"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.

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.

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

I recently discovered that Lego would be releasing a set containing a minifigure with vitiligo and I could not be more excited! In the past few years, vitiligo has been recognized more and more outside our community, including a possible representation as the villain Domino in Deadpool 2 and Barbie dolls with vitiligo spots.

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.