For eighteen years, Marie Gialleonardo remained a virtual prisoner in her home. Her problem: severe, uncontrolled psoriasis. She regarded the skin condition, which caused large, red, scaling patches over most of her body, too unsightly to be seen in public. Then too, practical considerations made dressing almost impossible. "My whole body was raw," recalls Ms. Gialleonardo. "I had to tape towels onto my legs because they were constantly oozing. I could never put on stockings. Instead, I lived in huge dresses that I changed four times a day. When I sat down, I would have to drape the furniture in towels."

For years, effective control of severe, recalcitrant psoriasis eluded the medical community. But today, many patients like Ms. Gialleonardo have been given a new life. How did such a dramatic turn of events occur? It began in 1978 with research into the use of a transplant drug, cyclosporin, for the treatment of psoriasis and culminated in FDA approval of the drug for this purpose last year. NYU Medical Center's Skin and Cancer Unit has been instrumental in this 19-year process.

At the Unit, Jerome Shupack, MD, Professor of Clinical Dermatology and Director of the Psoriasis Clinic, has participated in multi-center trials to determine the drug's safety and efficacy in treating psoriasis. During this time, he and his staff have been pivotal in establishing usage guidelines. Today, NYU has emerged as a leader in this use of cyclosporin, amassing more experience than any other center in the country. In fact, NYU is a major referral center for those with recalcitrant psoriasis that does not respond to more conservative treatment measures, such as topical medication or ultraviolet light therapy.