MUSC Health Dermatology at East Cooper Medical Pavilion

Dr. Richard Marchell was born in Poughkeepsie, New York, and graduated from the University of Virginia and the State University of New York at Stony Brook School of Medicine. He then returned to the University of Virginia and completed two years of an internal medicine residency. After his internal medicine training, he completed his residency in dermatology in June of 2005 at the State University of New York at Stony Brook and then joined the faculty of the Department of Dermatology at the Medical University of South Carolina, where he is currently an associate professor and residency program director. He is interested primarily in medical dermatology and skin cancer. He belongs to the American Academy of Dermatology and the International Dermoscopy Society.

Dr. Henry Kearse was born in Orangeburg, South Carolina, and earned an undergraduate degree in microbiology from Clemson University in 1977. He graduated from the Medical University of South Carolina in 1981. Dr. Kearse completed a pediatric internship and residency at Overlook Hospital, Summit, New Jersey, an affiliate of Columbia University, New York, NY. Following his pediatric training, he completed his residency in dermatology in 1987 at Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, Pennsylvania. He returned to Summerville, South Carolina, in 1987, where he established his dermatology practice. Dr. Kearse is currently a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Dermatology, and continues to practice in his Summerville office. He is interested primarily in medical dermatology, pediatric dermatology and skin cancer.

Dr. Laura J. Gardner, M.D. M.S., is a board-certified dermatology physician who specializes in medical dermatology and skin cancer excisions. She has a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry from Utah State University, a Masters degree in Bioengineering from the University of Utah, and earned her Doctorate in Medicine from the University of Utah where she was inducted into the Gold Humanism Honor Society by her peers and faculty for her contribution to humanism, outstanding leadership abilities, sensitivity, honesty, and good judgement. She was then an intern physician in Spokane, Washington before completing her dermatology residency training at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville where she served as Chief Resident and was awarded the Lloyd E. King Jr. Excellence in Teaching Award. Her clinical interests include the intersection between neurodevelopmental disorders/ADHD/autism and the skin as well as pruritus/itch, urticaria/hives, autoinflammatory syndromes, complex medical dermatology, supportive oncodermatology, rosacea, melasma, and acne. She values collaborating with patients and their other doctors on coming up with the best treatment plans and likes to think creatively on ways to improve her patients' skin. She believes that knowledge is power and has spent time creating personalized handouts and product recommendations for her patients. Dr. Gardner enjoys taking care of patients of all ages, ethnicities, and backgrounds.