John E Harris

John E Harris is a Professor and Chair at UMass Chan Medical School, holding the Lambi and Sarah Adams Chair in Genetic Research. He serves in multiple academic capacities across the institution, including in the Department of Dermatology at the T.H. Chan School of Medicine, and in several programs at the Morningside Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences including Immunology and Microbiology, Interdisciplinary Graduate Program, MD/PhD Program, and Millennium MD/PhD Program.

• Gordon College: BS Premedicine
• University of Massachusetts Medical School: MD
• University of Massachusetts Medical School: PhD in Molecular Medicine

Harris leads a prominent research program focused on vitiligo, an autoimmune disease causing skin depigmentation affecting approximately 1% of the population. His laboratory investigates the complex interplay between melanocytes and immune cells that leads to vitiligo development. His research employs four major approaches: a mouse model of vitiligo he developed, humanized mouse models, direct analysis of patient samples from his specialty vitiligo clinic, and clinical trials testing novel treatments. A key finding from his work identified the IFN-g/CXCL10 pathway as critical for T cells to locate and destroy melanocytes in vitiligo.

Harris's publication record shows consistent productivity with over 100 publications spanning from 2000 to 2025, with a significant increase in output since 2013. His research has evolved from fundamental immunological mechanisms to increasingly translational and clinical applications, particularly focusing on JAK inhibitors as potential vitiligo treatments. His recent work emphasizes health disparities, mental health impacts of vitiligo, and improving therapeutic approaches for diverse patient populations.

Harris has been instrumental in advancing vitiligo research through numerous clinical trials, including pivotal studies on ruxolitinib cream and upadacitinib. His laboratory has developed innovative models for studying skin autoimmunity and has made significant contributions to understanding how stressed melanocytes communicate with the immune system. His work bridges basic science discoveries with clinical applications, positioning him as a leader in translational dermatology research.

Harris manages a specialty clinic for vitiligo patients while simultaneously directing a productive research laboratory. His team employs cutting-edge techniques including single-cell RNA sequencing, advanced mouse models, and clinical trial design to address fundamental questions about autoimmune skin diseases. His research program has secured significant funding to support investigations into environmental triggers of vitiligo, mechanisms of T cell migration in skin, and development of novel therapeutic approaches.