JiaDe "Jeff" Yu, MD

Personalized care for eczema and allergic skin conditions — with cutting-edge insight and compassion

JiaDe (Jeff) Yu, M.D. is a dual board-certified dermatologist and pediatric dermatologist and chair of the Department of Dermatology. Originally from Richmond, Dr. Yu attended VCU as an undergraduate, followed by the University of Virginia School of Medicine. He completed training at top institutions across the country, completing his pediatric internship at Massachusetts General Hospital for Children, the largest teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School. He finished his dermatology residency at Medical College of Wisconsin, where he was chief resident, and a pediatric dermatology fellowship at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

His academic career has been marked by significant contributions to both clinical practice and research, with particular emphasis on understanding how allergic skin diseases develop. Dr. Yu has published over 100 articles in leading medical journals including the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, British Journal of Dermatology, and Dermatitis. He has been principal investigator on multiple clinical trials and secured research funding from foundations, industry and private sources. His work has been recognized nationally and internationally with invited lectureships given throughout the world. He has been featured in The New York Times as well as a special guest on Sirius XM’s Doctor Radio.

He is president of the American Contact Dermatitis Society and on the board of the Pediatric Dermatology Research Alliance, as well as a counselor in the International Eczema Council and a member of the North American Contact Dermatitis Group. He is also an associate editor for the Pediatric Dermatology journal and serves on the editorial board of Dermatitis.

In 2025, he returned to his hometown with a long-term goal: to help grow the Department of Dermatology into one of the strongest in the Commonwealth and the country.

“We are building a department that serves as a referral base for complex dermatologic conditions — not just for patients and other doctors at VCU, but for community dermatologists and specialists across the region,” he says.

Known for his thoughtful, collaborative approach, Dr. Yu believes the best care starts with honest conversation.

“I see a lot of patients with itchy, scaly rashes,” Dr. Yu says. “The most common condition I treat is eczema, or atopic dermatitis. But not every case of eczema is the same…and sometimes it’s not eczema at all.”

One of his main areas of expertise is allergic contact dermatitis, a type of rash triggered by contact with specific substances, such as shampoo ingredients, metals in jewelry or implants, and even sunscreen. To help pinpoint the root issue, Dr. Yu uses a diagnostic tool called patch testing, a specialized test focused on substances that touch the skin.

“We will be one of the very few places in Virginia offering this kind of testing and the only academic center in the state to do it comprehensively,” he says.

Dr. Yu is at the forefront of rapidly advancing eczema research, especially around the immune system and how inflammation develops in the skin. That’s led to the development of targeted treatments that can bring real relief to patients who’ve struggled for years.

“These new therapies work by targeting one specific molecule or immune pathway,” he says. “They’ve really changed the way we treat eczema, and they’ve helped a lot of patients who never found anything that worked before.”

“I don’t believe in rushing through appointments,” he says. “I want to know how a condition is affecting your life, and how you want to move forward. Some patients want to be aggressive with treatment. Others want to start slow. Every treatment plan should be tailored to the individual.”

Outside the clinic, Dr. Yu enjoys long-distance running — with a goal of completing a marathon in every U.S. state — and exploring coffees grown worldwide.