Ellen Marmur, M.D. ’99, took a unique path to founding Marmur Medical, her dermatology practice established in 2012.
In her youth, Ellen was an award-winning artist. She majored in philosophy at Vassar College and even considered becoming a rabbi. In her 20s, she was a wilderness survival guide and led canoe trips in Canada. It was during one of these trips that she discovered her passion for medicine: When a camper injured an ankle, she realized, “You can take medicine with you everywhere and help anyone.” This experience led her to take pre-med classes at the University of California, Berkeley, before arriving at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in 1995.
Reading the Skin
Ellen initially leaned towards obstetrics and gynecology until a dermatology class led by Dr. Michael Fisher changed her direction. “The first day, he took us outside to sit on the grass, a stark contrast to the long nights of deliveries,” she recalls. “He asked us simple questions like, ‘If somebody comes to you with dandruff, what do you think?’ I thought they just needed a shower, but a brilliant resident explained it could be a sign of Parkinson’s disease or AIDS. The answers showed an encyclopedic understanding of the human body through visual acuity.” Ellen graduated from Einstein with Alpha Omega Alpha honors, distinction in melanoma vaccine research, and the American Medical Women’s Association Award.
During her internal medicine training at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, she met her husband, Dr. Jonathan Marmur, nephew of esteemed Einstein researcher Dr. Julius Marmur. Ellen specialized in dermatologic surgery during her residency at New York-Presbyterian Weill Cornell Hospital and completed a fellowship in Mohs and laser surgery.
Today, Dr. Marmur integrates her artistic talent, caring nature, and love of the outdoors into her holistic approach at Marmur Medical, a 25-person, woman-led practice with two Manhattan locations.
More Than Skin Deep
“I’ve always been a visual person, and dermatology is about patterns, colors, and textures on the skin that tell a story,” she says. “Your priority should always be protecting your skin with moisturizer and sunscreen. But health also involves keeping in shape, protecting your body, and aging well.” She calls her philosophy Preservation Aging®. Key elements include a true commitment to sufficient sleep, exercise, a healthy diet, hydration, stress reduction, and mental health. Her Preservation Aging treatments activate the body’s powerful healing systems.
Light As Therapy with MMSkincare
A key component of Preservation Aging is photobiomodulation—healing with wavelengths of light. “Different wavelengths can regenerate collagen, elastin, and other structures damaged by aging, pollution, and sun exposure,” she explains. In a recent study using translational genomics, her team found that serums activated by light rejuvenate the skin. “We used our FDA cleared green LED light plus photosomes and adaptogens in a serum on one side of the face, and just the serum on the other side,” she says. “The LED side showed a significant reduction in inflammatory pathways involved in psoriasis and eczema, and an upregulation of pathways involved in skin and fat regeneration.” Dr. Marmur’s published research has also pioneered injectable fillers for temples, jawlines, lips, and hands.
Marmur Medical offers everything from annual skin cancer screenings to advanced cosmetic dermatology procedures such as lasers, injectables, blepharoplasty, liposuction, and regenerative medicine. “I love being with my patients through their life milestones,” she says. “It’s the spiritual side of being a doctor.”
Safety Under the Sun and Giving Back
Dr. Marmur has been a skin cancer patient herself. “In 2007, I noticed a pink bump on my nose,” she says. A biopsy identified basal cell carcinoma. It was removed, but more skin cancers appeared, including a melanoma on her knee. “I loved being outdoors and tanning, but I did everything wrong,” she admits. To raise awareness, she spearheaded the Skin Cancer, Take a Hike initiative with the American Academy of Dermatology, supporting education and screening. “We estimate we’ve prevented 5,000 melanomas,” she notes. The AAD has honored her with the 2011 Presidential Citation and the 2014 Presidential Award for Philanthropic Effort. She currently chairs the AAD's Philanthropic Relations Committee.
From College to Career and Tikkun Olam
Dr. Marmur, also a clinical professor of dermatology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, advises new dermatology grads: “You don’t have to achieve everything in your first five years. The learning curve is steep. Give yourself grace and patience. Ask for advice, take it slow, and you’ll get there.”
Reflecting on her career, she aligns her values with her mother, Betty, who spent her life focused on giving. “Tikkun olam, the Jewish tradition of making the world a better place, has been profoundly fulfilling for me and my husband. For us, giving back to Einstein’s future physicians is an honor.”
Together they established the Ellen and Jonathan Marmur Endowed Scholarship in support of students to offset the costs of attending Einstein. The Marmurs have also made a bequest, which includes the College of Medicine as part of their estate planning, making them members of the Albert Einstein Legacy Society.
Ellen and Jonathan are also proud parents of four adult children, who continue to inspire their commitment to community and service.
