Current Research Grants

The NAAF Board of Directors has agreed to fund the following research grants based on the recommendations of NAAF's independent scientific peer review committee. Members of this independent committee of scientists have no conflict of interest or associations with any of the researchers applying for grants, and they are not members of NAAF's Scientific Advisory Council.

Genetic Research

Angela Christiano, PhD, Columbia University, New York, New York Title: Genome-Wide Association Studies for Alopecia Areata Susceptibility Genes Summary: Christiano has identified four loci using traditional genome linkage studies. She will use newer technology to identify specific loci.

Hope Dinh, PhD, St. Vincents Hospital, Victory, Australia Title: Defining MHC Expression in Human Hair Follicles in Alopecia Areata Summary: This study analyzes MHC, the major histocompatibility complex, in human hair follicles in order to assess immune privilege. The MHC is a large genomic region or gene family found in most vertebrates. It is the most gene-dense region of the mammalian genome and plays and important role in the immune system, autoimmunity, and reproductive expression.

Mouse Model Genetic Research

John Sundberg, DVM, PhD, the Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, Maine Title: Unraveling the Genetics of Alopecia Areata Summary: Sundberg will use the alopecia areata model to examine gene expression changes as the disease develops. This will help generate a hypothesis about signaling networks that play roles in alopecia areata progression. This current work takes advantage of advances in genetic mapping and will advance the knowledge for the development of specific testing modalities for pharmaceutical interventions in alopecia areata.

Immunology Research

Ralf Paus, MD, University of Luebeck, Germany Title: Exploration of Clinically Relevant Strategies for the Restoration of Human Hair Follicle Immune Privilege Summary: This study seeks to identify in a physiologically relevant, preclinical, human assay system new candidate hair follicle immune privilege "protectants" that can be quickly employed for more effective management of alopecia areata.
Michael Philpott, Barts and the London Queen Mary's School of Medicine, United Kingdom Title: Development of Co-culture Models to Investigate Hair Follicle Lymphocyte Interactions Summary: This study utilizes the human hair follicle culture system to examine normal immune cells interacting with the cultured hairs and what happens when inflammatory cytokines are added.

Mouse Model Clinical Research

Helen B. Everts, PhD, RD, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN Title: Role of Dietary Vitamin A in Alopecia Areata Disease Progression Summary: This study seeks to validate preliminary data obtained from independent gene expression array studies that showed vitamin A metabolism was altered in mice with alopecia areata and to test the hypothesis that altered dietary vitamin A affects the disease progression of alopecia areata.