Understanding why some vitiligo patches repigment while others stay white
Official title: Determining how local factors influence repigmentation in stable vitiligo
Funded at University of California-Irvine · NIH-11345798 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant studies why certain vitiligo patches repigment in some areas after treatment and why others persist, aiming to make treatments faster and more even.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Career grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California-Irvine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Irvine, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2023 |
| Project end | May 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $176,256 |
| NIH project number | 5K08AR081406-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11345798 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with vitiligo undergoing NBUVB therapy, especially those with uneven repigmentation or persistent depigmented areas.
✕Less likely to help
Patients not undergoing NBUVB therapy or those without persistent depigmentation may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
Vitiligo causes patches of skin to lose pigment due to immune attack on pigment cells. The project uses advanced imaging and genetic profiling to see how skin cells and immune cells interact in areas that respond to therapy versus those that don’t. By mapping signals from keratinocytes and how they affect T cells and melanocytes, researchers hope to uncover why repigmentation is uneven. The findings could guide more effective treatment strategies and new targets to boost repigmentation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to more consistent repigmentation and shorter, easier treatment for people with vitiligo.
How similar studies have gone: Preliminary studies using imaging and single-cell analysis have linked skin cell states to treatment responses, suggesting potential for meaningful advances.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California-Irvine
Irvine, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Shiu, Jessica — University of California-Irvine
- Study coordinator: Shiu, Jessica
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Cell communications and tissue memory in vitiligo
This grant looks at how skin cells talk to each other and how these conversations may drive vitiligo, with the goal of finding new ways to treat or manage the condition.
-
Autoreactive T Cell Function in Vitiligo
A study in people with vitiligo and related models aims to understand how skin-homing T cells drive pigment loss and how this knowledge could lead to better treatments.
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Understanding why the immune system targets skin in vitiligo and how this causes lasting damage
A research program is studying how immune cells attack pigment cells in the skin of people with vitiligo and what drives this autoimmune process.
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Understanding Cell Communication and Tissue Memory in Vitiligo
This project aims to understand how skin cells communicate and remember past events in people with vitiligo, hoping to find new ways to treat the condition.
-
Understanding T Cells in Vitiligo
This research explores how certain immune cells, called T cells, cause the skin condition vitiligo, which leads to white spots on the skin.
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Understanding Autoimmunity in Vitiligo
This project aims to understand how the immune system attacks skin cells in people with vitiligo, causing white patches.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.