Ongoing Research

In the past 2 decades, research on the role that melanocytes play in vitiligo has greatly increased. A variety of technical advances, such as gene mapping and cloning, have permitted relatively rapid advances in knowledge of melanocytes at the cellular and molecular levels.

Much of the research that holds promise for understanding, treating, and possibly preventing vitiligo is supported by the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. Current NIAMS-supported research includes the following:

Examination of the mechanism by which trauma or stress to the skin can trigger vitiligo or the development of new lesions
Development of a mouse model of vitiligo that not only would help scientists better understand the disease but also would allow them to test treatments for it
Identification of genes that play a role in and predispose people to vitiligo.

At the University of Colorado, NIAMS supports a large collaborative project involving families with vitiligo in the United States and the United Kingdom. Researchers have found evidence of a link between vitiligo and variants of a gene called FOXD3. It is hoped that further genetic analyses of these and other families will enable them to identify one or more additional vitiligo susceptibility genes. This work may lead to development of specific approaches to disease therapy and prevention for patients at high genetic risk.