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Research and Clinical Trials
Vitiligo Support International does not in any way warranty, endorse or maintain any responsibility for the research or clinical studies listed here. Those participating or volunteering do so of their own accord.
Vitiligo Skin Pigment Cell Transplantation Study
W. Lim, M.D., Professor and Director
Multicultural Dermatology Center, Henry Ford Hospital
Individuals with vitiligo develop milk-white patches of skin due to loss of the skin pigment cells (melanocytes) in these areas. Skin transplantation can be a very effective treatment option for vitiligo patients with stable disease who have not experienced success from light treatments or application of medicated creams. One particular skin transplantation technique, the melanocyte-keratinocyte transplantation procedure (MKTP) has been used successfully in Sweden, India and Saudi Arabia for more than 13 years.
In the MKTP, melanocytes are taken from a person's normal skin, made into a gel, and then transferred to the vitiligo patches. The melanocytes grow and multiply in this new location and the skin color is restored. Because a gel is transferred instead of a piece of skin, as is done in many other skin transplantation procedures, this procedure can be performed on an outpatient basis and patients can resume most normal activities immediately after the procedure.
We are performing this procedure in the Henry Ford Hospital (HFH) Dermatology Clinic in a clinical trial in order to see if we can achieve the same success that has been experienced in other parts of the world using this technique. We have performed 15 procedures so far and early results are encouraging. This procedure is only appropriate for patients whose vitiligo has not worsened in the past six months. People who develop vitiligo or thick scars (keloids) on parts of the skin which are scratched or cut should not undergo this procedure. Study participants would have to be able to come to the HFH dermatology clinic in Detroit, Michigan 8 times in 7 months. Further study requirements can be discussed by contacting the study doctors.
For more information please contact Dr. Marsha Henderson at 313-916-6964 or mhender4@hfhs.org
Updated May 12, 2008
Take Part in International Study to Find VItiligo Genes (Questionnaire)
University of Colorado Health Sciences Center
Do you have Vitiligo, or have you had it in the past? Or, does someone in your family have Vitiligo? If so, would you or they be willing to take part in a major research project on Vitiligo?
We have put together an international team of scientists to find the genes that cause Vitiligo. Thus far, we have found that at least 5 genes contribute to causing Vitiligo in different families; on chromosomes 1, 7, 8, 9, and 17. We don?t know what most of these genes are yet, and so we need additional patients and families to narrow our search. Our goal is to discover the causes of Vitiligo, and the other autoimmune diseases that are often associated with Vitiligo?thyroid disease, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, pernicious anemia, lupus, Addison disease, and adult-onset insulin-dependent diabetes. We are currently focusing both on families in which more than one person has vitiligo or these other diseases and on individual people with vitiligo but no affected relatives. Please give serious consideration to participating. Our long-term goal is to better understand the causes of Vitiligo and these related diseases, so as to develop better treatments and even approaches to prevention of these diseases altogether.
The first step in your participating is to fill out the questionnaire below (Microsoft Word Document) and send it to us via email or regular mail. The email address and mailing address are contained at the end of the questionnaire. We will then contact respondents that might be appropriate to the study to get further information and arrange for a saliva (spit) sample. We thank you in advance for your help, and we look forward to hearing from you.
Richard A. Spritz, M.D.
Professor and Director
Human Medical Genetics Program
University of Colorado Health Sciences Center
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE QUESTIONNAIRE
Call for Patients: Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada Disease (VKH)
We are hoping to start a new genetic study specifically on Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada Disease, a rare autoimmune syndrome characterized by uveitis, meningitis, dysacusis, alopecia, poliosis, and vitiligo. If you have VKH disease, please email me as soon as possible,
Thank you,
Richard A. Spritz, M.D.
Tel 303-724-3107
FAX 303-724-3100
Email richard.spritz@ucdenver.edu
Detroit-Area Vitiligo Genetics Study
W. Lim, M.D., Professor and Director,
Multicultural Dermatology Center, Henry Ford Hospital
Though there are many different treatments available for vitiligo, there are none that are effective in all patients. We are performing a study comparing the genes of patients with vitiligo to those without the disorder in order to uncover targets for new treatments.
We will be collecting blood samples from vitiligo patients and healthy adults without the disease. We will perform testing to evaluate the genes that are different between the 2 groups as well as determining what these genes do. We are seeking 500 volunteers with vitiligo and 500 healthy controls for this important study. Participants would have to come to the Henry Ford Hospital Dermatology Clinic in Detroit, Michigan for a single visit and they will be compensated for their time.
For more information please contact Dr. Marsha Henderson at 313-916-6964 or mhender4@hfhs.org
Check back soon for new opportunities!
Other Research & Treatments:
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