UMass Chan Department of Dermatology

Seeing yourself represented in the world around you is powerful.

We’re thrilled to see dolls, Legos, and even video games finally featuring vitiligo! It's a huge step towards inclusivity and representation. Our latest blog post dives into why this matters and how it can empower children to feel confident in their own unique skin.

Imagine a world where every child can look at their toys and see themselves reflected back. What a difference it could make!

What toys would you love to see feature vitiligo?

Vitiligo Representation in Toys Vitiligo representation is growing in toys! Dolls, video games, and more now feature vitiligo. This promotes acceptance and understanding of vitiligo.

Mark your calendars, Boston! On June 25, 2024, the iconic Prudential Tower and the Boylston Plaza will turn on their purple lights in honor of World Vitiligo Day and Vitiligo Awareness Month. This dazzling display is a powerful symbol of solidarity for those living with vitiligo, a skin condition that causes pigment loss.

Boston Goes Purple for World Vitiligo Day Boston goes purple for World Vitiligo Day (June 25th, 2024)! Landmarks lit up to raise awareness for vitiligo.

🌟 Exciting News! Join Us for the VIGOR Q&A: Meet the Investigators Webinar! 🌟

📅 Date: Tuesday, January 16, 2024
🕒 Time: 7:00pm EST

Discover the world of vitiligo research as we bring you an engaging session with the lead investigators of our VIGOR study – John Harris, MD, PhD, and Manuel Garber, PhD. This is your chance to dive deep into the study's objectives, goals, and the passion that fuels our team's commitment to advancing our understanding of vitiligo.

👥 Meet the Investigators:
Learn more about the remarkable journey of our renowned experts, their collaboration, and the impact they are making in the world of vitiligo research.

🔍 Study Overview:
Get an in-depth understanding of the VIGOR study, designed to unravel the mysteries of vitiligo. Explore how this research contributes to our knowledge of the causes of vitiligo and aids in predicting individuals at risk.

❓ Ask Your Questions:
This is YOUR opportunity to engage directly with the investigators! Whether you have questions about vitiligo, inquiries about the study methodology, or you're curious about the potential impact of the research – our experts are here to provide answers.

🌐 Don't miss this exclusive chance to connect with the leading minds in vitiligo research and be part of a community dedicated to making a difference! We look forward to having you with us on Tuesday, January 16, 2024, at 7:00 pm EST.

🔗 Register Today!

VIGOR Q&A: Meet the Investigators! Discover the world of vitiligo research as we bring you an engaging session with the lead investigators of our VIGOR study Join us for an engaging and informative webinar where you'll have the exclusive opportunity to connect with the lead investigators of our VIGOR study. This session aims to provide a deeper insight into the groundbreaking research being conducted in this study and to address any questions you may hav...

🔬 Exciting Opportunity to Contribute to Vitiligo Research! 🔬

Do you or a family member have vitiligo? We invite you to participate in a groundbreaking study led by Clinicians and Researchers at UMass Chan Medical School. Our goal? To understand the causes of vitiligo and predict who might be at risk of developing it in the future.

🧬 What's Special About This Study?
1. Genetic Insights: We aim to uncover how genes influence who develops vitiligo.
2. 5-Year Commitment: Your participation could directly contribute to the search for a vitiligo cure over the next five years.
3. Fully Remote: No in-person visits required! Everything can be done from the comfort of your home.

📣 Who Can Enroll?
If you have vitiligo and you live in the United States or Canada, you're eligible to join the study. We also encourage enrolling your parents, siblings, or children who do not have vitiligo but might be at higher risk due to family history. Your contribution could make a significant impact!

🔗 Learn more about the VIGOR Study:
https://vigor.umassmed.edu/vigor/

Take a step towards advancing vitiligo research and finding potential treatments. Your participation matters! Visit the link above to explore the study's goals, science, and easily enroll by filling out a short form.

Let's come together to make a difference for those living with vitiligo!

Dr. John Harris recently spoke at the annual Hudson Hoagland Society meeting where he discussed breakthroughs in vitiligo and how they've helped advance treatment options for many autoimmune diseases. You can listen to the presentation in its entirety below!

Breakthrough in Skin Disease Advances Autoimmunity Treatment Dr. John Harris discusses breakthroughs in vitiligo and how they've helped advance treatment options for many autoimmune diseases

We’re excited to announce that our very own Sarah Whitley, MD, PhD has published a study on resident memory T cells and in the November issue of Science Immunology! Read more about it below.

Local IL-23 is required for proliferation and retention of skin-resident memory TH17 cells IL-23 from CD301b+ myeloid cells sustains the skin TH17 TRM reservoir to promote antifungal immunity and psoriasis-like inflammation.

Dr. John E. Harris, MD, PhD, professor and Chair of Dermatology, founding director of the Vitiligo Clinic and Research Center, and founding director of the Autoimmune Therapeutics Institute, is a dermatologist and physician-scientist, caring for patients in a vitiligo specialty clinic. Dr. Harris runs a large NIH-funded research laboratory focused on understanding what causes vitiligo in order to develop new treatments. His group integrates basic, translational, and clinical research strategies to accomplish this. As a result, early clinical trials in vitiligo look promising and more are being developed.

Dr. John E. Harris, Director of vitiligo clinical care and research Dr. Harris is a tenure-track Assistant Professor in the Dermatology Division, Department of Medicine at the University of Massachusetts Medical School (UMMS) in Worcester, MA.

Narrow-band ultraviolet light B is one of the most successful treatments for patients with vitiligo. It is largely safe when administered correctly, but requires a time commitment as it is most often performed in a dermatologist’s office 2-3x per week.

Vitiligo Treatments at UMass Chan Medical School There are a number of effective treatments that help improve vitiligo. These include topical creams and ointments, phototherapy, depigmentation creams, and more

The Vitiligo Clinic and Research Center is focused on the clinical diagnosis and treatment of vitiligo, and the study of vitiligo with the goal of developing new treatments. Subscribe to our newsletter to receive the latest updates from our center!

Subscribe to the Vitiligo Clinic's Newsletter Subscribe to UMass Chan’s Vitiligo Clinic and Research Center newsletter for clinical trial updates, news, and new information about treatments for vitiligo

With the discovery of many new treatments, we are now offering a variety of different clinical trials for vitiligo patients. These clinical trials offer patients the opportunity to try the newest drugs that are being developed and to contribute to discovering and testing them; thus, changing the future of vitiligo treatment.

Vitiligo Clinical Trials - UMass Chan Medical School We are now enrolling patients in clinical trials for vitiligo

There are a number of treatments available for vitiligo, and the type of treatment should be tailored for each patient, according to their needs. Visit our website for a list of treatment options that we offer.

Vitiligo Treatments at UMass Chan Medical School There are a number of effective treatments that help improve vitiligo. These include topical creams and ointments, phototherapy, depigmentation creams, and more

We are excited to announce that Villaris Therapeutics, the first company that Dr. John Harris founded to develop new treatment for vitiligo, will be acquired by Incyte. You can read more about the acquisition agreement here.

Update About Villaris Therapeutics I am excited to share that an agreement was announced today whereby Villaris Therapeutics will be acquired by Incyte!

Will you help us to learn about vitiligo? 🙌

Can we count on your help to conduct an important study to learn how vitiligo starts, stops, and returns? This study requires a large number of volunteers, so we are reaching out to gather information on the feasibility of recruiting participants. This will only work if we can get many volunteers to participate and stay in the study for the full period. Your response to this survey will tell us whether we might be able to recruit the necessary number of participants to make this important project a success. Our goal is to recruit individuals with vitiligo and a few of their family members who may be at increased risk of developing vitiligo.

Use this link below to get started! https://go.umassmed.edu/vitiligo-research-survey

Vitiligo Research Participation Survey Can we count on your help to conduct an important study to learn how vitiligo starts, stops, and returns? This study requires a large number of volunteers, so we are reaching out to gather information on the feasibility of recruiting participants. This will only work if we can get many volunteers to...

The RSVP Study is evaluating the RECELL System, an investigational device, for treating patients with stable . The study is being conducted at 15 locations across the United States, including UMass Chan Medical School.

To see if you qualify for this study, check out our website for more information: https://www.umassmed.edu/vitiligo/blog/blog-posts1/2021/11/vitiligo-repigmentation-study-opportunity/

Vitiligo Repigmentation Study Opportunity Treatment options for vitiligo remain limited. A new device is testing the effectiveness in repigmentation of stable vitiligo depigmented areas.

Treatment options for vitiligo remain limited. A new device is testing the effectiveness in repigmentation of stable vitiligo depigmented areas.

Discover more and see if you qualify to participate in this research study: https://vitiligorsvpstudy.mmgct.com/

New blog post - rising high school senior and aspiring researcher Sudhit Rao discusses vitiligo types, treatments, and more with
Dr. John Harris! Read more here: https://bit.ly/3ExKowh

Exciting update from the ruxolitinib cream Phase 3 trial: patients who used the cream have experienced 50-75-90% improvement after an additional year of treatment! The next step is FDA approval. You can read our latest blog post here: https://bit.ly/3wTWTxP

Phase 3 RUX Update - Vitiligo Research, new cream to treat vitiligo I’ve recently received many requests for an update on the new ruxolitinib cream to treat vitiligo. To remind everyone, we initially reported that oral ruxolitinib, a Janus Kinase inhibitor initially approved to treat a type of blood cancer, reversed disease in a patient with vitiligo.

MEET BABY YODA - thank you to John Yoder for his contribution to the clinic! This new equipment is made possible by supporters like you. Read about this new initiative here in our blog: https://bit.ly/3cL4W85
and check out https://bit.ly/3pUBUbs to donate!

We want YOUR name in our lab - we've decided to name some of our equipment after our wonderful donors! Check out the latest blog post to see how you can get involved: https://t.co/FPTXQtv2nE?amp=1

UMass Vitiligo Lab Equipment Naming - Put YOUR Name in our lab! As a THANK YOU to all who have supported us over the past few years, we decided to name some of the equipment that we recently purchased using your donations after the donors who sent us some, actually any, amount of funding.