The National Alopecia Areata Foundation (NAAF) is thrilled to report that two recent Student Internship Awardees have had their NAAF-supported research studies accepted for publication. Megan Mukenge, a student at Wake Forest University School of Medicine and a 2023 recipient of a NAAF Student Internship award under the guidance of Dr. Amy McMichael, examined the effectiveness of new FDA-approved treatments in African Americans with alopecia areata. Her study, “JAK Inhibitors in African American Patients with Alopecia Areata: A Case Series,” was published in the April 2025 edition of the International Journal of Dermatology. Mukenge’s retrospective study analyzed treatment data from 16 African American patients seen at a specialty hair clinic within an academic institution between 2018 and 2024. The study revealed that the majority (63%) of patients responded well, experiencing a 20% reduction in SALT score after treatment with a JAK inhibitor, demonstrating that JAK inhibitor treatment is an effective option for treating alopecia areata in African Americans. A second student from Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Sujeeth Shanmugam, also working with Dr. McMichael, received a 2024 NAAF Student Internship Award and was recently published. Shanmugam’s work focused on alopecia areata patients’ adherence to lab monitoring while undergoing JAK inhibitor treatment. Published in the Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, “The Current State of Patient Adherence to Lab Monitoring Guidelines for Janus Kinase Inhibitors in Patients with Alopecia Areata,” aimed to assess whether patients follow lab monitoring protocols. Although JAK inhibitors have demonstrated effectiveness in treating alopecia areata, they carry potential side effects that can be managed through regular lab monitoring. The retrospective study, which utilized chart reviews, found that a “vast majority” of patients did not adhere to the prescribed monitoring protocol for various reasons, including insurance complications and financial costs. The study concludes that “more aggressive discussion of laboratory requirements” with patients should be implemented. “NAAF is excited to help further alopecia areata research and support our medical student community through our grant program,” said Lisa Anderson, Ph.D., Senior Director of Research for NAAF. “Their work not only enhances our understanding of current treatments but also sets the stage for future discoveries that will benefit the alopecia areata community for years to come.”
