National Vitiligo Foundation's
Research & Scientific Grants

Current Research
Patient Studies

2008 Grants

A request for submission will be released on our web site by 31 January 2008. If you are a basic science or clinical researcher affiliated with an academic institute and have a project or idea that focuses in some way, shape, or form on Vitiligo you will be eligible to submit an application. All applications will be reviewed by our scientific review board. The NVF is planning on funding at least 2 or more $15,000 grants. The Grants will be award at the NVF Annual Convention and Awards Banquet in Boston.

The National Vitiligo Foundation has funded 2 research grants, awarded at our Annual Meeting held in Cincinnati, OH on 27 October 2007.

Rangaprasad Sarangarajan, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Pharmacology & Toxicology
Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Massachusetts College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences

TITLE:
Role of y-Glutamyltranspeptidase in the Conversion of 4-TBP to a Toxic Metabolite in
Occupational Vitiligo.
Award: $15,000
A Brief Description
Occupational Vitiligo is a skin disorder caused by exposure to phenolic compounds such at 4-tertiary butylphenol (4-TBP). Exposure to these compounds results in skin depigmentation and destruction of melanocytes (melanin producing cells). Current theory suggests that free radicals of 4-TBP generated by tyrosinase enzyme (responsible for melanin synthesis) induces oxidative stress and cell death. Free radicals generated in the cell are detoxified by reacting with glutathione (GSH), an antioxidant that is present in melanocytes. The product of free radical of 4-TBP and glutathione is a 4-TBP-GSH conjugate. We propose γ-glutamyl transpeptidase is an enzyme responsible for initiating a chain of reactions that, instead of detoxification, converts the 4-TBP-GSH conjugate to a metabolite that can destroy melanocytes. Results from this project would identify a specific enzymatic pathway responsible for the generation of 4-TBP metabolite capable of melanocyte destruction in occupational Vitiligo.

Hee-Young Park, Ph.D.
Associate Research Professor
Departments of Dermatology and Biochemistry
Boston University School of Medicine
TITLE: Bone Morphogenetic Protein-4: Novel Modulator of Pigmentation and Its Implication in Vitiligo.
Award: $15,000
A Brief Description
Vitiligo, a skin disease with an irregular-sized loss of skin pigment, has a devastating impact on the social and psychological well-being of an individual, as well as lack of sun-protection within the affected de-pigmented areas. The causes for the loss of skin pigment are not well understood. One of the factors that has been implicated to be important in causing the death pigment producing cells is the presence of molecules released by the local or micro-environments that stresses the survival of pigment cells. Based on this implication, my laboratory plans to examine whether a small molecule termed Bone-Morphogenetic Protein-4 (BMP-4) reduces the survival of melanocytes, pigment producing skin cells. BMP-4 is produced by melanocytes and neighboring skin cell types called keratinocytes. BMP-4 was shown to reduce the production of pigment and a protein that is important for the survival of melanocytes. Excess release of BMP-4 by keratinocytes may harm and reduce the survival
of melanocytes. We will study this possibility.

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