"Speaking of Vitiligo..."

World Vitiligo Day isn't just a date on the calendar, it's a global movement dedicated to raising awareness, advocating for people with vitiligo, and fostering a strong sense of community. Every June 25th, we unite under the color purple, not just for awareness, but to celebrate the remarkable journey we share.

I’m on a plane back home from 2024 World Vitiligo Day celebrations in Indianapolis! This year was unique, in that 3 different meetings were planned together, including a new children’s camp for kids with vitiligo, the first educational session for dermatology trainees to learn how to care for vitiligo patients, and then the advocacy meeting for people with vitiligo. It was a huge success! 

Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors are a class of medications that target specific enzymes (JAK proteins) involved in signaling pathways that drive the immune system. By inhibiting these enzymes, JAK inhibitors can modulate the immune response, making them effective in treating various inflammatory conditions.

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.

Dr. John Harris discusses breakthroughs in vitiligo and how they've helped advance treatment options for many autoimmune diseases

I’ve received many requests for updates about Villaris Therapeutics, the first company that I founded three and a half years ago to develop a new treatment for vitiligo. I am excited to share that an agreement was announced today whereby Villaris Therapeutics will be acquired by Incyte!

I am excited to announce that we have received a 5-year P50 grant from the NIH/NIAMS that will establish the Vitiligo Center of Research Translation (VCORT) here at UMass Chan to advance our vitiligo research. The objective of the VCORT is to conduct exceptional translational science that reveals key mechanistic insights in a diverse, informed, and highly collaborative environment.

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.

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RSVP study is specifically for those who have treatment-resistant vitiligo that is STABLE, or not changing for at least 1 year. The process being tested is to transplant pigment cells from one part of the body without vitiligo to another part that is affected by 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.