I am a physician-scientist who focuses my clinical and research efforts on vitiligo, and therefore I think about this disease a lot – all the time, in fact. Therefore I thought it would be helpful to share my thoughts with others who are interested in vitiligo as well, particularly the patients who suffer from it and their loved ones. I want to make clear that while I am affiliated with many vitiligo organizations, my comments in this blog are my own, and do not reflect the opinions of those organizations. In addition, my research is largely focused on finding new treatments, and ultimately a cure, for vitiligo. This work is supported by a number of sources, including pharmaceutical companies, which by definition creates potential conflicts of interest. In full disclosure, here is a list of our vitiligo research supporters. Please know that, to the best of my ability, all of my comments are unbiased reflections of my understanding of vitiligo as both a physician and scientist. I do not permit advertisements on my website, and do not endorse companies or products that may advertise on other sites that may be referenced here.
Boston will turn purple for World Vitiligo Day on June 25, 2024. The Prudential Tower and Boylston Plaza will be lit up purple to raise awareness for vitiligo. World Vitiligo Day is a day to show support for those living with vitiligo and to promote inclusivity.
The VIGOR study is just one of the groundbreaking initiatives in vitiligo research happening at UMass Chan Medical School. Many of the VIGOR researchers, plus several others recently gathered for the first annual Vitiligo Center of Research Translation (VCORT) Symposium held at UMass Chan Medical School in Worcester, MA.
This week I had the privilege of visiting the Massachusetts State House for an indoor rally hosted by VITFriends, a non-profit vitiligo patient advocacy group whose focus is to bring the vitiligo community together and raise awareness about vitiligo. I met with many members of the community, and we were joined by State Representative Rob Consalvo to talk about advances in vitiligo.
Recently, I had the opportunity to visit the UMass Chan Medical School (UMass Chan), Vitiligo Clinic and Research Center in Worcester, MA. The visit gave me the privilege to interview Dr. John E. Harris, about his research, tour his lab, and even learn from his team of researchers. The session was not only educational but also an eye opener. I wanted to share what I learnt with others who follow his research.