Oops, looks like you need to register to access this feature.
Select “Keep Exploring” to look around Scholars in Medicine. You have full access to all videos and podcasts for a limited time. Registration is provided at no cost exclusively for healthcare providers.
Sign Up or Log In
SIM - Scholars in Medicine Logo
Login
SIM - Scholars in Medicine Logo
Founding Sponsors
Register

Vitiligo

Drug Profile
Tacrolimus Ointment 0.03% , 0.1%
Drug Profile
Ruxolitinib cream
Drug Profile
Clobetasol Cream, 0.05%
Drug Profile
Ritlecitinib
John E. Harris, MD, PhD Vitilago Clinic and Research Center

Dr. Harris is the founding Director of the Vitiligo Clinic and Research Center, founding director of the Autoimmune Therapeutics Institute, and Professor and Chair in the Department of Dermatology at UMass Chan Medical School in Worcester, MA. Dr. Harris directs the Vitiligo Clinic and Research Center at UMass Chan Medical School, which incorporates a specialty clinic for the diagnosis and treatment of patients with vitiligo, as well as a vitiligo research laboratory. He uses basic, translational, and clinical research approaches to better understand autoimmunity in vitiligo, with a particular focus on developing more effective treatments. He earned his MD and PhD degrees at UMass Chan Medical School, and his PhD thesis was focused on the loss of autoimmune tolerance in juvenile diabetes. He entered a combined research/residency program in dermatology at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, PA, and his postdoctoral research focused on the development of a mouse model of vitiligo with epidermal depigmentation. He now advises multiple graduate students, MD/PhD students, and postdoctoral fellows in his research laboratory at UMass Chan, and teaches medical students and residents in his vitiligo clinic. He has authored multiple research publications and textbook chapters on vitiligo and other topics and serves on a number of advisory boards and committees, including the Dermatology Foundation, Skin of Color Society, Vitiligo Working Group, Vitiligo Research Foundation, National Alopecia Areata Foundation, American Academy of Dermatology and the New England Dermatology Society, among others. He is an advisor and collaborator with multiple pharmaceutical companies, including AbbVie, Combe Inc, Genzyme/Sanofi, and Pfizer. Dr. Harris is an ad hoc reviewer on grant applications for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Dermatology Foundation, and National Alopecia Areata Foundation, as well as multiple research journals, including Science Translational Medicine, the Journal of Clinical Investigation, the Journal of Investigative Dermatology, Pigment Cell & Melanoma Research, Experimental Dermatology, the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, JAMA Dermatology, and others. He receives generous grant support from the NIH, Dermatology Foundation, Kawaja Vitiligo Initiative, and the Vitiligo Research Foundation. He has lectured on vitiligo and other topics to local, regional, national, and international audiences.

Please Sign up or Login to access this feature.
Please Sign up or Login to access this feature.

Ask the Expert

Recent Questions

There are no questions yet.

Case Study thumbnail 109

Vitiligo - Case 1

1. Which diagnostic tool is essential for enhancing the visualization of vitiligo lesions, especially in fair-skinned patients?

Select only 1 answer.

  1. A. Dermatoscope
  2. B. Wood's Lamp
  3. C. Confocal microscopy
  4. D. Red light

2. Which of the following is INCORRECT about vitiligo?

Select only 1 answer.

  1. A. Onset before 20 years of age is common
  2. B. Affects 0.5% - 1% of the population
  3. C. ~25% of identical twins have concordant vitiligo
  4. D. Vitiligo is driven by Type I interferons such as interferon alpha and beta

3. Which autoimmune condition is MOST commonly associated with vitiligo?

Select only 1 answer.

  1. A. Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
  2. B. Type 1 Diabetes
  3. C. Rheumatoid Arthritis
  4. D. Autoimmune thyroiditis

4. Which of the following is the MOST CORRECT answer regarding clinical findings of active vitiligo?

Select only 1 answer.

  1. A. Confetti macules
  2. B. Trichrome vitiligo
  3. C. Inflammatory border
  4. D. Koebner phenomena
  5. E. All the above

5. Which topical treatment is FDA approved for the treatment of vitiligo?

Select only 1 answer.

  1. A. Topical roflumilast
  2. B. Topical tacrolimus
  3. C. Topical ruxolitinib
  4. D. Topical tapinarof

6. Which clinical feature is LEAST likely to suggest segmental vitiligo?

Select only 1 answer.

  1. A. Unilateral distribution
  2. B. Sparing the midline
  3. C. Rapid onset and progression
  4. D. Strictly follow dermatomes

7. Which therapeutic approach is MOST effective for treating rapid onset and widespread vitiligo?

Select only 1 answer.

  1. A. Infliximab
  2. B. Afemelanotide
  3. C. Adalimumab
  4. D. Combined approach using oral dexamethasone, narrowband UVB and topical therapies such as ruxolitinib, clobetasol or tacrolimus

8. Which of the following is INCORRECT regarding topical 1.5% ruxolitinib cream for the treatment of vitiligo?

Select only 1 answer.

  1. A. It is approved as a twice daily therapy for skin involved with vitiligo in children 12 years of age and older
  2. B. It can be used on up to 30% BSA for non-segmental vitiligo while avoiding direct application into the eyes, mouth and vaginal areas.
  3. C. Concomitant use of strong systemic immunosuppressives and JAK inhibitors should be avoided
  4. D. It is effective on non-segmental vitiligo

9. Which cytokine is responsible for persistence of vitiligo by inducing CD8+ T-cells to become “resident memory T-cells” in vitiligo skin?

Select only 1 answer.

  1. A. IL-23
  2. B. IL-17
  3. C. IL-15
  4. D. Interferon gamma

10. Which of the following statements is CORRECT regarding repigmentation of vitiligo?

Select only 1 answer.

  1. A. Relapse after stopping therapy once repigmentation has occurred is uncommon.
  2. B. Therapy with topical ruxolitinib is effective in preventing depigmentation in over 90% of patients once discontinued
  3. C. Areas of vitiligo with pigmentation surrounding the hair follicle is a positive sign for the chances of repigmenting that area
  4. D. Surgical repigmentation is ineffective in treating segmental vitiligo.