About

Marta J. Petersen is a physician specializing in complex medical dermatology at the University of Utah Health. She is board certified in both Internal Medicine and Dermatology and participates in Maintenance of Certification in Dermatology. Her main clinical focus includes the diagnosis and treatment of non-healing leg ulcers (non-diabetic), pyoderma gangrenosum, autoimmune skin diseases including blistering diseases, and skin eruptions related to underlying diseases. She serves as an associate executive director on the American Board of Dermatology, which certifies dermatologists. Her extensive expertise and compassionate care have earned her a high patient rating, with many patients expressing trust, confidence, and appreciation for her thorough, knowledgeable, and caring approach.

Research topics

• Medicine
• Pathology
• Dermatology
• Biology
• Cancer research
• Internal medicine
• Pharmacology

Selected publications

• A confounding clinically aggressive case of necrotizing granulomatous and suppurative dermatitis

  Dermatology Online Journal · 2024

  • Medicine
  • Dermatology
  • Pathology

  Superficial granulomatous pyoderma gangrenosum is a rare, superficial, vegetating form of pyoderma gangrenosum that tends to occur as a single lesion, most commonly on the trunk. Herein, we report a clinically confounding case of disseminated superficial granulomatous pyoderma gangrenosum in a patient with a 5-year history of painful and chronic ulcerations of the bilateral upper extremities and face in a sun exposed distribution. This was a diagnostically challenging case due to the treatment-refractory nature of our patient's skin lesions and the atypical clinical and histologic presentations encountered. We review our clinical decision process and acknowledge other entities that were considered during the clinical course of this case. Additionally, we discuss the lack of responsiveness to various treatment options with eventual successful clearance of this patient's active skin disease with initiation of adalimumab.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• P2.20-04 Differential Expression of Genes in Type A and B3 Thymomas and Thymic Carcinomas

  Journal of Thoracic Oncology · 2023

  • Medicine
  • Pathology
  • Cancer research
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Enhanced Synthesis of Collagenase by Human Keratinocytes Cultured on Type I or Type IV Collagen

  UNC Libraries · 2021-10-29

  articleOpen access

  Human keratinocytes in culture are known to produce collagenase. As part of studies to ascertain the physiologic stimuli for collagenase production by keratinocytes, we wanted to determine whether extracellular matrix could modulate the production of collagenase in vitro. Immunoprecipitable collagenase from the conditioned medium of cells grown on different types of matrix was measured. Metabolically labeled human keratinocytes were cultured in 0.1 mM calcium in serum-free medium on colloidal gold-coated coverslips plus type IV collagen, type I collagen, or laminin or in the absence of matrix. Immunoprecipitation of the conditioned medium with anti-collagenase antiserum was performed and the immunoprecipitates were analyzed by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, fluorography, and densitometry. The keratinocytes cultured on type IV or type I collagen produced more collagenase than did those cultured on laminin or in the absence of matrix. This effect did not reflect a general increase in secreted proteins, because the production of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase, or TIMP, did not increase under the same conditions. Phagocytosis of the gold salts by the keratinocytes migrating on types I or IV collagen did not account for the increased collagenase produced by these cells since the effect persisted in the absence of the colloidal gold and phagocytosis of latex beads did not augment collagenase production.

  PublisherDOI

• Dermatologic care of incarcerated patients: A single-center descriptive study of teledermatology and face-to-face encounters

  Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology · 2021-01-11 · 10 citations

  letterOpen access
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Severe EGFR inhibitor-induced acneiform eruption responding to dapsone

  Dermatology Online Journal · 2021 · 7 citations

  • Medicine
  • Dermatology
  • Pharmacology

  Epidermal growth factor receptor (EFGR) inhibitors are targeted chemotherapeutic agents that are effective in treating various epithelial cancers. Cutaneous adverse effects, most commonly acneiform/papulopustular eruption, can occur with these medications and limit their tolerability. In severe cases, patients may refuse treatment with EGFR inhibitors because of the significant impact on the quality of life and aesthetic discomfort. We present a 72-year-old-man with a history of EGFR+ non-small-cell lung carcinoma who developed a severe acneiform eruption secondary to afatinib that failed to improve with various traditional treatment modalities. The patient was treated with dapsone and his acneiform eruption resolved within two months of initiating therapy. Patient tolerated dapsone with no reported adverse effects and continues on low dose dapsone, as he will remain on afatinib indefinitely. Dapsone can be an effective therapy for refractory or severe cases of EGFR-induced acneiform eruptions. As in this case, dapsone may improve patient adherence to EGFR inhibitors, thereby allowing for effective therapy of underlying malignancy.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Histopathologic vasculitis from the periulcer edge: A retrospective cohort study

  Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology · 2019-08-27 · 13 citations

  articleSenior authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• Violaceous Patches in the Axilla

  JAMA Dermatology · 2018-07-25 · 2 citations

  articleSenior author

  A man in his 40s presented with dark red, circular lesions in his right axilla without pain, blisters, or other symptoms; after resolution with a topical cream, similar lesions appeared in his left axilla and inguinal folds 5 months later. What is your diagnosis?

  PublisherDOI

• Augmenting Telemonitoring Interventions by Targeting Patient Needs in a Primarily Hispanic Underserved Population

  Diabetes Spectrum · 2016-05-01 · 2 citations

  articleOpen access

  Underserved Hispanic patients are particularly vulnerable to problems associated with controlling diabetes. Hispanics not only are more susceptible to developing diabetes, but also have higher A1C values (1) and more severe diabetes-related complications. Hispanic Americans are 2.6 times more likely to start treatment for diabetes-related end-stage renal disease and have a 50% higher mortality rate than non-Hispanic whites (2). According to the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos, the prevalence of diabetes in the United States is 10.2% in South Americans, 13.4% in Cubans, 17.7% in Central Americans, 18% in Puerto Ricans and Dominicans, and 18.3% in Mexicans (3). Total yearly costs in 2010 for Hispanics with diabetes totaled $49.8 billion and are estimated to reach $109.9 billion in 2025 because of an expected 111% increase in diabetes cases (4). Many diabetes patients, including Hispanics, are overwhelmed by the high treatment burden of self-care demands (5). A retail pharmacy survey of individuals in five states found that many individuals with diabetes lack a focused management plan and may also be confused about specific health care issues (6). One particular obstacle is nonadherence to diabetes treatments. Hispanic patients have exhibited nonadherence behaviors related to their diabetes treatment, including medication nonadherence (7,8). Nonadherence is very costly (9), and savings of $5 billion annually are possible with improved medication adherence on the part of non-Hispanic and Hispanic patients alike. This could result in 341,000 fewer hospitalizations and 700,000 fewer emergency room visits (10). One tactic to mitigate nonadherence has been to involve pharmacists in diabetes management, particularly in primary care settings, where diabetes is a common diagnosis (11). Studies demonstrating the benefit of pharmacists in diabetes care and of their expertise in medication management highlight their importance as interdisciplinary team members (12–17). Including pharmacists in team-based …

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Violaceous papules and plaques associated with Crohn's disease

  Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology · 2016-12-14

  articleSenior authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis treatments: An Internet survey

  Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology · 2016-01-15 · 17 citations

  letterOpen access
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

Recent grants

• NIH Grant P01HD028528

  NIH · $9.5M · 2004

• NIH Grant R29AR041207

  NIH · $516k · 1997

• NIH Grant K08AR001787

  NIH · $403k · 1992

Frequent coauthors

• John J. Zone

  12 shared

• Jeffrey M. Coursey

  University of Utah

  8 shared

• Jeffrey R. Morgan

  Providence College

  7 shared

• Deb LaMarche

  eHealth Initiative

  6 shared

• Gerald G. Krueger

  6 shared

• Ted B. Taylor

  University of Utah

  6 shared

• Sarah Woolsey

  Utah Department of Health

  5 shared

• Conleth A. Egan

  Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital

  5 shared