Eric Tkaczyk

Dr. Eric Tkaczyk serves as Assistant Professor in both the Department of Dermatology at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine and the Department of Biomedical Engineering. He is the founding Director of the Vanderbilt Dermatology Translational Research Clinic (VDTRC) and works as a Staff Physician at the Department of Veterans Affairs, Nashville Dermatology and Research Services.

His educational background includes:

• Dermatology Residency - Vanderbilt University
• Post-doctoral Training in Physics - University of Tartu, Estonia
• Doctor of Medicine - University of Michigan
• Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical Engineering - University of Michigan
• Bachelor of Science in Mathematics - Purdue University

Dr. Tkaczyk's research focuses on applying biomedical optics and artificial intelligence to dermatological diagnosis and treatment. His work centers on developing noninvasive technologies for skin assessment, particularly for conditions like graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) following bone marrow transplants. His interdisciplinary approach combines engineering principles with clinical dermatology to create objective measurement tools that improve diagnosis and treatment monitoring.

His publications demonstrate strong emphasis on AI applications in dermatology, particularly for measuring skin conditions like erythema and sclerosis. His work bridges clinical practice with technological innovation, focusing on practical applications that can be directly translated to patient care settings.

Dr. Tkaczyk has received several prestigious awards:

• Fulbright Award for post-doctoral training
• Whitaker Award for medical device design
• Estonian-American Innovation Award (2011)
• Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE)

As Director of the VDTRC, Dr. Tkaczyk leads a multidisciplinary team of clinicians and engineers focused on integrating technology with patient care. His clinic has secured significant research funding, including a $4.2 million NIH grant for AI patient assessment. The VDTRC serves as a platform for direct clinical translation of engineering innovations in dermatology, oncology, and related specialties.

The Vanderbilt Dermatology Translational Research Clinic, founded in 2016, specializes in developing and validating skin assessment tools. Current projects include AI technology for measuring skin erythema and handheld devices for assessing skin mechanical properties in sclerotic conditions. The clinic supports photography and skin scoring protocols for multicenter trials in conditions like Stevens-Johnson Syndrome and mpox.