Maxwell Fung, M.D.

Maxwell A. Fung, M.D. (Director) is Board-certified in Dermatology and Dermatopathology and has been engaged in the full-time practice of academic medicine as an attending physician for over 20 years. Dr. Fung wears two patient care hats: one as a dermatopathologist who interprets skin biopsy specimens, and one as a dermatologist evaluating patients at the bedside (by physician-to-physician consultation only). His clinical interests include the evaluation and management of stubborn itchy rashes that elude conventional classification. His original research focuses on ways to improve diagnostic accuracy and communication between practicing dermatologists and dermatopathologists in ways that are practical and of immediate clinical relevance (see eosinophils, alopecia, dermal hypersensitivity, epidermotropism versus exocytosis, caterpillar bodies, dysplastic nevus, morphea, psoriasis). Dr. Fung also enjoys collaborating with world-class scientists for basic research endeavors (see galectin-3, comparative transcriptomics, microparticles, Western diet).

Dr. Fung was born and raised in Sacramento, a graduate of John F. Kennedy Sr. High School. After completing undergraduate studies at Stanford University and medical school at University of California San Francisco, he completed an internship in Internal Medicine at Beth Israel Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts. Dermatology residency training and chief residency were served at UC San Francisco, followed by dermatopathology fellowship training at Cornell University Medical Center under the direction of N. Scott McNutt, MD.

From 1998 to 2002, Dr. Fung was Assistant Professor at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine, attending the Dermatopathology Service and Dermatology Clinics. During this time, he also directed the Multi-Disciplinary Cutaneous Lymphoma Clinic. Since joining UC Davis in 2002, Dr. Fung has received a multiple teaching awards from the Departments of Dermatology and Pathology and Laboratory Medicine.  Dr. Fung is a member Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society and has served as President of the Sacramento Valley Dermatology Society.

Dr. Fung is the founding and current Director of the UC Davis Dermatopathology Service and serves as the CLIA & CAP Medical Director.  In the Dermatology Department, Dr. Fung is Executive Vice Chair for Academic Affairs and is a former Department Mentoring Director.  Regionally, Dr. Fung is a dermatopathology consultant for the Sacramento Valley Dermatology Society and, prior to COVID-19 enjoyed attending local journal club meetings for nearly two decades.  

Dr. Fung serves on three Editorial Boards: Journal of Cutaneous Pathology, Clinical & Experimental Dermatology, and Dermatology Online Journal, and is a Faculty Member of Faculty Opinions (Dermatologic Pathology Section). Dr. Fung has served as a Vice Chair for the Dermatology Foundation and serves on the Test Development and Advisory Committee for the American Board of Dermatology and Pathology (Dermatopathology). Dr. Fung has also served on the Board of Directors (Member-At-Large), American Society of Dermatopathology and two terms as a Member of the Executive Committee of the International Society of Dermatopathology.  Dr. Fung enjoys lecturing, including meetings of the American Academy of Dermatology, American Society of Dermatopathology, International Society of Dermatopathology, College of American Pathologists, and Board Review courses. Dr. Fung has published over 100 original manuscripts and textbook chapters. He enjoys tennis, on- and off-road cycling, piano, attending Kings games, and spending time with his wife and children.

Title: Professor of Clinical Dermatology and Pathology; Director, UC Davis Dermatopathology Service

Specialty: Dermatology, Dermatopathology

Undergraduate Education: Stanford University, Stanford, California, A.B. 1989 with distinction

Medical Education: University of California-San Francisco, San Francisco, California, M.D. 1993

Internship: Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 1993-94, Internal Medicine.

Residency: University of California-San Francisco, San Francisco, California 1994-97, Chief Resident 1996-97, Dermatology

Fellowships: Cornell Medical Center New York, NY, 1997-98, Dermatopathology

Board Certifications:
American Board of Dermatology, 1997 (re-certified, 2006, 2016)
American Board of Dermatology and American Board of Pathology with qualification in Dermatopathology, 1998

Professional Memberships: 
American Academy of Dermatology
American Society of Dermatopathology
College of American Pathologists
Dermatology Foundation
International Society of Dermatopathology

Editorial Boards:
Clinical and Experimental Dermatology

Dermatology Online Journal

Journal of Cutaneous Pathology

Honors: 
Teaching Awards: UC Davis Department of Dermatology (2002, 2006, 2011), UC Davis Department of Pathology (2006), Osler Institute (2004)

Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society
Phi Beta Kappa Society

Selected Publications:

Toussi A, Merleev A, Barton VR, Le ST, Marusina A, Luxardi G, Kirma J, Xing X, Adamopoulos IE, Fung MA, Raychaudhuri SP, Shimoda M, Gudjonsson JE, Maverakis E. Transcriptome mining and B cell depletion support a role for B cells in psoriasis pathophysiology. J Dermatol Sci. 2019 Dec;96(3):181-184.

Yang S, Draznin M, Fung MA. The "Line Sign" Is a Rapid and Efficient Diagnostic "Test" for Morphea: Clinicopathological Study of 73 Cases. Am J Dermatopathol. 2018 Dec;40(12):873-878.

Chau T, Parsi KK, Ogawa T, Kiuru M, Konia T, Li CS, Fung MA. Psoriasis or not? Review of 51 clinically confirmed cases reveals an expanded histopathologic spectrum of psoriasis. J Cutan Pathol. 2017 Dec;44(12):1018-1026.

Ogawa T, Kiuru M, Konia TH, Fung MA. Acantholytic squamous cell carcinoma is usually associated with hair follicles, not acantholytic actinic keratosis, and is not "high risk": Diagnosis, management, and clinical outcomes in a series of 115 cases.  J Am Acad Dermatol. 2017 Feb;76(2):327-333.

Petukhova TA, Tartar DM, Mayo K, Fung MA, Tuscano J, Jagdeo J. Erythema Nodosum-like Septal Panniculitis Secondary to Lenalidomide Therapy in a Patient With Janus Kinase 2-Positive Myelofibrosis. J Drugs Dermatol. 2016 Aug 1;15(8):1024-5. 

Shi VY, Tran K, Patel F, Leventhal J, Konia T, Fung MA, Wilken R, Garcia MS, Fitzmaurice SD, Joo J, Monjazeb AM, Burrall BA, King B, Martinez S, Christensen SD, Maverakis E. 100% Complete response rate in patients with cutaneous metastatic melanoma treated with intralesional interleukin (IL)-2, imiquimod, and topical retinoid combination therapy: results of a case series. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2015 Oct;73(4):645-54.

Loh E, Armstrong AW, Fung MA. Pre-bisection of a single skin biopsy does not produce technically inadequate specimens for direct immunofluorescence: a review of 3450 specimens. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2015 Oct;73(4):645-54.

Fung MA, Sharon VR, Ratnarathorn M, Konia TH, Barr KL, Mirmirani P. Elastin staining patterns in primary cicatricial alopecia. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2013 Nov;69(5):776-82.

Sharon VR, Konia TH, Barr KL, Fung MA. Assessment of the 'no eosinophils' rule: are eosinophils truly absent in pityriasis lichenoides, connective tissue disease, and graft-vs.-host disease? J Cutan Pathol. 2012 Apr;39(4):413-8.

Tu KL, Sharon VR, Fung MA. What on earth?!: diatomaceous earth as evidence of delusional infestation. J Cutan Pathol. 2011 Oct;38(10):761-4.

Liu YC, Fung MA. Angiosarcoma with pseudoepidermotropism in a patient with breast cancer: a mimic of epidermotropic metastatic adenocarcinoma. Am J Dermatopathol. 2011 Jun;33(4):400-2.

Garcia MS, Ono Y, Martinez SR, Chen SL, Goodarzi H, Phan T, Wehrli LN, Miyamura Y, Fung MA, Maverakis E. Complete regression of subcutaneous and cutaneous metastatic melanoma with high dose intralesional interleukin 2 in combination with topical imiquimod and retinoid cream. Melanoma Res. 2011 Jun;21(3):235-43.

Barr KL, Konia TH, Fung MA. Lupus erythematosus-like imiquimod reaction: a diagnostic pitfall. Journal of Cutaneous Pathology 2011;38:346-50

Cheng LS, Mulgrew K, Lin S, Idriss N, Eisen DB, Fung MA, Armstrong AW. A pale version. American Journal of Medicine 2010 Sep;123:802-4.

Fung MA. “Epidermotropism” versus “exocytosis” of lymphocytes 101: definitions of terms. Journal of Cutaneous Pathology 2010;37:525-9. Epub 2010 Feb 4.

Sharon V, Goodarzi H, Chambers CJ, Fung MA, Armstrong AW. Erythema induratum of Bazin. Dermatol Online J. 2010 Apr 15;16(4):1.

Wadhera A, Maverakis E, Mitsiades N, Lara P, Fung MA, Lynch PJ. Thymoma-associated multiorgan autoimmunity: a graft-versus-host-like disease. J Am Acad Dermatol 2007;57:683-89.

Gettler SL, Fung MA. Efficacy of treatments for mycosis fungoides and Sezary syndrome: nationwide survey responses. Dermatology Online Journal 2005;11(3):6.

McNutt NS, Fung MA. More about panniculitis and lymphoma. Journal Cutaneous Pathology 2004; (4):297-9.

Fung MA. Terminology and management of dysplastic nevi: responses from 145 dermatologists. Archives Dermatology 2003; 139(10):1374-5.

Fung MA, Murphy MJ, Hoss DM, Berke A, Grant-Kels JM. The sensitivity and specificity of "caterpillar bodies" in the differential diagnosis of subepidermal blistering disorders. American Journal Dermatopathology 2003;25(4):287-90.

Fung MA. The clinical histopathologic spectrum of so-called "dermal hypersensitivity reactions," a non-specific histologic diagnosis that is not very helpful in clinical practice: and the concept of a "dermal hypersensensitivity reaction pattern. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology 2002;47:898-907.

Fung MA, Murphy MJ, HOSS DM, Grant-Kels JM. Practical evaluation and management of cutaneous lymphoma. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology 2002;46:325-357.

Fung MA, LeBoit PE. Incidence of penile lichen sclerosus. [letter] Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology 2001;44;878-879.

Fung MA, Berger TG. A prospective study of acute-onset steroid acne associated with administration of intravenous corticosteroids. Dermatology 2000;200;43-44.

Fung MA, LeBoit PE, Maibach HI. Coalescing green and yellowpapules on the feet: focal bilirubin deposition (cutaneous bile pigment deposition). Archives of Dermatology 2000;136;113.

Fung MA, LeBoit PE. Light Microscopic criteria for the diagnosis of early vulvar lichen sclerosus: a comparison with lichen planus. American Journal of Surgical Pathology 1998;22:473-478.

To schedule an appointment and to see if Dr. Fung is accepting new patients please call: 916-734-6111