the Director of the Clinical Immunofluorescence Laboratory and the Director of the Dermatology Clinical Trials Unit.  She sees pemphigus, pemphigoid, and oral lichen planus patients from North Carolina and neighboring states in her specialty Autoimmune Blistering and Mucosal Disorder clinic.  She serves as an investigator in clinical trials and has contributed to consensus statement publications as part of the International Blistering Disease Consensus Group and the ImmunobulloUS Consortium. 

She supports outreach, education, and advocacy through her involvement with the International Pemphigus and Pemphigoid Foundation and the International Lichen Planus Foundation. Her primary focus is to improve the lives of patients with mucocutaneous immune-mediated disorders through improved understanding of pathophysiology, education, advocacy, and multidisciplinary collaboration.